Black cohosh is a flowering plant that's native to North America. Its scientific names are Actaea racemosa and Cimicifuga racemosa, and it's sometimes called black bugbane, black snakeroot, baneberry, or fairy candle ( 1 ). The popular women's health supplement Remifemin contains black cohosh as an active ingredient.

What is another name for black cohosh?

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa or Cimicifuga racemosa), a member of the buttercup family, is a perennial plant native to North America. Other, mostly historical, names for this herb include snakeroot, black bugbane, rattleweed, macrotys, and rheumatism weed [1,2].

What is the local name for black cohosh?

Actaea racemosa, the black cohosh, black bugbane, black snakeroot, or fairy candle (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa), is a species of flowering plant of the family Ranunculaceae.

What is Cimicifuga racemosa used for?

Cimicifuga racemosa is one of the herbs used for the treatment of climacteric syndrome, and it has been cited as an alternative therapy to estrogen. Apart from hectic fevers, dyspareunia and so on, dry mouth also increase significantly after menopause.

Who should not take black cohosh?

Black cohosh may not be safe for:

• Women who are pregnant (although it is sometimes used to induce labor)
• Women who have -- or have had -- breast cancer or uterine cancer.
• Women who have endometriosis.
• Children under 18.
• People with liver disease, a high risk of stroke or blood clots, or seizure disorders.

Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh)

38 related questions found

What are the dangers of black cohosh?

It can cause some mild side effects such as stomach upset, cramping, headache, rash, a feeling of heaviness, vaginal spotting or bleeding, and weight gain. There is also some concern that black cohosh may be associated with liver damage. It is not known for sure if black cohosh actually causes liver damage.

Can Vitamin B12 deficiency cause hot flashes?

What happens when you don't get enough B12? Your body can't make enough red blood cells. You're more likely to get a cold or the flu. You get hot flashes.

Can you take black cohosh if you have high blood pressure?

Do not take black cohosh if you: Have a hormone-sensitive condition, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids. Have a history of blood clots, stroke, seizures, or liver disease. Take medications for high blood pressure.

Is 540 mg of black cohosh too much?

Here's what I found on WebMD: "For menopausal symptoms, the dose of black cohosh used in studies has been 20-40 milligram tablets of a standardized extract taken twice a day. More than 900 milligrams a day of black cohosh is considered an overdose.

Is black cohosh estrogenic?

Black cohosh, a menopausal remedy, does not have estrogenic activity and does not promote breast cancer cell growth.

Is black cohosh safe for kidneys?

People with kidney disease should be cautious when using black cohosh, as little is known about the body's ability to excrete it when the kidneys are damaged. Additionally, given that one of the most severe potential side effects is liver damage, you should avoid black cohosh supplements if you have liver disease.

Can Cimicifuga grow in shade?

Cimicifuga grows best in moist soil that is rich in organic matter and part shade to full shade. In Zones 7 and above, full shade is essential; too much sun will burn the plant's leaves and create bedraggled looking specimens.

Can black cohosh damage liver?

In recent years, products labeled as black cohosh has been implicated in many instances of clinically apparent, acute liver injury, some cases of which have been severe and led to emergency liver transplantation or death.

Is black cohosh good for anxiety?

Black cohosh significantly reduced depression and anxiety in all studies reviewed. Conclusions: St. John's wort and black cohosh appear to be the most useful in alleviating mood and anxiety changes during menopause.

What are the signs of coming to the end of menopause?

The most common symptoms include:

• Hot flashes. These cause you to feel a sudden rush of warmth in your face and upper body. ...
• Night sweats. Hot flashes during sleep can result in night sweats. ...
• Cold flashes. ...
• Vaginal changes. ...
• Emotional changes. ...
• Trouble sleeping.

Does Remifemin cause weight gain?

Headache, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, vaginal spotting/bleeding, and dizziness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor promptly.

Is black cohosh good for inflammation?

Preliminary studies suggest that black cohosh may help reduce inflammation associated osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Does black cohosh cause flatulence?

For Postmenopausal Symptoms: “I had horrible side effect symptoms from black cohosh ! Bloating, farting , feeling like I needed to poop all the time, I even accidentally sharted my pants!

Does black cohosh cause water retention?

However, there are some recent reports on serious adverse events, probably associated with this complementary and alternative herbal medicine. We report a case of coagulation activation, fluid retention and transient autoimmune hepatitis most likely triggered by the use of black cohosh.

Does black cohosh help you sleep?

Research shows black cohosh may alleviate night sweats and hot flashes, as well as lowering anxiety, and reducing vaginal dryness. It's also been shown to improve sleep, likely because of its stress and anxiety lowering capabilities.

Is black cohosh a blood thinner?

Many additional health complications of varying severity have been connected with the use of the black cohosh. As the herb acts as a blood thinner, bleeding and blood pressure disturbances may occur with use. A doctor should assess symptoms that involve bleeding or become severe.

Can you drink alcohol with black cohosh?

Alcohol (Ethanol) black cohosh

Products containing black cohosh have been reported to cause liver damage in rare cases, and taking it with other medications that can also affect the liver such as ethanol may increase that risk. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications.

Does drinking lots of water help with hot flashes?

Because of the excessive sweating brought on by hot flashes and night sweats, peri-menopausal and menopausal women need to drink more water to remain hydrated. Interestingly, the more hydrated you are, the less likely you will be to suffer from hot flashes and night sweats.

What deficiency causes Hotflashes?

The Importance of Vitamin D

Estrogen imbalance: Vitamin D deficiency may lead to lowered estrogen levels, which can cause depression, hot flashes, mood swings and more.

What foods make night sweats worse?

Here are a few culprits to watch out for:

• Spicy foods: Not surprisingly, spicy foods can make hot flashes worse. ...
• Alcohol: Having a glass of wine a few times a week probably won't affect your symptoms. ...
• Fatty foods: Except for fatty fish and nuts, try to keep your intake of fat-laden foods to a minimum.