Black cohosh is commonly used to help alleviate menopausal symptoms. Now it appears black cohosh may also reduce breast cancer and heart disease risk. Higher good cholesterol scores were another benefit seen in the black cohosh group.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine looked at 1,000 women with breast cancer and about 1,500 other women. Participants completed questionnaires addressing demographic information and the use of hormone-related supplements.
African American women were more likely than European American women to use any herbal preparation, the researchers found. As well, they discovered that the use of black cohosh was associated with a 61% reduction in the risk of breast cancer.
"Additional confirmatory studies are required to determine whether black cohosh could be used to prevent breast cancer," the researchers say.
Meanwhile, Korean researchers set out to examine the effects of black cohosh and St John’s wort on vaginal atrophy, hormone levels and lipid profiles in menopausal women.About 90 peri- or postmenopausal women received a combination of St John’s wort and black cohosh extract or a placebo for 12 weeks. While symptoms in the two groups were similar at the outset, a measurement tool called the Kupperman Index (KI) revealed changes as the study progressed.
"Mean KI scores and hot flushes after four and 12 weeks were significantly lower" in the treatment group, the researchers found. As well, HDL ("good") cholesterol levels decreased in the control group and increased in the treatment group.
Sources: Int J Cancer. 2007 Apr 1;120(7):1523-8; Yonsei Med J. 2007 Apr 30;48(2):289-94
