ORGANIC Blue Cohosh Root Extract Wildcrafted 1 oz or 4 oz Botanical Name: Caulophyllum thalictroides also called Squaw Root or Papoose Root, is a flowering plant in the Berberidaceae (barberry) family. It is a tall perennial with large blue berry-like fruits. Active Chemical Component: the alkaloid N-methylcytisine, glycosides (caulosaponin, caulophyllosaponin), taspine

It was used as a medicinal herb by American Indians, and can also be used as a dietary supplement that can induce labor, regulate menstrual flow, suppress menstruation, and ease the pain and difficulty that accompany childbirth. This herb should not be taken during pregnancy.

From the single stalk rising from the ground, there is a single, large, three-branched leaf plus a fruiting stalk. The leaflets are tulip-shaped, entire at the base but serrate at the tip. Its species name, thalictroides, comes from the similarity between the large highly divided, multiple-compound leaves of Meadow-rue (Thalictrum) and those of Blue Cohosh.

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), although similarly named, is actually a plant in a separate genus.

Blue Cohosh grows in eastern North America, from Manitoba and Oklahoma east to the Atlantic Ocean.

Traditionally Used: Blue Cohosh use can be traced to colonial times as a treatment for rheumatism, colic, throat ailments, hysteria, and various gynecologic complaints. It has also been widely used as an emmenagogue and abortifacient. Native Americans used Blue Cohosh as parturifacient, to ensure an "easy delivery".



Used Today: Blue Cohosh is used to treat menstrual disorders. Blue Cohosh is also used by nurse-midwives in the induction of labor.

What you should know:

The glycoside components, caulosaponin and caulophyllasaponin, have oxytocic effects which result in uterine stimulation. The use of Blue Cohosh, other than at term, may result in SAB or preterm labor with prematurity. These glycosides also exert effects on the heart, causing coronary artery constriction which has been linked to cardiotoxicity in the infants of mothers who ingested Blue Cohosh prior to labor. The Journal of Pediatrics reports a case of neonatal congestive heart failure with subsequent cardiac arrest linked to maternal ingestion of Blue Cohosh to iniate labor. In addition, the N-methylcytisine and taspine components have been shown to be teratogenic in rat models. Its effects on the developing human fetus have not yet been adequately studied. Despite its efficacy in inducing labor, Blue Cohosh is contraindicated in pregnancy, and its use should be avoided.