Black Cohosh Supplements With No Black Cohosh

Main Category: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Article Date: 15 May 2006 - 3:00 PDT

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Millions of women buy the herb black cohosh and use this dietary supplement to treat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Clinical trials are still relatively few in number. Some report that black cohosh helps relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, while others do not. A new study, scheduled for May 17 publication in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, reports for the first time that a significant number of black cohosh supplements sold in the United States did not contain black cohosh. Instead, these products contained a related Asian species of the plant that does not have the same chemical compounds or clinical uses as the native North American plant.

Using a new and simplified technique, the researchers analyzed 11 products marketed as black cohosh. Three contained the Asian adulterant, and one contained both genuine black cohosh and the Asian imitator. Products containing only black cohosh varied significantly in the amounts of the compounds believed to relieve menopausal symptoms.

"In the U. S., botanical dietary supplements are regulated as foods, rather than drugs," noted Edward Kennelly, Ph. D., who headed the study with Fredi Kronenberg, PhD. "The manufacturers are required to follow good manufacturing practices, so this misbranding should not occur. Unfortunately, our study shows that at least in the case of black cohosh, many manufacturers are not following the regulations. Consumers should be aware of this situation in order to make proper choices for their health care."

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Contact: Michael Woods
m_woods@acs.org
American Chemical Society

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