Despite reports of serious side effects, black cohosh is widely used for treating symptoms of menopause and menstrual problems. A tea made from the root of the black cohosh plant has also been used to relieve sore throat. Because of the possibility of severe toxic effects on your liver, you should consult your health care provider before using black cohosh to improve your health.
How It Works
Black cohosh contains substances called triterpine glycosides, which are the main active compounds that work to relieve menopausal symptoms. The phytoestrogens in black cohosh may work like estrogen in your body and decrease the bone loss associated with osteoporosis, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. Isoferulic acids are chemicals in black cohosh that may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Sources
Black cohosh tea is made from the dried roots or rhizomes, which are the plant stems that grow under the ground and produce shoots and roots for new plants. You can make the tea by grating up to 2 g of the dried roots or rhizomes, adding them to boiling water, and simmering for approximately 10 minutes. Strain the tea to remove the solid pieces before drinking it. You can drink the tea one to three times daily, notes Drug Digest.
Effect on the LIver
Case reports have associated black cohosh with sporadic cases of hepatitis or liver damage that sometimes required liver transplantation. A report on a woman who developed liver failure that necessitated a liver transplant after she used black cohosh was published in "Liver Transplantation" in 2006. Another report of a woman who developed hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, from black cohosh was published in "Menopause" in 2004. You should avoid black cohosh if you have a liver disorder or you drink large amounts of alcohol.
Effect on Other Organs
According to Drugs.com, black cohosh can cause problems with your heart, such as slowing your heart rate, and it can also affect your brain. In rare cases, it can cause convulsions. In addition, notes Drug Digest, you may also experience dizziness and headache from taking black cohosh, and your eyes may be affected and you may notice vision changes.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Black Cohosh
- Drugs.com: Black Cohosh
- "Nutrition and Cancer"; Black Cohosh Does Not Exert an Estrogenic Effect on the Breast; R.L. Ruhlen, et al.; 2007
- Drug Digest: Black Cohosh
- "Liver Transplantation"; Fulminant Hepatic Failure Associated with the Use of Black Cohosh: A Case Report; C.R. Lynch, et al.; June 2006
- "Menopause"; Autoimmune Hepatitis Associated with the Use of Black Cohosh: A Case Study; S.M. Cohen, et al.; September-October 2004
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