Botanical Index No. 139

Blue Cohosh

caulophyllum thalictroides

Medicinal Actions

Antiedemic, Antifertility, Antiinflammatory, Antipyretic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antirheumatic, Contraceptive, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Emmenagogue, Estrogenic, Expectorant, Fungicide, Hyperglycemic, Hypertensive, Hypoglycemic, Laxative, Nicotinic, Phagocytotic, Spasmogenic, Tonic, Uterotonic, Colic

Primary Conditions Treated

Abortifacient Bitter Parturifacient Vasoconstrictor Vermifuge Amenorrhea Anxiety Arthrosis Asthma Atony Barrenness Biliousness Bleeding Bronchosis Childbirth Cholasma Cholera Cholera Morbus Conception Constipation Convulsion Cough Cramp Dehydration Dropsy Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Edema Enterosis Epilepsy Fever Fits Fungus Gallstone Gonorrhea Gout Hemoptysis Hiccup High Blood Pressure Hyperglycemia Hypoglycemia Hysteria Infection Inflammation Leukorrhea Low Blood Pressure Metrorrhagia Miscarriage Mycosis Nephrosis Nervousness Neuralgia Ovaries Pain Parturition Pityriasis Poison Ivy Pregnancy Pulmonosis Rheumatism Senile Dementia Sore Throat Stomachache Stomatosis Swelling Toothache Uterine Atony Uterine Cramp Uterosis UTI Vaginosis Water Retention Womb Worm Yeast

General Dosage

40–200 mg/day; 0.3–2 g rhizome 3 ×/day; 1/2 –1 tsp fresh root; 0.25–0.5 g dry root; 0.5 g dry root: 3 g alcohol/2 ml water; 0.3–2 g powdered root; 0.3–2 ml liquid root extract; 0.3–2.0 ml liquid extract; 2–4 ml tincture.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b. “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”. CAN caution that the poi-sonous seeds will irritate the GI tract. Because it is reputed to be abortifacient and to affect the menstrual cycle, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. May interfere with angina therapy. Anagyrines may be teratogenic. Canadian regulations do not allow blue cohosh as a nonmedicinal ingredient for oral use products. The alcoholic extract was uterotonic in guinea pig; caulosaponin is oxytocic to rat uterus in vivo; even low-potency homeopathic produce follicular and endometrial changes likened to inhibition of ovulation; admin-istration of this homeopathic preparation interrupted implantation.

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