Actaea racemosa

Black Cohosh ( Actaea racemosa )

The Black Cohosh ( Actaea racemosa, syn. Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt, A. monogyna Walter ), also American - Black - or Wild snake root, American - High - or jam Diges Baneberry, blue cohosh, rattlesnake weed, consumption root, grape -shaped called comfrey and black cohosh, is a flowering plant in the genus Actaea (formerly Cimicifuga ) from the subfamily of Ranunculoideae within the family of the buttercup family ( Ranunculaceae ).

Description

The Black Cohosh is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches a height of up to 2.5 meters and has an erect, leafy, smooth stems. As overwintering organs are mainly the rhizome, but also the roots ( total botanically inaccurate " rootstock " called ). It has relatively large, stalked three times pinnate leaves; the leaves are cut sharp and deep.

In a long, narrow, composed of several sub- racemose inflorescences inflorescence sit numerous flowers. The whitish flowers are small. The perianth consists of four greenish white sepals and petals small, the fall immediately after flowering. In the flowers of numerous stamens with white stamens and bags. There is only one ovary present. Are formed ovoid capsules. The numerous, flat, brown seeds are about 3 mm in size.

The plant flowers in summer between June and September.

Occurrence

Your home is the eastern North America ( west to Missouri and Arkansas).

It grows mostly in shaded locations at altitudes 0-1500 meters above sea level.

Pharmaceutical importance

As a drug, the underground plant parts are used: the roots " Radix Cimicifugae racemosae " (Radix = root ) and the rhizome " Cimicifugae racemosae rhizoma ".

Ingredients

Triterpene glycosides, cimicifugin, alkaloids, flavonoids

Application

• Effect and indication: The drug has estrogen-like properties (SERM = selective estrogen receptor modulators ), excerpts of the drug are constituents of medicinal finished products, which are used as a stimulant in functional disorders of the female reproductive organs, especially in dysmenorrhoischen and climacteric -related neurovegetative complaints. In homeopathy use in muscle pain, chest pain, gastrointestinal cramps, gall cramps and menopausal symptoms (including depression).
• Side effects: Severe liver damage: Cimicifuga - containing drugs must carry an appropriate warning from 1 September 2009. The cause is an autoimmune hepatitis -like syndrome with zentrolobulärer liver cell necrosis, which can be treated with corticosteroids. Endometrial hyperplasia: After 5 years, this occurred in 3.4 % of users, with none in the placebo group.