Species: Cimicifuga racemosa Family: Ranunculaceae, Ranunculales Description: medicinal plant, primitive dicot Resources: none

Information:

References: McCoy, J.A. et al. 2007 ; Fischer, S. et al. 2006 ; Zierau, O. et al. 2002 ;
           Mercier, F. and Balansard, J. 1935 ; Compton, J.A. et al. 1998 ; Applequist, W.L. 2003 ;
           Jarry, G. 1985 ; Panossian, A. et al. 2004 ; Predny, M.L. et al. 2006 ;
           Pinker, I. and Schenk, R. 2008 ; Lata, H. et al. 2002 ; Baskin, J.M. and Baskin, C.C. 1985 ;
           Kruse, S.O. et al. 1999 ; Jiang, B. et al. 2008 ; Kennelly, E.J. et al. 2002 ;
           Jiang, B. et al. 2006 ; Borrelli, F. and Ernst, E. 2008a,b ; Mahady, G.B. et al. 2008 ;
           Palacio, C. et al. 2009

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	Among the species chosen for the rhizome project, black cohosh represents the eudicots
	Rhizomatous species are not uncommon in the family of Ranunculaceae as well as in the related Berberidaceae family
	Today's knowledge of genetic data allows its classification as Actaea racemosa, after it remained segregated into the genus Cimicifuga for almost 200 years. Former Cimicifuga owed its own genus to the fact its fruits are dry follicles instead of Actaea's fleshy berries
	Black cohosh is native to the Eastern coast of North America
	As the USDA plant distributions maps show, there is also an Actaea species endemic to Arizona
	Traditional harvest of wild plants may gradually endanger the species
	Both micropropagation and regeneration protocols have been developed
	The rhizome is a popular form of propagation. Its main growth period is in fall months, when the leaves are dying back
	Transversal rhizome cuts of various Actaea species are characteristic (to a certain degree) and can be used to support the taxonomic identification
	Triterpenoids of the cycloartane type are considered to be the active principles of black cohosh rhizome. Pharmaceutical preparationsare often standardized to contain defined amount of these compounds
	The rhizomes are also known to accumulate unusual phenylpropanoid esters
	Controversial reports appeared regarding the occurrence of formononetin in black cohosh rhizomes. This question is being studied since isoflavonoids act as weak oestrogens andwould contribute to pharmacological effects (see below for medicinal use)
	Black cohosh rhizomes seems to have been used for a variety of conditions already by the indigenous people. The use to treat "female complaints" has been around for a long time as well
	Today, numerous preparations are available for the alleviation of menopausal symptoms. The efficacy of black cohosh rhizome extracts for this indication is a subject of current and past clinical trials
	As components of Sheng Ma preparation, several Cimicifuga species belong to important drugs of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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Last updated: 22 July 2009