The historical use and benefits of Blue Cohosh {Caulophyllum thalictroides} also known as Squaw-root, Blueberry Root, or Papoose-root have been known for centuries. Blue Cohosh is a huge women's ally herb and member of barberry family. It grows in low rich moist soil in wooded areas, swamps, and by streams. It can be found online at Companion Plants (The BEST herbal and medicinal live plant shop I have ever found!) alongside its sister plant Black Cohosh. Native to the northern USA and Canada blue cohosh is a large, bushy, many-stemmed perennial, 1-3 ft. tall. The 2 part compound leaves are purple in spring, green through the summer, and have clusters of flowers that are followed by bright blue berries.
Blue Cohosh berries are dry and the root is hard, thick and knotty. The root taste is sweetish-bitter at first, then acrid and pungent. Blue Cohosh root is used medicinally most often in tinctures from which its properties are best extracted. I offer organic traditionally handcrafted Blue Cohosh tinctures or Blue Cohosh mixed with Black Cohosh tinctures (Double Cohosh) here at Wildcrafts.
Historical Benefits of Blue Cohosh
Blue Cohosh is a well known emmenagogue, dates back to Native American Chippewa wise-women, and acts on the uterus with a wide variety of uses such as contraceptive, regulation the menstrual cycle, easing painful cramps, & treating endometriosis, chlamydia and cervical dysplasia. It has also been known to treat rheumatism, dropsy, epilepsy, and chronic uterine inflammation.
Blue cohosh was popular amongst physicians and midwives during the 19th century and was an official drug in the United States Pharmacopeia until 1890. Its primary use was for labor induction during childbirth. It is a uterine tonic, which means it nourishes and revitalizes the uterine tissue in a variety of circumstances, including after pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion or coming off the pill.
According to Sister Zeus, "It can be used during birth to ease labor pains, jump-start a stalled labor. And after birth to deliver a retained placenta and stop bleeding by helping the uterus clamp down without causing the cervix to close as well. For these purposes, midwives usually use a combination of Blue and Black Cohosh, in equal amounts. Tinctures are used, because the herbs active ingredients are not water soluble. 40-60 drops of the combined tinctures are usually given every hour until contractions are even and strong."
Because Blue Cohosh contains estrogen like components with two uterine contracting substances, oxytocin (a hormone produced during childbirth) and Caulosaponin (which is a unique substance found only in Blue Cohosh) it has also been widely applied to restart a missed menstruation.
I personally had great success for restarting my stalled contractions with these herbs and that is why I began crafting them, so that other women may benefit from them like I have. If you are interested in hearing my personal story click here.
Dosage Guidelines
Blue Cohosh dosage information can be found and described in detail by Sister Zeus. She is also seeking people to help her collect data for an herbal abortion database. If you or anyone you know would be interested in sharing their herbal abortion or emergency contraceptive experiences to help grow our body of knowledge you can find the details at the link above.
safety:
Always contact your health care provider to ask before beginning any new supplementation. Follow their instructions about any restrictions or interactions.
Blue cohosh can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, chest pain, vomiting, increased blood pressure and increased blood sugar.
Sources:
A Modern Herbal Mrs. M. Grieve