What is Blue Cohosh?
The use of blue cohosh in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous. Blue cohosh is also known as Caulophyllum thalictroides, blue ginseng, papoose root, yellow ginseng, blueberry root, and beech drops. Blue cohosh has been used to stimulate menstrual flow, to induce labor, and for rheumatism, cramps, and epilepsy. Blue cohosh has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of blue cohosh may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements hav
Blue cohosh or Caulophyllum thalictroides is a perennial herb native to the Eastern region of North America. The herb was used extensively by the Native Americans as part of a large herbal pharmacopoeia which was used to address a wide variety of conditions. Early European explorers were introduced to blue cohosh when they first reached the United States, and many of them found the herb helpful, especially for gynecological health problems. Blue cohosh is not related to black cohosh, an herb in an entirely separate botanical grouping. In the wild, blue cohosh can grow up to three feet (one meter) tall, with yellow green to purplish flowers which develop into dark blue-black berries. The leaves are ternately compound, meaning that each leaf has three distinct leaflets. The part of the plant which is used is the root, which may be dried and ground up or used to create tinctures and herbal preparations. Like many herbal remedies, the strengths of these preparations vary, depending on how
