Table 1. Main characteristics of the included studies.
| Study (year) | Participants | Interventions and comparators | Outcomes | Follow-up | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vale et al (2018)10 | N = 40 premenopausal women with HSDD Age 18 to 44 years |
G1: T. terrestris (N = 20)*
250 mg orally 3 times/day, 120 days G2: Placebo (N = 20)* |
Sexual Function (FSFI and SQ-F) Serum testosterone level |
Immediately after treatment (4 months) | No financial support |
| Souza et al (2016)11 | N = 46 postmenopausal women with HSDD Age 43 to 65 years |
G1: T. terrestris (N = 20)*
250 mg orally 3 times/day, 120 days G2: Placebo (N = 16)* |
Sexual Function (FSFI) Serum testosterone level |
Immediately after treatment (4 months) | A pharmacy provided T. terrestris used in the study |
| Postigo et al (2016)12 | N = 60 postmenopausal women with HSDD Age: G1 54 ± 5.1 years G2 56 ± 5.8 years |
G1: T. terrestris (N = 30)*
250 mg orally 3 times/day, 90 days G2: Placebo (N = 30)* |
Sexual Function (SQ-F) | Immediately after treatment (3 months) | The study received funding from a governmental fund and the main investigator had a research fellowship. |
| Guazzelli et al (2014)13 | N = 66 postmenopausal women with HSDD Age G1 56 ± 5.8 years G2 53 ± 3.9 years G3 54 ± 5.1 years |
G1: T. terrestris (N = 22)*
250 mg orally 3 times/day, 90 days G2: Tibolone (N = 24)* 1.25 mg/oral administration/day, 90 days G3: Placebo (N = 20) |
Sexual Function (SQ-F) | Immediately after treatment (3 months) | The study received funding from a governmental fund |
| Akhtari et al (2014)14 | N = 67 premenopausal women with HSDD Age G1 36 ± 6.2 years G2 36.1 ± 5.8 years |
G1: T. terrestris (N = 30)*
7.5 ml syrup, 2 times / day, 30 days (3.5 g of ethanolic extract per 5 ml of syrup) G2: Placebo (N = 30)* |
Sexual Function (FSFI) Adverse events |
Immediately after treatment (1 month) | The study was supported by Tehran University of Medical Sciences; it is not clear if this was financial support |
Abbreviations: FSFI, Female Sexual Function Index; g, grams; HSDD, hypoactive sexual desire disorder; mg: milligrams; ml, milliliters; N, number of participants; SQ-F, Sexual Quotient Female Questionnaire; T. terrestris, Tribulus terrestris.
*
Number of patients included in the analysis.