Cimicifuga Racemosa.

Botanical name: 

Syn.—Cimicifuga; Black cohosh; Macrotys.
P. E.—Fresh root.
N. O.—Ranunculaceae.
N. H.—United States and Canada.

Properties: Tonic, nervine, antispasmodic. In large doses diaphoretic.

Physiological action: The vaso-motors and the cardiac ganglia are influenced by this drug. The first sign of its physiological action in large doses is a bursting and tearing headache with flushed face and injected eyes. If continued it will be followed by gastro-intestinal irritation, dimness of sight, vertigo followed by a slow pulse and profound prostration and relaxation.

Indications: In muscular pains of a tensive, aching nature, especially from rheumatism. Pains comes in waves and there is a feeling of soreness as if from overwork or overstrain; muscular movement increases the pain. The remedy in muscular rheumatism.

Use: It relieves irritation of the nerve centers that cause contraction of muscles. Its influence manifests itself mostly at the nerve periphery, quieting excitement and relieving capillary. congestion. We think of it in muscular rheumatism, hysteria with flushed face. In chorea give in large doses. Will correct wrongs of menstruation, relieving pain and tending towards normal functional activity; especially if there is sacro pubic pains of a wavy nature radiating in all directions. Soreness and dragging pain in the back due to rheumatism or rheumatic neuralgia of the uterus or ovaries are relieved by cimicifuga. Of value in dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea. It will relieve after-pains, false pains during labor and unpleasant sensation in the uterus of pregnant women. In uterine diseases with tensive aching pains and a sense of contraction in absence of inflammation it is the remedy. Of value in the muttering delirium of pneumonia or typhoid fever, especially in the latter. In rheumatic heart troubles, roaring in the ears, the result of rheumatic conditions, it is of value. Generally we associate it with aconite or veratrum viride. Cimicifuga is an excellent remedy in muscular rheumatism in any part of the body.


The Materia Medica and Clinical Therapeutics, 1905, was written by Fred J. Petersen, M.D.