If you are approaching, or currently experiencing, menopause, you may wonder if the herb black cohosh root will alleviate or eradicate some of your menopause-related symptoms. Although black cohosh root shows promise in reducing menopause-related symptoms on its own or in the over-the-counter German medical formulation Remifemin, you should ask your doctor if the herb is safe for your particular use based upon your current prescription medications and additional conventional medical treatment regimens before you use black cohosh root.
Identification
Black cohosh, also called Actaea racemosa, is a flowering perennial plant indigenous to Canada and the eastern United States. Black cohosh plants grow from four to eight feet tall and produce white, feathery-like flowers. Alternative health practitioners use black cohosh root and rhizomes, or above-ground and underground plant stems and shoots, for medicinal purposes.
Uses
Black cohosh root is used primarily to treat menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings and irritability, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Black cohosh root is also used to treat PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, pain associated with childbirth, and uterine, ovarian and breast pain. Black cohosh may also be used to treat bronchial infections, diarrhea, arthritis and whooping cough, notes the American Cancer Society, or ACS.
Active Constituents
Black cohosh contains terpene glycoside fraction with cimifugoside and actein, constituents that are believed to fuel the herb's therapeutic activity in relation to menopause symptoms, states Dr. Benjamin Kligler, M.P.H., and assistant family medicine professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, on AmericanFamilyPhysician.com. Black cohosh also contains anti-inflammatory substances called isoferulic acids and sugar compounds called glycosides. Black cohosh may possibly contain plant-based estrogens called phytoestrogens, notes the UMMC.
Clinical Trial
Twenty-one women who experienced more than 14 hot flashes per week were given Remifemin, a commercial over-the-counter product that contains black cohosh root, reports the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. The women reported a 50 percent decrease in hot flashes while on Remifemin, as well as a reduction in abnormal seating, trouble sleeping and overall fatigue, notes the NIH.
Warning
You may experience nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, vomiting, weight gain, joint pains or headaches when you take black cohosh root. Do not take black cohosh root if you have endometriosis, uterine cancer, fibroid tumors or ovarian cancer. Also, ask your doctor before taking black cohosh root if you have breast cancer or a strong family history of breast cancer, as the herb may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells, warns the UMMC. Finally, do not take black cohosh root if you are pregnant, as the herb may initiate contractions, which can lead to premature labor.
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