Agent	Study population	Dosage	Study duration	Results	Adverse effects*
Belladonna/ergotamine tartrate/phenobarbital combination (Bellergal,† Bellamine)44	71 menopausal women	1 tablet three times per day	Eight weeks	75 percent decrease in hot flashes with Bellergal versus 68 percent with placebo (P < .001, NNT = 14)	Similar incidence between groups
Dong quai45	71 menopausal women	4.5 g per day	Six months	No significant difference compared with placebo	Similar incidence between groups
Evening primrose oil46	56 menopausal women	500 mg per day	Six months	No significant difference compared with placebo	Similar incidence between groups
Gabapentin (Neurontin)47	59 menopausal women	300 mg three times per day	12 weeks	45 percent decrease in hot flashes with gabapentin versus 29 percent with placebo (P = .02, NNT = 6)	Somnolence; dizziness
Ginseng48	384 menopausal women	200 mg per day	Four months	No significant difference compared with placebo	Similar incidence between groups
Mirtazapine (Remeron)49	Four menopausal women	15 to 30 mg per day	Varied by patient	All four women experienced a decline in frequency and severity (40 to 80 percent) of hot flashes while receiving mirtazapine.	None reported
Trazodone (Desyrel)50	25 climacteric women	75 mg per day	Three months	No significant difference from baseline	Drowsiness
Vitamin E51	125 women with a history of breast cancer	800 IU per day	Nine weeks	No significant difference compared with placebo	Similar incidence between groups
Wild yam52	50 menopausal women	1 teaspoon topically twice per day	Six months	No significant difference compared with placebo	None reported