Besides dong quai and ginseng, other herbs are regularly sold to relieve the symptoms of menopause by claiming estrogen-like effects. Motherwort, ginger root, flaxseed, licorice, dandelion root, wild yam root, and primrose oil are being investigated, but soy milk, licorice, red clover, and mandrake seem to have the strongest estrogen effects. But people swearing by these natural remedies must remember that there are toxic levels to these substances. High doses of ginkgo biloba can cause hemorrhage. Licorice in toxic levels can deplete potassium levels, leading to fluid imbalance and possibly even heart arrhythmias.
Pennyroyal toxicity can cause liver failure.
And it is quite possible to be taking more than what your body can take even when doing the arithmetic on the labels that come with these substances, because there is no one watching the consistency of manufacturing techniques, meaning that the same product by the same company may not have the same dosage every time. This is frightening when you think about it. One should look for the standardizations. The established medical intelligentsia have a long way to go before sorting out the alternative methods according to stringent academic criteria. Whatever the reason, the long road toward catching up has begun.