Black cohosh may one day be a safe and effective alternative for menopausal women who cannot tolerate hormone replacement therapy (HRT), says the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). For more than two centuries, black cohosh has been used as a Native American remedy for menstrual cramps and symptoms associated with menopause. Black cohosh is used today for many the same traditional purposes, although clinical findings show mixed results as to its efficacy, says the University of Maryland Medical Clinic. More extensive clinical studies are needed to determine how black cohosh works and if it can be of benefit to women going through the change of life.
Properties & Preparations
Black cohosh is a large, regal, white-flowering plant that grows in the shaded woods of the eastern United States. One of the active substances in black cohosh is believed to be plant-based estrogens called phytoestrogens, says the UMMC. The plant also contains sugar compounds and acids that have anti-inflammatory properties. The root of the black cohosh plant is used for medicinal purposes. Preparations include tablets, capsules and liquid extracts and tinctures. Dried black cohosh root can be used to make tea.
Uses
Traditionally, black cohosh has been used to address various female complaints and maladies, says the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). This includes not only menstruation and menopause, but infertility and inflammation of the uterus and ovaries. Black cohosh was also used to prevent miscarriage and induce lactation, as well as to reduce labor pains during childbirth. Black cohosh was also used as a native remedy for kidney disorders, sore throat, colds, hives and rheumatism, among several others. Studies have focused almost exclusively on use of black cohosh in menopausal women, however.
Studies
According to the UMMC, there are numerous U.S. clinical studies that support black cohosh for use in treating symptoms of menopause, citing one that found that among 120 women, the herb had better effects on hot flashes and night sweats than the prescription medication fluxetine, otherwise known as Prozac. However, other studies found that black cohosh had no effect at all. The ODS says that mixed findings are possibly due to "lack of rigor in study design," as well as the short length of the studies, which was six months or less. Also, the studies administered black cohosh to participants in varying dosages.
Future Studies
Despite current lack of evidence that solidly indicates black cohosh for effective use to treat symptoms of menopause, this herbal remedy shows promise. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine intends to fund more studies to discover if black cohosh is effective on hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. NCCAM further states that there is currently no evidence to suggest that it works for rheumatism or other purposes.
Cautions
Side effects of black cohosh include diarrhea, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting, decreased heart rate, tremors and reduced visual acuity, says the UMMC. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and those with breast, uterine or ovarian cancer, endometriosis and fibroid tumors should not take black cohosh. Black cohosh could be linked to liver toxicity, cautions the UMMC. Although there are no known interactions between black cohosh and other medications, it may interfere with certain cancer treatments. Black cohosh is defined as a dietary supplement by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and as such, cannot purport to cure or treat any medical condition. The ODS stresses the importance of consulting with a doctor or other health care practitioner before taking black cohosh or any other herbal or botanical remedy.
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