Botanically known as Cimicifuga racemosa, black cohosh is a member of the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family. This perennial herb can grow up to 8 feet high and has sharply toothed leaves divided into three sections. It flowers in very long spikes with white blossoms during the months of May through September and is mostly found in rich woods, according to the book "A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs" by Steven Foster and James Duke.
Naturopathic medicine promotes a holistic approach to health with minimal use of surgeries and drugs. Please make sure to consult your physician before attempting naturopathic remedies at home.
Hormone Remedy
Research has confirmed that black cohosh is a sedative that reduces the levels of the hormone that produces hot flashes during menopause, write Duke and Foster. The herb is used in Germany for treating premenstrual symptoms, which include difficult and painful cramps during menstruation. It must be avoided during pregnancy.
Herbalist David Hoffmann writes that only the dry roots and rhizomes are used medicinally, in his book "The New Holistic Herbal." Hoffmann notes it is an herb handed down by the Native American healing tradition as a normalizer for the female reproductive system.
Make a black cohosh root decoction, a remedy made by boiling plant material in water for at least 15 minutes and adding 1 tsp. of dry root per cup of boiling water. Strain out the herb and drink three times daily.
Antifungal and Antibacterial Remedy
In traditional Chinese medicine, black cohosh root is considered to be an antifungal and antibacterial remedy that hastens the completion of measles and other eruptive skin diseases when treated in their early stages, says acupuncturist Michael Tierra in his book "The Way of Chinese Herbs." It is also used as a remedy for gingivitis, which according to the Mayo Clinic, is a disease that causes inflammation in the gums.
Take two to four droppers of black cohosh tincture, which is an alcohol- or glycerin-based extract of the herb, three times a day.
Anti-Inflammatory Remedy
Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar writes in her book "Family Herbal--A Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health and Vitality" that black cohosh is an anti-inflammatory remedy that helps treat inflammation present in arthritis as well as neurological and muscular pain. Simon Mills writes that it is also useful in treating any inflammation caused by tension or muscle spasms, in his book "The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism."
Mills cautions users to avoid high dosages of black cohosh as it may produce vertigo and nervous disturbances.
References
- "A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs"; Steven Foster and James A. Duke; 2000
- "The New Holistic Herbal"; David Hoffmann; 1995
- The Way of Chinese Herbs"; Michael Tierra L. Ac. O.M.D.; 1998
- Mayo Clinic: Gingivitis
- "Family Herbal a Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health and Vitality"; Rosemary Gladstar; 2001
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