Black Cohosh

Cimicifuga racemosa

... Black cohosh is different from both blue cohosh and white cohosh. Blue cohosh is frequently used in combination with black cohosh, but the effects of the two products are very different. White cohosh, also called white baneberry, is poisonous. It should never be taken by mouth. If you have any doubts about the origin of the herbal product you have, do not use it.

Black cohosh is used mostly by women for treating complaints such as premenstrual syndrome, hormone-related migraines, and menopausal symptoms. Although results of recent clinical studies have found that it has no estrogenic activity or that it may even oppose estrogen, black cohosh was long thought to contain chemicals that act like the female hormone estrogen in the body. Its activity may vary from individual to individual. For many women, it is at least mildly effective in relieving bloating, breast swelling, cramps, emotional changes, and other symptoms. However, in clinical studies, black cohosh was ineffective in relieving treatment-related symptoms such as hot flashes for women who had previously had breast cancer. Additionally, black cohosh usually needs to be taken daily for several weeks before it reaches full effectiveness. After recent large clinical trials showed that widely prescribed hormone therapy neither protects postmenopausal women from heart disease nor relieves menopausal symptoms, interest has been renewed in the use of black cohosh and other "natural" alternatives for female hormone replacement therapy. ...

?Cimicifuga racemosa Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae ...