Blue cohosh

Blue cohosh is said to possess antispasmodic, emmenagogue, uterine tonic, and antirheumatic properties. Traditionally, it has been used for amenorrhea, threatened miscarriage, false labor pains, dysmenorrhea, rheumatic pains, and specifically for conditions associated with uterine atony. 

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The benefits of black cohosh (not to be confused with blue cohosh) include ... 

Caulophyllumthalictroides (Blue cohosh, papoose root, squawroot)... 

Black cohosh is also known as black snakeroot, bug-bane, bugwort, rattleroot, and rattleweed. It should not be confused with blue cohosh, a uterine stimulant historically used to induce labor. Black cohosh is used to treat menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, excessive sweating, emotional lability, and sleep changes. The exact active constituents are not known but are thought to include the triterpene... 

Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh) contains vasoactive glycosides and quinolizidine alkaloids that produce toxic effects on the myocardium in animals. 

Heart failure occurred in the fetus of a mother who used blue cohosh. 

The authors believed that the consumption of blue cohosh by the mother had caused heart failure in the child. 

Jones TK, Lawson BM. Profound neonatal congestive heart failure caused by maternal consumption of blue cohosh herbal medication. J Pediatr 1998 132(3 Pt l) 550-2. 

Betz, J.M., Andrzejewski, D., Troy, A., Casey, R.E., Obermeyer, W.R., Page, S.W. and Woldemariam, T.Z. (1998) Gas chromatographic determination of toxic quinolizidine alkaloids in blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx. Phytochem. Anal. 9, 232-236. 

Kennelly, E.J., Flynn, T.J., Mazzola, E.P., Roach, J.A., McCloud, T.G., Danford, D.E. and Betz, J.M. (1999) Detecting potential teratogenic alkaloids from blue cohosh rhizomes using an in vitro rat embryo culture../. Nat. Prod. 62, 1385-1389. 

Caulophyllum Thalictroides Common Names Blue Cohosh, Blue Ginseng, Blueberry Root, Yellow Ginseng... 

Herbal supplements also have been used to induce labor. The most commonly mentioned agents are evening primrose oil, black haw, black and blue cohosh, and red raspberry leaves. Midwives have been the most common group of clinicians using these agents. Currently, there is no evidence to support the safety and efficacy of herbal agents. ... 

Blue Cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides Blue ginseng, papoose root... 

Caulophylium. Blue cohosh papoose root squaw root. Dried rhizome and roots of Caulophylium thalictroides Michx., Berberidaceae. Habit. Canada to North Carolina, Missouri, and Nebraska Japan. Constit. Leontin, caulo-phylline, saponin, resins. 

Blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroldes 1,3 Cytisine dermatitis... 

Blue cohosh contains N-methylcytisine, an alkaloid that is similar in action to nicotine in its ability to stimulate intestinal activity, increase respiration, and elevate blood pressure. Blue cohosh also contains caulosaponin, a glycoside that can act as a coronary vasoconstrictor and is believed to be responsible for stimulation of uterine contractions and induction of labor (Ferguson and Edwards 1954 McFarlin et al. 1999 Satchithanandam et al. 2008 Scott and Chin 1943). 

Myocardial infarction, profound congestive heart failure, multiorgan failure, and perinatal stroke have been reported in infants born of mothers using blue cohosh, sometimes in combination with black cohosh or other herbs, before birth (Finkel and Zarlengo 2004 Gunn and Wright 1996 Jones and Lawson 1998). 

Increased uterine tone and uterine spasms have been reported in human and animal studies of isolated compounds of blue cohosh (Ferguson and Edwards 1954 Pilcher et al. 1916 Pilcher and Mauer 1918 Vinks et al. 1982). 

Blue cohosh has been used to augment labor and also for up to several weeks prior to the due date as a parturifacient (Felter and Lloyd 1898) and was officially listed as a labor inducer in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1882-1905. There have been a small number of serious adverse events reported in infants born to mothers taking blue cohosh several weeks prior to birth. A 1999 survey of nurse midwives found that 64% used blue cohosh, often in combination with black cohosh, to augment labor during delivery. This survey noted that blue cohosh is the herb midwives... 

A survey of 172 nurse midwives indicated that 90 regularly used herbal preparations to stimulate labor. Of these 90, 64% reported using blue cohosh. Adverse events data included in the results of this survey did not separate black cohosh Actaea racentosa) and blue cohosh the adverse events reported for the two botanicals were nausea, increased meconium-stained fluid, and transient fetal tachycardia. The frequency of these events was not indicated (McFarlin et al. 1999). 

Eclectic physicians of the early 20th century and some midwives today utilize small amounts of blue cohosh during pregnancy for threatened miscarriage. The safety of blue cohosh in early pregnancy is questionable, however, given that compounds isolated from blue cohosh caused fetal malformations in rat embryo cultures (Flynn et al. 1998 Kennelly et al. 1999). 

Given the current information, it is advisable to limit use of blue cohosh in pregnancy only under the supervision of a practitioner who is familiar with its use and who can appropriately monitor both the mother and infant for possible adverse effects. Also see Adverse Events and Side Effects and Pharmacological Considerations for this entry. 

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