Caulophyllum thalictroides
(Blue cohosh)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Antispasmodic, used to ease false labor pains
• Diuretic
• Emmenagogue
• Expectorant
• Female reproductive tract tonic
• Parturifacient
• Problems with the male reproductive tract, including orchitis and impotence
• Relieves false labor pains while increasing the strength of the contractions during actual labor, pain in childbirth and "after pains"
• Reproductive tract debility arising from chronic inflammatory conditions
• Uterine tonic, used where there is a weakness or loss of tone, especially if there is a threat of miscarriage

Clinical Indications:

• Amenorrhea
• Asthma
• Dysmenorrhea
• Rheumatoid arthritis, eases pain
• Cough
• Epilepsy
• Infertility
• Labor tonic, due to oxytocic effect, can hasten a delayed labor
• Oligomenorrhea

Contraindications:

• Angina
• Cardiac insufficiency
• Metorrhagia due to increase blood to the pelvis
• Pregnancy due to uterine stimulation

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Limited data

Chemical Constituents:

• Alkaloids including
  
  Anagyrine
  Baptifoline
  Magnoflorine
  Methylcytisine (may elevate blood pressure, stimulate respiration, and stimulate intestinal motility)
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Phytosterols
• Potassium
• Saponins
• Silicon

Toxicity:

• Toxicity could occur in extremely large doses
• Symptoms:
  
  Cardiovascular collapse
  Constriction of coronary blood vessels
  Convulsions
  Headache
  Hypertension
  Nausea

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).