Black Cohosh
This image of Black Cohosh is from Medical Botany, or, Descriptions of the More Important Plants Used in Medicine, by R. Eglesfeld Griffith, published in 1847. It is available in the John R. Martin Rare Book Room in the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.
Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa)
Actaea racemosa, also known as Black Cohosh, Squaw Root, Rattleweed, Black Snakeroot, and Macrotys (Johnson and Fahey 2012), is a member of the Buttercup Family native to North America (Qiu et al. 2014), primarily east of the Mississippi (Johnson and Fahey 2012). A flowering perennial that can grow nine feet tall (Tesch 2003), Black Cohosh has been used historically by Native Americans to treat gynecological disorders, kidney disorders, malaria, and sore throat (Qiu et al. 2014), as well as snake bite and rheumatism, and as an insect repellent (Tesch 2003). Its most common use today is in the treatment of hot flashes and other perimenopausal symptoms; it may have general analgesic properties (Johnson and Fahey 2012).
Historical Use
R. Eglesfeld Griffith’s Medical Botany, published in 1847, presented a variety of uses for Black Cohosh. It was said to stimulate secretions from the skin, kidneys, and lungs, and to treat rheumatism and diseases of the lungs. Native Americans employed it against rheumatism and for increasing menstrual flow, as well as for snake bites, a practice which Griffith thought to be possibly useful because C. racemosa was said to stimulate sweating.
Latest Research
- Effects of Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt on sexual function in women receiving tamoxifen for breast cancerby Carolina Furtado Macruz on August 22, 2022 at 10:00 am
To assess the effects of Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt on climacteric symptoms and sexual function in women receiving tamoxifen after breast cancer treatment. A prospective study of women treated at the Mastology Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Santa Casa de Sao Paulo School of Medical Science of the hospital was conducted between 2018 and 2021. Patients diagnosed with breast cancer that underwent surgical, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment more than…
- Black cohosh efficacy and safety for menopausal symptoms. The Spanish Menopause Society statementby Camil Castelo-Branco on April 11, 2022 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSION: Black cohosh is an effective and safe treatment option for the relieving of vasomotor symptoms. Finally, further clinical trials with sufficient patient enrollment and longer study follow-up are needed.
- Treat more than heat-New therapeutic implications of Cimicifuga racemosa through AMPK-dependent metabolic effectsby Jürgen Drewe on March 26, 2022 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: As an extension of this effect dimension, other off-label indications may appear attractive in the sense of repurposing of this herbal treatment.
- Weight gain in menopause: systematic review of adverse events in women treated with black cohoshby B Naser on October 5, 2021 at 10:00 am
Weight gain is a frequent problem in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Cimicifuga racemosa (CR) is a popular treatment option for menopausal symptoms. The aim of this review was to investigate whether there is scientific evidence that CR causes weight gain. We searched our database for medically confirmed, spontaneous adverse events regarding weight gain, literature for case reports and randomized controlled trials. Thirty cases in total were spontaneously reported in 15 years. The…
- Cimicifuga racemosa isopropanolic extract for menopausal symptoms: an observational prospective case-control studyby Maurizio Guida on September 3, 2021 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSION: iCR may be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms, both after 1 month and after 3 months of treatment. The improvement was higher in vasomotor symptoms, sleep problems, and irritability.
References
Johnson, T. L., and J. W. Fahey (2012). Black cohosh: Coming full circle? J Ethnopharmacol 141(3): 775–779.
Qiu, F., et al. (2014). “Pharmacognosy of black cohosh: The phytochemical and biological profile of a major botanical dietary supplement.” Prog Chem Org Nat Prod 99: 1–68.
Tesch, B. J. (2003). “Herbs commonly used by women: an evidence-based review.” Am J Obstet Gynecol 188(5 Suppl): S44–55.