Phytoestrogenic property of Labisia pumila for use as an estrogen replacement therapy agent

Abstract

Labisia pumila (LP), also known as Kacip Fatimah has been used by Malay women for generations for conditions related to menopausal symptoms. Though, there has been no scientific-based evidence for its efficacy as an estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), LP’s use continues to be on the rise. This could be seen with increase in commercially available supplements which claims that taking the pills can help eliminate menopausal symptoms. To date, most researches only show us the difference in LP’s effect on certain metabolic activities with that of non-treated or estrogen-treated. However, the mechanism which brought about such changes is still unknown. This is because the pathways which are affected by LP or the cross-talk with other estrogenic pathways are still unknown. Perhaps in future, these are areas in which research on LP could be focused on.

Key words: Labisia pumila, Kacip Fatimah, traditional medicine, estrogen replacement therapy.