Blue Cohosh

Caulophylum thalictroides

Berberidaceae

Other Names: Papoose Root, Squawroot, Blue Cohosh, Beechdrops, blueberry, blue ginseng, squaw root, yellow ginseng.

Parts Used: Root & Rhizome

Active Compounds: Alkaloids, including the lupin-type alkaloids caulophylline (= methylcytisine), anagyrine, baptifoline; and magnoflorine. Saponins known as caulosaponin.

History: The Indians believed that blue cohosh triggered labor and hastened childbirth. Blue Cohosh does contain a very powerful ingredient that can induce labor. So, it should be done only under the supervision of a medical professional. Indians also used this herb to treat sore throat, hiccups, infant colic, epilepsy, and arthritis. Some Indian women drank a strong decoction as a contraceptive. The herb was introduced in US pharmacopoeia as a labor inducer from 1882 to 1905.
Contemporary herbalists recommend the herb as a menstruation promoter, labor inducer, asthma, anxiety, cough, arthritis, and high blood pressure.

Remedies For: Uterine tonic, emmenagogue, anti-spasmodic, anti-rheumatic, diuretic.

Blue Cohosh is an excellent uterine tonic that may be used in any situation where there is a weakness or loss of tone. It may be used at any time during pregnancy if there is a threat of miscarriage. (Consult your phycisian.) Similarly, because of its anti-spasmodic action, it will ease false labor pains and dysmenorrhea. However, when labor does ensue, the use of Blue Cohosh just before birth will help ensure an easy delivery. In all these cases it is a safe herb to use. As an emmenagogue it can be used to bring on a delayed or suppressed menstruation whilst ensuring that the pain that sometimes accompanies it is relieved. Blue Cohosh may be used in cases where an anti-spasmodic is needed such as in colic, asthma or nervous coughs. It has a reputation for easing rheumatic pain.

Animal studies in India have shown that this herb inhibits ovulation; thus, there may be something to the American Indians' use it as a contraceptive.

European researchers have identified some antibiotic and immune-stimulating properties in blue cohosh. It may have potential in treating bladder and kidney infections.

Description: Blue cohosh is a perennial plant found in eastern North America, near running streams, around swamps, and in other moist places. The round, simple, erect stem grows from a knotty rootstock and bears a large, tri-pinnate leaf whose leaflets are oval, petioled, and irregularly lobed. The 6-petaled, yellow- green flowers are borne in a raceme or panicle. The fruit Is a pea-sized, dark blue berry borne on a fleshy stalk.

Dosage: Decoction: Put l teaspoonful of the dried root in a cup of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. Tincture: take 0.5-2ml of the tincture three times a day.

Combinations: To strengthen the uterus blue cohosh may be used with False Unicorn, Motherwort and/or Yarrow. To increase its anti-spasmodic effects combine with Scullcap and/or Black Cohosh.

Safety: Blue cohosh can be very irritating to mucous surfaces and can cause dermatitis on contact. Do not inhale or introduce it to your eyes. Children have been poisoned by the berries. No one with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, glaucoma, or a history of stroke should use blue cohosh.

Indications: An excellent uterine tonic that may be used in any situation where there is a weakness or loss of tone. It may be used at any time during pregnancy if there is a threat of miscarriage. Similarly, because of its anti-spasmodic action, it will ease false labour pains and dysmenorrhoea. However, when labor does ensue, the use of Blue Cohosh just before birth will help ensure an easy delivery. In all these cases it is a safe herb to use. As an emmenagogue it can be used to bring on a delayed or suppressed menstruation whilst ensuring that the pain that sometimes accompanies it is relieved. Blue Cohosh may be used in cases where an anti-spasmodic is needed such as in colic, asthma or nervous coughs. It has a reputation for easing rheumatic pain.

Priest & Priest tell us that it is a "gently diffusive stimulating relaxant, uterine vaso-dilator and anti-spasmodic in all spastic and irritable states. Indicated for a tonic conditions and for deficient contractions in parturition. Cerebrospinal tropho restorative." They give the following specific indications : metritis, endometriosis, ovaritis, dysmenorrhoea, urethritis, vaginitis, thrush, restlessness during pregnancy, menopausal pains and discomfort.

Ellingwood quotes Felter and Lloyd thus " Uterine pain, with fullness, weight and pain in the legs; fullness of tissues as if congested; debility of the nervous system with impaired muscular power; spasmodic muscular pains, articular pain, rheumatic pains of asthenic plethora, epigastric &umbilical colicky pains, dull frontal headaches; as an oxytocic; to relieve false pains and uterine irritability; sexual debility with excitability; spasmodic uterine contractions, dysmenorrhoea, irregular menstruation." In addition he recommends it for the following situations: chronic uterined isorders, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, scarlet fever, to prolong gestation, to increase strength of contractions in labor, as a partus preparator, to prevent premature delivery, hysteria, ovarian irritation, bronchitis, pneumonitis & whooping cough.

