black cohosh

Black cohosh (*Actaea racemosa*) is a perennial herb native to North America, whose roots and rhizomes are used to produce dietary supplements traditionally marketed for the relief of menopausal symptoms. In the context of the Herbal Alternatives for Menopause (HALT) trial, a major one-year randomized controlled study conducted by Kaiser Permanente (Group Health), black cohosh was evaluated at a dose of 160 mg daily for its efficacy in treating vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, in peri- and postmenopausal women. The study, which concluded in 2004, found no significant difference between black cohosh and placebo in reducing symptom frequency or intensity. Although once thought to have estrogenic properties, current research indicates that black cohosh does not bind to estrogen receptors or exert systemic estrogenic effects, and its precise biological targets remain unidentified.

Brand names

Aplause

Other names

Actaea racemosaCimicifuga racemosablack snakerootbugbane