{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]],"date-time":"2026-08-01T00:39:58Z","timestamp":1785544798560,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]],"date-time":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1691625600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Phytoestrogens (PEs) are plant-based compounds that can interact with estrogen receptors and are mainly used to treat menopausal complaints. However, the safety of products with assumed phytoestrogenic activity is not fully understood. This study aimed to identify plant species with assumed phytoestrogenic activity, review existing literature on their use and safety, and critically evaluate adverse reaction (AR) reports of single-herb, multi-herb, and mixed-multiple products, as submitted to the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb and to VigiBase of the World Health Organization (WHO). In the Lareb database, the most commonly reported plant species to cause ARs (total of 67 reports) were Actaea racemosa L. (black cohosh) (47.8%), Humulus lupulus L. (hops) (32.8%), and Glycine max (L.) Merr. (soybean) (22.4%). In the VigiBase database (total of 21,944 reports), the top three consisted of Glycine max (L.) Merr. (71.4%), Actaea racemosa L. (11.6%), and Vitex agnus-castus L. (chaste tree) (6.4%). In the scoping review (total of 73 articles), Actaea racemosa L. (30.1%), Glycine max (L.) Merr. (28.8%), and Trifolium pratense L. (13.7%) were the most frequently mentioned plant species. ARs were most frequently reported in the system organ classes \u201cgastrointestinal disorders\u201d, \u201cskin and subcutaneous tissue disorders\u201d, \u201creproductive system and breast disorders\u201d, and \u201cgeneral disorders and administration site conditions\u201d. Furthermore, from the scoping review, it appeared that the use of products with assumed phytoestrogenic activity was associated with postmenopausal bleeding. It was concluded that, while the potential benefits of products with assumed phytoestrogenic activity have been extensively pursued, the potential occurrence of ARs after using these products is less well understood. This study highlights the need for further investigation and careful monitoring of these products to better understand their effects and ensure the safety and well-being of individuals using them.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph16081137","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]],"date-time":"2023-08-10T10:11:22Z","timestamp":1691662282000},"page":"1137","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Analysis of Safety Concerns on Herbal Products with Assumed Phytoestrogenic Activity"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"A. Marije","family":"Tjeerdsma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP), University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, Goudsbloemvallei 7, 5237 MH \u2019s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8965-3224","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Florence P. A. M.","family":"van Hunsel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, Goudsbloemvallei 7, 5237 MH \u2019s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Department of PharmacoTherapy, -Epidemiology & -Economics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP), University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0237-7659","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sonja","family":"van de Koppel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, Goudsbloemvallei 7, 5237 MH \u2019s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2252-0467","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Corine","family":"Ekhart","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, Goudsbloemvallei 7, 5237 MH \u2019s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2055-9755","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Annabella","family":"Vitalone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiology and Pharmacology \u2018Vittorio Erspamer\u2019, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9450-5880","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Herman J.","family":"Woerdenbag","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP), University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1263","DOI":"10.1111\/bph.13622","article-title":"The potential health effects of dietary phytoestrogens","volume":"174","author":"Rietjens","year":"2017","journal-title":"Br. 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