More than half of women experience menstrual cramps and, according to the NIH, painful menstruation is the leading cause of lost time from school and work among women in their teens and 20s. Now a U.K.-based pharmaceutical company is testing whether a drug that targets the underlying cause of dysmenorrhea can provide relief. From WebMD:
Researchers say the drug, now in phase II clinical trials in the U.K. and U.S., works by blocking the hormone vasopressin, which is involved in contractions of the uterus. Increased levels of this hormone are believed to cause the pain associated with menstrual cramps.
Information on the research was presented yesterday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco. Results of the current trials, which are evaluating the effectiveness of the drug, are expected to be released later this year.
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