Menapause & taking Black Cohosh

Ka-Loni

Menapause & taking Black Cohosh

Ka-Loni

Hello, Well I just had a Hysterectomy May 1. I know I will probably start some signs and symtoms of menapause. I think I have had a few light hot flashes already.Fun! I am of course a Triple Negative. My doctor said that Black Cohosh is a good herb supplement to take for Menapausal symptoms.  I also take Effexor-xr which is a Anti-depressant and Xanax. Is this good to take?

Kaloni
Dx 3/31/2006, IDC, 2cm, Stage II, Grade 3, 1/5 nodes, ER-/PR-, HER2-

wishiwere

I've read on the boards some take effexor for hot flashes, but I'd be careful with the black cohosh.  I had problems in the gyno dept and my doc didn't like that I was on it.  She said just not enough testing on them yet.  Just a thought, I never research, but went off it.  Now I'm wondering if that's not when the BC started.  Just a thought though. 

Bliz

I had read conflicting reports on Black Cohosh but most of the major medical sites did not seem to think it was a BC related problem.  My onc did not want me to take it but my estrogen dominance was back with a vengeance and I figured that couldn't be good either.

I switched to Remifen, (sp?) and take one tablet in the morning.  The water weight gain was immediately reduced and my sleep improved dramatically.

So QOL wise, I felt it was the thing to do.  We each have to do all the research we can and make our own decisions.  My onc, however, totally freaked!!

muttnut

I tried black cohosh, but it gave me migraines every day, so stopped it.  My doctor had recommended it.

Ka-Loni

Hi ladies, Do you think Black Cohosh is Breastcancer related? I am going to read more about this I think. Please let me know.

God Bless,

Love,

Kaloni

NativeMainer

My herbal reference states that Black Cohosh should not be used if there is a history of ER+ breast cancer.  It doesn't say why.  It says use for menopause symptoms is under investigation.   My edition is from 2004, so there may be better info known, now. 

Ka-Loni

Hi! Yes, I am hearing more negative on the Black Cohosh. They just are not sure about it yet. My doctor says No to it. So, I will not be taking it. I do hear more good on Vitamin E? Take Care. Bye.

God Bless, Love

Kaloni

rrs

My naturopathic physician told me that recent studies have shown that it isn't harmful to ER+.  I'm trying to find studies online.

anondenet

The latest studies show black cohosh is good for breast cancer.

But it gave me a migraine. If you don't tend to get migraines, you are probably okay.

See below: Anticancer Research (Vol. 2, pp. 697-712) and the International Journal of Cancer (Vol. 121, pp. 2073-2083).

The study adds to a small but growing body of research suggesting breast cancer prevention for a herb most commonly used by women to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes.

Black cohosh (referred to by the European Medicines Agency, or EMEA, as Cimicifugae racemosae rhizome) is a member of the buttercup family, and is a perennial plant native to North America.

Lead author Linda Saxe Einbond from Columbia University, in collaboration with researchers from Jinan University and Naturex, investigated the effects of black cohosh fractions enriched for triterpene glycosides and purified components from the herb against the human breast cancer cell line MDAMB-453.

The researchers report that the most potent component tested was 25-acetyl-7,8-didehydrocimigenol 3-O-b-D-xylopyranoside. The IC50 value, a measure of the extract concentration under which 50 per cent of the cell population growth was inhibited, was 3.2 micrograms per millilitre (ug/ml).

This compared favourably with the parent compound (7,8-didehydrocimigenol 3-O-b-D-xylopyranoside) that had an IC50 value of 7.2 ug/ml.

"Thus, the acetyl group at position C-25 enhances growth inhibitory activity," wrote the researchers.

They note that the inhibition of growth was related to an induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis).

The black cohosh extracts containing one, 15 and 27 per cent triterpene glycosides were provided by Naturex. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

"These results corroborate the results of our previous studies indicating that the growth inhibitory effect of actein or an extract of black cohosh is associated with activation of specific stress response pathways and apoptosis," wrote the researchers, referring to their studies published earlier this year in Anticancer Research (Vol. 2, pp. 697-712) and the International Journal of Cancer (Vol. 121, pp. 2073-2083).

NativeMainer

anomdenet--This report is great--do you remember what year this came out?  I like to add these updates to my herbal reference book, since I know it is getting outdated.  Thanks!

anondenet

Native,

It was published in 2007.

Here is the summary:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B7GVW-4R2HKMD-1&_user=6784546&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=6784546&md5=36d33f69b3151b6d70332efe6d9345e8