"Saffron for the Treatment of PMS" PMS is among the most common health problem reported by women, affecting approximately 1 in 3, and there's not much modern medicine has to offer. Ancient traditional medicine, though, in Asia and Persia used a spice called saffron to treat menstrual disorders. But what did they know? That was 3,500 years ago, in fact, the earliest recorded use of any medicinal plant. Didn't they know though that you can't really know anything unless it's put through a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial? Well, it took 3,500 years but we finally have it. Women experiencing PMS for at least 6 months were randomly assigned to a capsule of saffron versus a capsule of nothing! And lo and behold "saffron was found to be effective in relieving symptoms of PMS." Check it out. Reported PMS symptoms significantly dropped even within the first cycle, and continued to improve. This included changes in mood (anxiety, irritability, depression, nervous tension, mood swings and feelings of being 'out of control'), behavior (poor coordination, insomnia, confusion, headache, crying, fatigue), pain (aches, cramps, tenderness) and other physical symptoms (including cravings and swelling) all thanks to a little spice from the saffron crocus.