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Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga
racemosa) ( Sheng ma)
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Black
Cohosh, an herb with a long history of use in Native American cultures for
gynecological disorders, is currently used throughout the world for its hormone
moderating properties. Estrogen levels decline during menopause. This
initiates numerous physiological changes commonly associated with menopause,
including hot flashes, insomnia, and depression. Black Cohosh extract is
quickly gaining popularity as a natural way to moderate and balance hormone
levels. The active constituents of Black Cohosh appear to regulate estrogen
levels, thereby normalizing hormonal balance and moderating the symptoms that
accompany fluctuating hormone levels. |
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Black
cohosh extract works largely through the synergistic
activity of two types of compounds: phytoestrogens and triterpenes.
Phytoestrogens, a class of flavonoids with mild estrogenic activity in the
body, appear to have normalizing effects on hormonal levels. In particular,
black cohosh extract contains formononetin, an isoflavone phytoestrogen.
Triterpene glycosides found in black cohosh extract act synergystically
with formononetin to suppress excessive secretion of luteinizing hormone
(LH). Sudden increases in LH secretion, which occur in response to declining
estrogen levels, appear largely responsible for many symptoms associated with
menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, irritability, heart
palpitations, and headaches. |
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Additionally,
the concerted activity of formononetin and triterpenes
appears to aid in the regulation of estrogen balance. As with other estrogenic
compounds, the active constituents in Black Cohosh extract may have
beneficial effects in the cardiovascular and skeletal systems of
postmenopausal women. As such, Black Cohosh offers a safe and natural method
of balancing fluctuating hormone levels and easing the resulting symptoms
that can occur during menopause. |
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Black Cohosh extract
capsules may be a beneficial for women with any Menopause Type®, but is most
beneficial in women with estrogen deficiencies. |
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Menopause
types® that may benefit significantly by using this herb include
Menopause Types® 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 & 12. |
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Please
review pages 232 - 233 in "What's Your Menopause
Type?" See below for a list of actions |
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and properties. |
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Actions: alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antihypercholesterolemic,
antihypertensive, |
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antirheumatic, antispasmodic, antituberculotic,
antitussive, astringent, bradycardic, |
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cardiac stimulant, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, luteinizing-hormone |
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suppression in menstrual
disorders, muscular alterative, nervine, oxytocic, parasympathomimetic, |
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reproductive alterative, sedative, skeletal alterative, stomachic, uterine tonic,
uterine stimulant, |
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uterine vasodilator, vasodilator |
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Traditional uses: amenorrhea, anorexia nervosa, anxiety, asthma,
bites, breast pain, bronchitis, |
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cardiovascular disease, chorea,
circulatory disorders, coughing spasms, menopausal depression, |
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diabetes mellitus,
diarrhea, dropsy, epididymitis, epilepsy, fever, fibrositis, headache, hot flashes, |
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hypertension,
hypothyroidism, hysteria, influenza, intercostal myalgia, leukorrhea, malaise, |
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malaria, mastitis,
meningitis, menopausal symptoms, menstrual cramps, myalgia,
nervous tension, |
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neuralgia, ophthalmia, orchialgia, orchitis, osteoarthritis, painful menstruation, pertussis, petit mal, |
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PMS, postpartum pain, prostatitis, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica,
sinusitis, snakebite, |
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sore throat, spermatorrhea, sprain, tendonitis, tinnitus aurium, tuberculosis, uterine cramps, |
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vaginitis, yellow fever |
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References: Duker EM, Kopanski
L, Jarry H, Wuttke W.
Effects of extracts from Cimicifuga racemosa on gonadotropin
release in menopausal women and ovariectomized
rats. Planta Med 1991;57:420-4. Ingram, D, Sanders, K, Kolybaba, M, et. al.
Case-control study of phytoestrogens and breast cancer. Lancet 1997;350:990-994. Lieberman S. A review of the
effectiveness of Cimicifuga racemosa
(black cohosh) for the symptoms of menopause. J Womens
Health 1998;7:525-9. Liske E. Therapeutic efficacy and safety
of Cimicifuga racemosa for
gynecologic disorders. Adv Ther 1998; Ramsey LA, Ross BS, Fischer RG.
Phytoestrogens and the management of menopause [In Process Citation]. Adv
Nurse Pract 1999; Seidl MM, Stewart DE. Alternative
treatments for menopausal symptoms. Systematic review of scientific and lay
literature [published erratum appears in Can Fam
Physician 1998 Aug;44:1598]. Can Fam Physician 1998;44:1299-308. |
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YourMenopauseType.com, Inc. |
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