Treatment of premenstrual syndrome and menopause

This invention relates to the use of various naturally occurring compounds to treat the symptoms of diseases, and, more particularly, to the use of the natural product indole-3-methanol and related compounds to alleviate the symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome and menopause. A method of treating premenstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms in a patient, the method comprising: administering to the patient an 1H-indole-3-methanol compound (e.g., 1H-indole-3-methanol; ascorbigen) in a medically acceptable manner in a pharmaceutically effective amount. It has been found that the administration of such indoles, particularly, 1H-indole-3-methanol, greatly relieves the symptoms of PMS. Patients with PMS have reported decreased menstrual cramping, decreased menstrual flow, shorter duration of menses, decreased fatigue, less frequent headaches, improved mood, and decreased bloating resulting from the oral administration each day or during specific portions of the menstrual cycle of pharmaceutically effective amounts of dietary indoles derived from 1H-indole-3-methanol. It has also been found that the administration of such indoles, particularly, 1H-indole-3-methanol, greatly relieves the symptoms of menopause.