Blue Cohosh

Caulophyllum thalictroides

Other Names: Actée à Grappes Bleu, Blue Ginseng, Caulophylle, Caulophylle Faux-Pigamon, Caulophyllum, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Cohosh Azul, Cohosh Bleu, Graines à Chapelet, Léontice Faux-Pigamon, Papoose Root, Cohosh Azul, Squaw Root, Yellow Ginseng.
Blue cohosh is a plant. “Cohosh” is from the Algonquin Indian word meaning "rough," and it refers to the appearance of the roots. The root is used to make medicine.

Special Precautions of Blue Cohosh

• Blue cohosh is UNSAFE for adults or children. It can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, chest pain, increased blood pressure, increased blood sugar, and other severe side effects.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is UNSAFE to take blue cohosh during pregnancy. Some of the chemicals in blue cohosh can cause birth defects. When taken by the mother late in pregnancy, blue cohosh can cause severe heart problems in the newborn baby.
• Many midwives still use blue cohosh to make childbirth easier, because blue cohosh causes the uterus to contract. But this is a dangerous practice, and it should be avoided.
• Heart conditions: There is some concern that blue cohosh might make certain heart conditions such as chest pain (angina) and high blood pressure worse. There is evidence that blue cohosh can cause blood vessels in the heart to become smaller and decrease oxygen flow to the heart. It might also increase blood pressure. Don’t use blue cohosh if you have a heart condition.
• Diabetes: There is some concern that blue cohosh might make diabetes worse. It can raise blood sugar levels in some people who have diabetes.
• Diarrhea: Blue cohosh might make diarrhea symptoms worse.
• Hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Blue cohosh might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use blue cohosh.
• Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with BLUE COHOSH
• Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with BLUE COHOSH
• Nicotine interacts with BLUE COHOSH

Benefits and uses of Blue Cohosh are

• Blue cohosh is used for stimulating the uterus and starting labor; starting menstruation; stopping muscle spasms; as a laxative; and for treating colic, sore throat, cramps, hiccups, epilepsy, hysterics, inflammation of the uterus, and joint conditions, rheumatoid arthritis.
• In foods, the roasted seeds of blue cohosh are used as a coffee substitute.