Cimicifuga racemosa L. – skuteczność i bezpieczeństwo stosowania w menopauzie

Abstract

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa L., Ranunculaceae) root and rhizome are recommended in the treatment of vasomotor symptoms related to menopausal period, constituting a plant alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Although, its mechanism of action has not been fully understood, black cohosh is a rich and complex source of secondary metabolites with varied pharmacological activity aimed at alleviating menopausal symptoms. The efficiency of its use was confirmed in clinical trials. At the same time, C. racemosa root and rhizome are characterized by the content of numerous alkaloid compounds of various structural groups, which can be responsible for toxic effects. Despite that fact, there are no regulations indicating the need of standardization of black cohosh root and rhizome extracts, assuming the repeatability of their chemical composition. The large number of dietary supplements containing black cohosh root and rhizome extracts, compared to herbal medicinal products, may pose a health risk due to the lack of standardization and risk of adulteration with other Cimicifuga species. The paper presents the C. racemosa root and rhizome in terms of its traditional use, pharmacological and pharmacognostic studies, and clinical trials. In addition, herbal products of various categories containing the herbal substance and preparations obtained from it were characterized.