Many natural remedies have not been approved by the FDA yet have had success with many people. We at Healthy Living are just going to give you the treatment and claims of some of these Natural cures. In the end you have to decide whether it is right for you.Today's herb is Black Cohosh and is very popular in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. The information comes from the Office of Dietary Supplements website. The article in full, references for this article and their website can be found here. Additional information can be found by clicking on Black Cohosh above.
~Black cohosh is used for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
~Although preliminary evidence is encouraging, the currently available data are not sufficient to support a recommendation on the use of black cohosh for menopausal symptoms. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health is funding a rigorous scientific study to determine whether treatment with black cohosh reduces the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, and other menopausal symptoms.
~In 2001, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated, primarily on the basis of consensus and expert opinion, that black cohosh may be helpful in the short term (6 months or less) for women with vasomotor symptoms of menopause [1].
~Although few adverse events have been reported, long-term safety data are not available.
Black cohosh (known as both Actaea racemosa and Cimicifuga racemosa ), a member of the buttercup family, is a perennial plant that is native to North America. Other common names include black snakeroot, bugbane, bugwort, rattleroot, rattletop, rattleweed, and macrotys. Insects avoid it, which accounts for some of these common names.
What are the historical uses of black cohosh?
Black cohosh was used in North American Indian medicine for malaise, gynecological disorders, kidney disorders, malaria, rheumatism, and sore throat [3]. It was also used for colds, cough, constipation, hives, and backache and to induce lactation [4]. In 19th-century America, black cohosh was a home remedy used for rheumatism and fever, as a diuretic, and to bring on menstruation. It was extremely popular among a group of alternative practitioners who called black cohosh "macrotys" and prescribed it for rheumatism, lung conditions, neurological conditions, and conditions that affected women's reproductive organs (including menstrual problems, inflammation of the uterus or ovaries, infertility, threatened miscarriage, and relief of labor pains) [4].
How does black cohosh work?
How black cohosh works is not known. The possibility that black cohosh exhibits estrogenic activity has been studied but the evidence is contradictory [10-18].A compound recently identified in black cohosh (fukinolic acid) was shown to have estrogenic activity in vitro [10]. Other active compounds appear to include triterpene glycosides (including actein and cimicifugoside), resins (including cimicifugin), and caffeic and isoferulic acids [19].
Effect on hormone levels
Women who have reached menopause generally have lower levels of estrogen and higher levels of two other hormones, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), than do women who menstruate. Three of four studies show that black cohosh does not affect LH or FSH.A study of 150 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women using two different doses of black cohosh (Remifemin tablets, 39 or 127.3 mg/day) found that 6 months of treatment caused no changes in LH, FSH, prolactin, estradiol, or sex-hormone-binding globulin [20]. Another trial of black cohosh in women with breast cancer found small but insignificant changes in LH levels (in 18 subjects) and FSH levels (in 33 subjects) [6]. In the third study, Remifemin (8 mg/day given as four 2-mg tablets) did not affect LH or FSH levels in 15 women who had undergone a hysterectomy who were part of a study comparing black cohosh with several estrogens [7].The fourth study, which found an effect of black cohosh on LH levels, was a trial in 110 women with menopausal symptoms. Participants treated with Remifemin (8 mg/day) for 8 weeks had significantly lower average LH levels than did a control group (FSH levels were unchanged) [11]. However, the report of this study does not include the participants' hormone levels before the study began, so the two groups may have had different LH levels initially.In vitro studies used to examine the effect of black cohosh have given contradictory results. Black cohosh had no activity in estrogen receptor (ER) binding assays in Ishikawa (endometrial) and S30 (breast cancer) cell lines [12]. It did not show potent ER binding activity; slightly enhanced the growth of ER-positive breast cancer cells (T47D) but was not tested on ER-negative cells [13]. In another study black cohosh inhibited the growth of T47D (human breast cancer) cells [14]. In ER-positive breast cancer cell line 435, black cohosh resulted in growth inhibition [15]. In ER-positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7, it inhibited estradiol-induced stimulation of cell proliferation in one study [21] but isolated constituents of black cohosh increased proliferation in another [10].
Effect on the vagina
Because of the marked changes in hormone levels in women who have achieved menopause, numerous modifications occur in the structure and activity of vaginal and uterine tissues. Microscopically, vaginal cells look different after menopause because of decreased estrogen. Studies have been mixed on whether black cohosh affects vaginal epithelium. One placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of black cohosh showed estrogenic changes in vaginal epithelium of menopausal women [8], but another study of two Remifemin doses (39 or 127.3 mg/day) found that 6 months of treatment in perimenopausal and menopausal women caused no changes in vaginal cytology [20].
