Actaea racemosa, most colloquially known as black cohosh, has traditionally been used for its ability to treat menopausal related concerns. Although studies have been mixed in areas of cognition and anxiety related to menopausal changes, benets are realized in subjective well-being and vasomotor symptoms such as hot ashes and night sweats.
One study also found that black cohosh was capable of reducing vasomotor side effects related to tamoxifen use in breast cancer patients. Black cohosh does not appear to alter estrogen hormone levels at all, but rather the mechanism of action appears to be strictly related to its thermoregulatory, anti-inflammatory and serotonergic effects.
This makes Actaea racemosa an attractive option for individuals seeking non-hormonal therapy. Although there are many active ingredients in black cohosh, the beneficial health effects appear to be as a result of triterpene glycosides, which include compounds such as acteol, actein, cimigenol and cimicifugoside.