King's says that "as a powerful emmenagogue it promotes delivery, menstruation, and dropsical discharges, " and that "it was employed by the Indians and their imitators for rheumatism, dropsy, colic, sore throat, cramp, hiccough, epilepsy, hysterics, inflammation of the uterus, etc. "King first employed Blue Cohosh for "its beneficial influence on abnormities of the mucous tissues, using it for aphthous stomatitis in decoction, alone or combined with Hydrastis. Blue Cohosh is reputed antispasmodic, emmenagogue, and parturifacient, besides being diuretic, diaphoretic, and expectorant. Its use as a parturient originated in the custom of the Indian squaws of employing a decoction of the root for 2 or 3 weeks previous to labor to facilitate child-birth. There is no doubt but that Caulophyllum has a decided action upon the gravid uterus. During labor it relieves false pains and coordinates muscular contractions, at the same time increasing their power. Like Cimicifuga, it is a better oxytocic than ergot. Unlike the latter agent it stimulates normal contraction instead of inducing spasmodic uterine action. It is most valuable in those cases where delay is due to debility, fatigue, or lack of uterine nervous energy, and for deficient contractions where the tissues feel full, as if congested. As a partus praeparator Caulophylum has enjoyed a well merited reputation. When used by delicate women, or those who experience prolonged and painful labors, for several weeks previous to confinement, it gives tone and vigor to all the parts engaged in the accouchement, facilitating its progress, and relieving much suffering. It is a good remedy for after pains, especially when spasmodic in character. Caulophylum acts as an antiabortive by relieving the irritation upon which the trouble depends. King states that for this purpose it is fully equal to Viburnum.

As a gynecian remedy it has been employed to relieve irritation of the reproductive organs as if dependent on congestion. It controls chronic inflammatory states of these organs and gives tone in cases of debility. In the sexual disorders of the female it is indicated by tenderness and pain in the uterus, in debilitated patients. It has been very successfully used in cases of hysteria to overcome the attack, and to relieve ovarian, or mammary pain, or irritation when accompanying that disorder. Chronic corporeal, or cervical endometritis, metritis, ovaritis, ovaralgia, uterine leucorrhoea, amenorrhcea, and dysmenorrhoea, are conditions in which it has been most successfully employed. It has an established reputation as a remedy for rheumatism of the uterus, with nervous excitement, for uterinecramps attending menstruation, and for menorrhagia, depending on uterine subinvolution.

As an antispasmodic it has been employed in chorea and epilepsy due to diseased states of the sexual organs, but with varying results. It is better suited for spasmodic intestinal affections, flatulent and spasmodic colic, and cramps. By lessening irritation it has been serviceable in cystitis, urethritis, chronic nephritis, and albuminuria. Spasmodic retention of urine is relieved by it. It is a good remedy for some cases of rheumatism, though not so valuable as Cimicifuga."

Cook say's that "It is a moderate diffusive, stimulating and relaxing in about equal degrees, spending its main powers upon the nervous system. These qualities make it one of the very best of antispasmodics, to relieve nervous feebleness with irritability, as in crampings of the bowels, twitching of the muscles in typhoid and parturient cases, hysteria, painful menstruation, colic, etc. Its efficacy in these cases is remarkable; and it is also a valuable adjunct to other suitable agents in the treatment of puerperal convulsions, epilepsy, and chorea. It enjoys deserved reputation in neuralgic forms of rheumatism, especially that form which passes with some as chronic inflammation of the womb. It sustains the nervous system, but at the same time soothes it; and is of especial service in strengthening and relieving painful functional difficulties of the female generative organs.

It is one of the most valuable of all parturients, when the uterine action is becoming weary; in which case it may be combined with the Composition Powder; or with Cypripedium and a very little Capsicum (or Bayberry) added when depression is considerable.

It promotes diuresis apparently by sustaining the pelvic nerves; and in the same way strengthens the uterus in leucorrhea and insufficient menstruation; yet can not properly be classed as either a diuretic or emmenagogue. By the same kind of action, at is useful in weak kidneys, albuminous urine, chronic difficulties of the prostate, nervous restlessness during pregnancy, and previous to parturition to give tone and comfort to the uterus. For these several purposes, it is generally combined with other suitable agents, such as Aralia racemosa, Mitchella, uva ursi, Convalaria, Liriodendron, etc."

Combinations: To strengthen the uterus it may be used with False Unicorn, Motherwort and/or Yarrow. To increase its anti-spasmodic effects combine with Scullcap and/or Black Cohosh.

Preparations & Dosage : Decoction: put 1 teaspoonful of the dried root in a cup of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. Tincture: take 0.5-2ml of the tincture three times a day.