The Effect of Nigella sativa Seeds Capsules on the Severity of Physical Symptoms in People with Premenstrual Syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome is one the most common disorders of reproductive age and despite its high prevalence and its importance, the exact cause and the appropriate treatment for it are not well defined. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Nigella sativa seeds capsules on the severity of physical symptoms in People with Premenstrual Syndrome. Double blind randomized clinical trial study was performed on 84 students with symptoms of premenstrual syndrome residing in girls' dormitories in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 1396. The subjects were divided randomly into two groups of 42 intervention and control groups. The intervention group received, oral capsule containing 500 mg of Nigella sativa seeds, three times a day from 7 days before the onset of menstrual bleeding to the first 3 days of menstrual bleeding for 2 cycles and the control group received placebo capsules in the same conditions. The severity of the symptoms was compared the end of the first and second months of the intervention with before intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 23 and Chi-square, Fisher exact, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon. The significance level was considered as P <0.05. The mean of severity of physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome at the end of the first month in the Nigella sativa seeds group were 2.83 ± 2.01 and at the end of the second month were 3.34 ± 1.97 has decreased proportion before the intervention. The mean scores of intensity of physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome in the intervention group at the end of the second month were significantly lower than the control group (P <0.001). The Nigella sativa seeds Capsule is effective in decreasing the severity of physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.