Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

Blue cohosh’s traditional uses in gynecology appear to stand up to scientific scrutiny.

Labor Inducer, Researchers have discovered a chemical (caulosaponin) in blue cohosh that provokes strong uterine contractions, thus supporting its primary Indian use.

However, caulosaponin also narrows the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Blue cohosh has produced heart damage in laboratory animals, and human heart damage seems quite possible from overdose.

On the other hand, blue cohosh does not appear to be significantly more hazardous than Pitocin, the standard drug used to induce labor, which may also cause heart damage and other serious side effects, including even maternal and fetal death.

Pitocin requires constant professional monitoring. Blue cohosh should also be used under strict medical supervision. If you’d like to use it at term, discuss your desire with your obstetrician and/or midwife and use it only with your doctor’s consent and supervision.

Menstruation Promotion - As a powerful uterine stimulant, blue cohosh could certainly trigger menstruation. But women should not use it for this purpose. It’s too powerful, and its side effects are potentially too serious.

Intriguing Possibilities - Researchers in India have discovered tantalizing evidence that the American Indians may have been on the right track in using blue cohosh as a contraceptive. In animals, the herb inhibits ovulation, according to a report published in the Journal of Reproduction and Fertility.

European researchers have identified some antibiotic and immune-stimulating properties in blue cohosh, possibly explaining its use by Eclectic physicians for bladder and kidney infections.

Finally, blue cohosh also has anti-inflammatory activity, lending credence to its traditional use for arthritis.

Myth - Despite its traditional reputation as a treatment for high blood pressure, studies show blue cohosh is more likely to cause this serious condition than treat it.