Menopause & perimenopause
Black cohosh for menopausal symptoms — References and further reading
1 McCoy, J., et al. 2005. USDA ARS: Rhizome propagation of Actaea racemosa L. (black cohosh) and analysis of associated triterpene glycosides. URL: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=167141 (accessed 02.14.2007).
2 Uelbelhack, R., et al. 2006. Black cohosh and St. John’s wort for climacteric complaints: A randomized trial. Obstet. Gynecol., 107 (2 Pt. 1), 247–255. URL (full-text PDF): http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/reprint/107/2/247.pdf (accessed 11.05.2007).
Osmers, R., et al. 2005. Efficacy and safety of isopropanolic black cohosh extract for climacteric symptoms. Obstet. Gynecol., 105 (5 Pt. 1), 1074–1083. URL (full text): http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/content/full/105/5/1074 (accessed 02.14.2007).
3 Hudson, T. 2006. Black cohosh: State of the science and art. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. URL: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_274/ai_n16359708 (accessed 11.05.2007).
4 Strategic Reports, Inc. 2003. Analysis of the economic viability of cultivating selected botanicals in North Carolina, pp. 32–36. URL: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/specialty_crops/pdf/StrategicReports2003.pdf (accessed 02.14.2007).
5 Newton, K., et al. 2006. Treatment of vasomotor symptoms of menopause with black cohosh, multibotanicals, soy, hormonal therapy, or placebo: A randomized trial. Ann. Int. Med., 145 (12), 869–879. URL (abstract): http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/145/12/869 (accessed 02.14.2007).
6 Daniells, S. 12/19/2006. Black cohosh same as placebo for hot flushes, says study. URL: http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=72877 (accessed 02.14.2007).
Rubin, R. 01/21/2007. Natural relief. Despite controversy over its effectiveness, black cohosh is growing in popularity as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. USA Today. URL: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-01-10-cohosh-usat_x.htm?POE=click-refer (accessed 02.13.2007).
7 Osmers, et al. 2005. Ibid.
Geller, S., & Studee, L. 2005. Botanical and dietary supplements for menopausal symptoms: What works, what does not. J. Women’s Health, 14 (7), 634–649. URL (abstract): http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jwh.2005.14.634 (accessed 02.14.2007).
8 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). 06/18/2006. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet. Questions and answers about black cohosh and the symptoms of menopause. URL: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh_pf.asp#h5 (accessed 02.14.2007).
Kliger, B. 2003. Black cohosh. American Family Physician, 68 (1), 114–116. URL (full text): http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030701/114.html (accessed 05.08.2007).
9 Kennelly, E., et al. 2002. Analysis of thirteen populations of black cohosh for formononetin. Phytomedicine, 9 (5), 461–467. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12222669 (accessed 02.12.2008).
10 Jarry, H., et al. 2005. Cimicifuga racemosa extract BNO 1055 inhibits proliferation of the human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP. Phytomedicine, 12 (3), 178–182. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15830838 (accessed 10.22.2007).
Stromeier, S., et al. 2005. Phenolic esters from the rhizomes of Cimicifuga racemosa do not cause proliferative effects in MCF-7 cells. Planta Med., 71 (6), 495–500. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15971118 (accessed 10.22.2007).
11 Collins, J. Winter 2006. Phytotherapeutic management of endocrine dysfunctions. NutriNews, 8 (1), 1–4, 6–8. PDF: http://www.douglaslabs.com/pdf/nutrinews/Endocrine%20Dysfunctions.pdf (accessed 10.22.2007).
12 Rhyu, M–E., et al. 2006. Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa) behaves as a mixed competitive ligand and partial agonist at the human mu-opiate receptor. J. Agric. Food Chem., 54 (26), 9852–9857. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17177511 (accessed 02.14.2007).
Daniells, S. 11/12/2006. Mechanism proposed for black cohosh menopause benefits. URL: http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=72684 (accessed 02.14.2007).
Burdette, J., et al. 2003. Black cohosh acts as a mixed competitive ligand and partial agonist of the serotonin receptor. J. Agric. Food Chem., 51, 5661–5670. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12952416 (accessed 11.05.2007).
Mahady, G. 2003. Is black cohosh estrogenic? Nutr. Rev., 61, 183–186. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12822708 (accessed 11.05.2007).
13 Seidlová–Wuttke, D., et al. 2003. Evidence for selective estrogen receptor modulator activity in a black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) extract: Comparison with estradiol-17beta. Eur. J. Endocrinol., 149 (4), 351–362. URL (full text): http://eje-online.org/cgi/reprint/149/4/351 (accessed 08.09.2007).
14 Low Dog, T. 2005. Menopause: A review of botanical dietary supplements. Am. J. Med., 118 (Suppl. 12B), 98–108. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16414334 (accessed 11.05.2007).
15 Johnson, B., & van Breeman, R. 2003. In vitro formation of quinoid metabolites of the dietary supplement Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh). Chem Res Toxicol., 16 (7), 838–846. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12870886 (accessed 11.05.2007).
16 Daniells, S. 11/12/2006. Ibid.
17 Rockwell, S., et al. 2005. Alteration of the effects of cancer therapy agents on breast cancer cells by the herbal medicine black cohosh. Breast Cancer Res. Treatment, 90 (3), 233–239. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15830136 (accessed 11.05.2007).
Mercola, J. 05/14/2005. The downside of taking black cohosh. URL: http://www.mercola.com/2005/may/14/black_cohosh.htm (accessed 02.14.2007).
18 Einbond, L., et al. 2007. Growth inhibitory activity of extracts and compounds from Cimicifuga species on human breast cancer cells. Phytomedicine [Epub ahead of print]. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17980565 (accessed 11.13.2007).
Daniells, S. 11/13/2007. Black cohosh stops breast cancer growth in the lab. Nutraingredients.com. URL: http://nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=81302 (accessed 11.13.2007).
Rebbeck, T., et al. 2007. A retrospective case-control study of the use of hormone-related supplements and association with breast cancer. Int. J. Cancer, 120 (7), 1523–1528. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17205521 (accessed 10.22.2007).
Daniells, S. 04/20/2007. Black cohosh may halve breast cancer risk — study. Nutraingredients.com. URL: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=76114-black-cohosh-breast-cancer-red-clover (accessed 04.30.2007).
Einbond, L., et al. 2007. Gene expression analysis of the mechanisms whereby black cohosh inhibits human breast cancer cell growth. Anticancer Res., 27 (2), 697–712. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17465192 (accessed 10.22.2007).
Einbond, L., et al. 2006. Actein and a fraction of black cohosh potentiate antiproliferative effects of chemotherapy agents on human breast cancer cells. Planta Med., 72 (13), 1200–1206. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16988912 (accessed 11.13.2007).
19 Ruhlen, R., et al. 2007. Black cohosh does not exert an estrogenic effect on the breast. Nutr. Cancer, 59 (2), 269–277. URL (abstract): http://www.leaonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635580701506968 (accessed 11.28.2007).
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Black cohosh for menopausal symptoms
Original Publication Date: 02/15/2007
Last Modified: 08/17/2009
Principal Author: Marcella Sweet