Effect on the uterus
Menopause is associated with a thinning of the uterine lining (the endometrium). No human studies have adequately evaluated the effect of black cohosh on uterine endometrium.When uterine weight of immature female mice and growth of ER-positive breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were used to measure the estrogenic effect of black cohosh, black cohosh caused an increase in uterine weight and growth of cancer cells in culture, which the authors said reflected an estrogenic effect [16]. Black cohosh did not exhibit estrogenic effects in a study that measured uterine weight in immature mice and vaginal cell cornification (conversion of cells from columnar to squamous) in ovariectomized rats [17].
What is the regulatory status of black cohosh in the United States?
In the United States, black cohosh is sold as a dietary supplement, and dietary supplements are regulated as foods, not drugs. Manufacturers do not have to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with evidence that dietary supplements are effective or safe before marketing. Because dietary supplements are not always tested for manufacturing consistency, the composition may vary considerably from lot to lot.
Can black cohosh be harmful?
Black cohosh can cause stomach discomfort and headaches [10]. Clinical trials comparing estrogens with black cohosh preparations have shown a low incidence of adverse effects associated with black cohosh; headaches, gastric complaints, heaviness in the legs, and weight problems were the main adverse effects noted [22].A published case of acute hepatitis involved a 47-year-old woman who used black cohosh for symptoms of menopause [23]. She received a liver transplant three weeks after she started taking the herb. The report indicated the dose of black cohosh did not exceed the dosage recommended on the package; but no other dosage information was provided. No other cause for liver disease was found.Black cohosh usually has not been used for long periods, and published studies have followed women for only 6 months or less. Recently, a large study that followed postmenopausal women taking combined estrogen and progestin for an average of 5.2 years showed a small but significant increase in the risk of certain diseases, demonstrating the importance of long-term studies in revealing risks that may not be apparent in shorter studies [24]. If black cohosh is estrogenic, long-term use may adversely affect uterine or breast tissue. No studies have been published on long-term safety in humans, particularly regarding abnormal stimulation of cells in the endometrium or breast. There is a case report of neurological complications in a postterm baby after labor induction with a mixture of black cohosh and blue cohosh (Caullophylum thalictroides) during a home birth [25].Other cases of adverse outcomes experienced by neonates born to women who reportedly used blue cohosh to induce labor have been published in peer-reviewed journals [26,27].Liver damage has been reported in a few individuals using black cohosh, but millions of people have taken the herb without apparent adverse health effects [28]. While studies of black cohosh have not provided scientific evidence to show that the herb causes liver damage, one country has added a warning to the label of all products containing black cohosh, stating that it may cause harm to the liver of some individuals and should not be used without medical supervision [29].
Who should not take black cohosh?
The use of black cohosh during pregnancy has not been rigorously studied.
The use of black cohosh during pregnancy has not been rigorously studied.
~Thus, it would be prudent for pregnant women not to take black cohosh unless they do so under the supervision of their health care provider.
~Women with breast cancer may want to avoid black cohosh until its effects on breast tissue are understood.
~Women with breast cancer may want to avoid black cohosh until its effects on breast tissue are understood.
Although black cohosh has not been reported to interact with any drugs or to influence laboratory tests, this has not been rigorously studied.
What are some additional sources of information on black cohosh?
Medical libraries are one source of information about medicinal herbs. Others include Web-based resources such as CAM on PubMed available at www.nlm.nih.gov/nccam/camonpubmed.html and the NCCAM Clearinghouse (call toll-free 1-888-644-6226 or go to nccam.nih.gov/health/clearinghouse/index.htm).
General Safety Advisory
~The information in this document does not replace medical advice.
~Before taking an herb or a botanical, consult a doctor or other health care provider-especially if you have a disease or medical condition,take any medications, are pregnant or nursing, or are planning to have an operation.
~Before treating a child with an herb or a botanical, consult with a doctor or other health care provider.
~Like drugs, herbal or botanical preparations have chemical and biological activity. They may have side effects. They may interact with certain medications. These interactions can cause problems and can even be dangerous.
~If you have any unexpected reactions to an herbal or a botanical preparation, inform your doctor or other health care provider.
~The information in this document does not replace medical advice.
~Before taking an herb or a botanical, consult a doctor or other health care provider-especially if you have a disease or medical condition,take any medications, are pregnant or nursing, or are planning to have an operation.
~Before treating a child with an herb or a botanical, consult with a doctor or other health care provider.
~Like drugs, herbal or botanical preparations have chemical and biological activity. They may have side effects. They may interact with certain medications. These interactions can cause problems and can even be dangerous.
~If you have any unexpected reactions to an herbal or a botanical preparation, inform your doctor or other health care provider.
