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Review
. 2022 Feb 23;15(3):278.
doi: 10.3390/ph15030278.

Benefits of Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) for Women Health: An Up-Close and In-Depth Review

Sradhanjali Mohapatra  1   2 , Ashif Iqubal  3 , Mohammad Javed Ansari  4 , Bisma Jan  2 , Sultan Zahiruddin  2 , Mohd Aamir Mirza  1 , Sayeed Ahmad  2 , Zeenat Iqbal  1
Affiliations
Review

Benefits of Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) for Women Health: An Up-Close and In-Depth Review

Sradhanjali Mohapatra et al. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). .

Abstract

Women's health is an imminent concern worldwide, but it remains an ignored segment of research in most developing countries, and is yet to take the center stage in even developed nations. Some exclusive female health concerns revolve around both pathological and physiological aspects. These gender-specific maladies include breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers, and physiological concerns such as menopause and osteoporosis, which are often coexistent. Recently, women's health issues, including postmenopausal syndrome, have attracted the attention of researchers and practitioners alike, opening newer pharmaceutical research and clinical avenues. Although not counted as a disease, postmenopausal syndrome (PMS) is a female health phenomenon underpinned by hormonal depletion. Enhanced life expectancy in women has added to their suffering, and pharmacological interventions are needed. Amongst the available treatment modalities, the use of numerous botanicals has emerged as an efficient health management tool for women. Cimicifuga racemosa (CR or Black Cohosh) is a plant/herb which has been traditionally exploited and extensively used by women. This review is an attempt to compile and provide a summary of the importance of CR in complementary and alternative therapies for the improvement of various disorders related to women, such as menopausal syndrome, mammary cancer, and osteoporosis. It aims to systematically highlight the bioactive constituents, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic potentials, quality control processes, chromatographic techniques, and possible mechanisms of action of clinically effective phytomedicine for women's health. Various clinical trials and patents relating to CR and women's health have been collated. Furthermore, the plant and its related products have been considered from a regulatory perspective to reveal its commercial feasibility. The present review summarizes the existing data on CR focusing on women's health, which can help to introduce this traditional phytomedicine to the world and provide some reference for future drug development.

Keywords: black cohosh; cimicifuga racemose; clinical trials; commercial products; mechanism of action; menopause; patents; phytomedicines; postmenopausal syndrome; women health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Showing the proposed mechanism of action of CR in menopause-related hot flashes, anxiety, and cognitive dysfunction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Showing the proposed mechanism of action of CR in post-menopausal-induced osteoporosis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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