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Summary. Eighty patients with premenstrual tension were treated prospectively with mefenamic acid for a mean period of 13 months. Most of them (86%) reported significant relief of premenstrual tension. Symptoms of dysfunctional menorrhagia or primary dysmenorrhoea were also alleviated. In 19 patients, the plasma concentrations of prostaglandin (PG) E2, PGF and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F (PGFM) were measured at intervals throughout three menstrual cycles. During the first cycle the patients received no treatment; in the subsequent two cycles they received either mefenamic acid or placebo in a randomized double-blind crossover manner. Similar measurements were made in 22 matched control subjects. The plasma concentrations of PGE2, PGF and PGFM were significantly lower in the 19 patients in all three menstrual cycles compared with the values in the control subjects. Excess synthesis of prostaglandins of the 1 series may occur in premenstrual tension and, by precursor depletion, result in decreased synthesis of the 2-series prostaglandins.