Black Cohosh as an Herbal Medication

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Use of Black Cohosh as an Herbal Medication Herbal medications date back centuries and serve as a basis of how many of today’s pharmaceuticals have been developed. Black Cohosh is just one example of the many of these herbal medications that are still in use today. The medication aspect of the herb is produced from the root of the plant, which belongs to the buttercup family. The plant is found to primarily grow in North America and was used initially by the Native Americans to relieve menstrual cramps and menopause symptoms before becoming a popular treatment in the 1950’s in Europe. Today, Black Cohosh is distributed in an over the counter pill form with the recommended dose ranging from 40 - 80 mg per day (Ehrlich, 2011). Black Cohosh also comes in tea form however; the doses of the herb are not as effective. There have been many studies comparing Black Cohosh versus Hormone Replacement therapy. The conclusions from Black Cohosh studies have proven effective in relieving menopause symptoms in healthy women in the early stages of menopause with minimal side effects. Black cohosh should be used because it is safer compared to hormone replacement therapy, has minimal side effects, and minimal interactions with other medicines. Black Cohosh should be used by health women in the early stages of menopause because it has been proven to relieve menopausal symptoms without the side effects of hormone replacement therapy. The effects of the herbal remedy, Black Cohosh, influence the brain's temperature-control mechanisms (Tweed, 2009). Other effects in early German studies found Black Cohosh improved physical and psychological menopausal symptoms, including anxiety, hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness (Ehrlich, 2011). Side effects found in these studies included GI upset and rash. Black Cohosh should be used with caution in patients taking
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