Plants for Women’s Health Initiative
Advancing the Science of Botanical Medicine for Women
BPRA’s Plants for Women’s Health initiative is building a stronger scientific foundation for botanical medicine in women’s health by connecting real-world use data with rigorous botanical research and accessible public education.
Our current research program focuses on midlife women, approximately ages 30–65, and brings together three integrated areas of work: understanding real-world botanical use; investigating the chemistry, pharmacology, and safety of two widely used women’s health plants; and translating emerging evidence into an open-access educational resource.
Botanical medicine for women’s health is under-researched & severely underfunded.
Women spend approximately 25%* more of their lives in poor health compared to men, equating to an average of nine years of ill health.
Women make up a significant portion of the direct sales consumer base and are high users of herbal products. In fact, women with chronic disease report being higher users of herbal products and report using herbal products along with prescription medication. Many consumers use prescription, over the counter drugs with herbal medicine and do not disclose their use of herbal products with their medical providers due to several factors- including their providers not asking. The quality of herbal products remains a significant issue along with adulteration and contamination in the industry. Despite the evidence of high prevalence of use, research regarding the patterns and reasons for using herbal products are lacking.
*MCKINSEY CLOSING THE WOMEN’S HEALTH GAP: A 1 TRILLION DOLLAR OPPORTUNITY
Our New Research Program: Black Cohosh + Vitex
Two plants are at the center of our newest research effort:
Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa)
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)
Both botanicals have a long history of use in women’s health and have been studied in relation to menopausal symptoms, menstrual concerns, premenstrual syndrome, and other hormone-related conditions. Yet fundamental scientific questions remain about their chemical composition, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, mechanisms of action, product variability, and safety.
Building Better Botanical Evidence
By connecting real-world evidence, rigorous plant science, pharmacology, safety research, and public education, BPRA is working to strengthen the scientific foundation for informed decision-making about botanical medicine in women’s health. As new findings become available, the Plants for Women’s Health Library will grow with the evidence - creating a living bridge between botanical science and women’s health decision-making.
What We’re Doing
Aim 1 — Understand What Women Are Actually Using
Before deciding which botanicals require further study, we need better information about what women are already using.
BPRA is working with an interdisciplinary research team to examine real-world patterns of botanical and dietary supplement use among midlife women. This work builds upon dietary supplement and natural-product questions piloted through the 2026 Q1 Survey of Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs (NMURx) conducted by Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety.
The goal is to create an empirical foundation for deciding which botanical products and safety questions deserve the greatest research attention.
Aim 2 — Study Black Cohosh and Vitex from Plant to Patient
A central challenge in botanical research is knowing exactly what material is being studied. Botanical products can differ substantially in their chemistry, sourcing, processing, and composition. BPRA’s approach therefore begins with the plant itself. By starting with authenticated, chemically characterized botanical material, BPRA aims to help make future botanical studies more reproducible, interpretable, and useful.
Aim 3 — Build the Plants for Women’s Health Library
Generating evidence is only part of the challenge. Women, healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers must also be able to understand and use that evidence. BPRA is developing the Plants for Women’s Health Library, an open-access educational resource designed to translate emerging botanical research into clear, appropriately qualified information.
Support Plants for Women’s Health Research
Your support helps BPRA investigate the plants women are already using, strengthen standards for botanical research, study critical questions of safety and pharmacology, and make trustworthy scientific information openly accessible.
Support the Plants for Women’s Health initiative.