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by Dasa Suciu

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Black cohosh or black snakeroot, also known by its scientific names Actaea racemosa and Cimicifuga racemosa, is a member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is native to Canada and the eastern states of the US. Most of the root is wild-harvested, while some is grown commercially in Europe. When harvested from the wild, the dried root and rhizome are black in color.

The roots and rhizomes of the herb have a long history of traditional use by native American tribes to deal with genitourinary complaints in women. In the past few years, black cohosh is used almost exclusively as a woman's herb for symptoms of menopause. As hormone replacement therapy (HRT) might be responsible for an increase in cancer and cardiovascular disease in menopausal women, black cohosh has become of increasing interest to women looking for an alternative to estrogen therapy in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.

Used in Europe for over 40 years, black cohosh is again becoming known in its native land as a possible alternative for reducing unpleasant menopausal and post-menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes, sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression. Its therapeutic activity has been attributed to claims that the herb has estrogenic properties, but the evidence is still contradictory.

Black cohosh has been the subject of numerous human clinical trials, mostly in Germany. It is approved by the German Commission E (an equivalent of the American Food and Drug Administration) to treat symptoms of menopause and other female troubles. Black cohosh preparations have been approved by the German government as safe and effective supplement for menopausal symptoms relief. Products can be labeled for "premenstrual discomfort, dysmenorrhea or climacteric (menopausal) neurovegetative ailments."

Several clinical trials attest to the efficacy of Remifemin, a German standardized extract from black cohosh. Reported activities are an estrogen-like action, binding to estrogen receptors and selective suppression of luteinizing hormone. The German authorities suggest a daily dose of a liquid extract (with 40-60 percent alcohol) equivalent to 40 mg of the dried root. Typically, the product on which the vast majority of studies have been conducted is a concentrated extract delivered at a dose of 8 mg (4 mg twice per day). Presumably because evidence is still limited (long-term toxicity studies have not been conducted) duration of use is limited to 6 months.

The most common side effects associated

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