Black cohosh.

Botanical name: 
Cimicifuga racemosa

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: a question about black cohosh
From: hrbmoore.rt66.com (Michael Moore)
Date: 23 Mar 1996 19:06:31 GMT

> strangely enough, when i read thru herb books i rarely encounter information on black cohosh beyond the fact that it has been used for extreme pms cramping and even childbirth. i have an extremely difficult time before the cycle really starts and have taken generic formulas that include black cohosh with a bit of success. i had taken b.c. the previous two nights and experienced an overwhelmingly sluggish feeling during the days. now, a good deal of my friends are getting the flu but i can't help suspecting that this b.c. has somewhat narcotic qualities-is it some kind of withdrawal? i don't need this, and neither does any other woman. can someone please tell me how it works?

The following is the section on Cimicifuga racemosa from "SpecIndic3.txt", Specific Indications 3.0 from my web site:
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CIMICIFUGA RACEMOSA

  • Rheumatoid iritis; ophthalmalgia with dull rheumatoid ache in orbits; eyestrain with bruised pain and headache.
  • Ear pain from cold; dull aching rheumatic pain in middle ear.
  • Influenza with malaise and aches.
  • Sore, bruised feeling in bronchi.
  • Periodic convulsions associated with uterine disorders.
  • Delirium tremens in sthenics.
  • Epilepsy, petit mal with chorea or agitation.
  • Insomnia with muscular pain, agitation, "rheumatoid".
  • Cervical neuralgia.
  • Anorexia nervosa with chronic simple pelvic irritabilities.
  • Muscular pain, dull, aching, "rheumatoid"; or from change of weather.
  • Rheumatic pains with heavy, aching, deep pains; or acute inflammatory.
  • Sprains with dull muscle ache.
  • Tendonitis, deep aching dull pain with muscle involvement.
  • Amenorrhea, with irritation, pelvic and lumbar pain; or chronic, with congestion, irritation.
  • Dysmenorrhea with congested uterus and pain on walking or climbing stairs.
  • Menarche delay (primary amenorrhea), in general.
  • Menopause, with congested uterus and pain on walking, dancing, jiggling.
  • Menorrhagia with diarrhea or colon cramping.
  • Mittelschmerz with diarrhea or colon cramping.
  • Orchitis/epididymitis, with venous congestion, heaviness.
  • Subacute/chronic prostatitis, with pelvic and sacral pain.
  • Uterus, atony, with dull aching.
  • Uterus, prolapse.
  • Chronic vaginitis with large dragging uterus, painful with movement.
  • Labor, false or Braxton-Hicks pains; or with feeble, erratic contractions.
  • Lactation, excessive reflex pain.
  • Primipara, last 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Uterine subinvolution, with dull ache, sense of heaviness.
  • Mumps with muscular aching.
  • Apathy with dull aching in joints, muscles.

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and the following is from Herbal Tinctures in Clinical Practice, 3.0 (HerbTinct3.txt), also to be found on the site.
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*CIMICIFUGA (Black Cohosh)

Dull aches, rheumatoid-like, in uterus, joints, muscle insertions; orbital headache; crampy, late menses with vague pains in extremities.
RHIZOME/ROOT. Tincture [Fresh Root, 1:2, Dry Root, 1:5, 80% alcohol], 10-25 drops to 4x a day.
CONTRA: Pregnancy, bradykinin excesses; too large a dose can induce a frontal headache and it is a CNS depressant for some.
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Your lethargy, of course, can be completely unrelated to Black Cohosh...then again the herb can be QUITE sedative for some folks. The clincher would be if you feel a dull pressure (sub-headache) in your eyes or forehead, with a tendency for the back of your neck to get moist or sweaty.

Hope this helps.

Michael Moore (hrbmoore.rt66.com)