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Black Cohosh
Family:
Ranunculaceae |
Latin Name:
Cimicifuga racemosa |
Description
Graceful, towering plant when in bloom with a height of 3-6 feet and a width of 2 feet. The rhizome is thick, hard, knotty, with short branches and a bitter, acrid taste. It blooms July to August and is native to Canada and the eastern US.
Common Uses
Black cohosh has estrogenic effects, meaning it acts like the female sex hormone estrogen. This may lend support to its traditional use for menstrual complaints. It is thought to reduce levels of pituitary luteinizing hormone, thereby decreasing the ovaries' production of progesterone. Black cohosh is used to optimize estrogen levels perhaps by competing with estrogen receptor sites when estrogen is overabundant but may promote estrogen production when estrogen is low. It promotes fertility and softens the impact of menopause. Using back cohosh during menopause can reduce intensity and frequency of hot flashes, support and ease the body's changes, and help counteract menopausal prolapses. WARNING: DO NOT USE DURING PREGNANCY UNLESS RECOMMENDED BY YOUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.
History
"Cimicifuga" means "bug repellent" and black cohosh has been used for this purpose in the past. Native Americans used it to treat snake bites. Remifemin, the brand name of standardized black cohosh, has been used to treat menopause symptoms in the U.S. for over 20 years.
Products Containing this Ingredient
Black Cohosh Complete Concentrate®, Black Cohosh Meno-Relief 1650™, Black Cohosh Root Tincture, New Dimensions®, Black Cohosh Root, Cert. Organic, Bladder Formula (DRI), Female Balance™, Multi- Vitamin, Menopause One™, Relax- Eze, Serenity™, Wanita’s Sunwheel Tea, Womenopause (formerly Dong Quai Woman’s Blend)
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