2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Cimicifugate / Cimicifuga Racemosa /, also known as bellflower and black cohosh, is a perennial plant that grows in deciduous and humid forests in North America. Reaches 50-60 cm in height and blooms in July-September.
Cimicifuga cultivation
Cimicifuga originates from North America, but is very well adapted as a cultivated plant in many other parts of the world. The rhizome of the cimicifuga is highly developed and the roots are large. The leaves are large, serrated at the edges, bright green and very beautiful.
The colors of cimicifuge are white, with a very strong and pleasant aroma of honey. The flowers dissolve gradually - from bottom to top. Cimicifuga is extremely unpretentious, grows in both sunny and semi-shady places. There are no specific requirements for soil and water regime.
The plant is propagated vegetatively by dividing the rhizomes in early spring or by seedlings that are transplanted in autumn. The seeds lose their germination very quickly. Plants obtained from seeds bloom in the second year.
In one place cimicifuge can be grown up to 5-6 years. There should be a distance of 50-60 cm between the individual plants. It grows best in partial shade, in fertile and moist forest soils.
Composition of cimicifuge
Research on the action and composition of cimicifuga began in the 20th century. They are based on the millennial use of the herb by traditional medicine.
Through relatively poorly developed techniques at the beginning of the century, scientists were able to isolate phytosterol, some tannins, salicylic acid from cimicifugate.
The first reports of estrogen-like activity date back to 1944. Then American scientists discovered substances that activate estrogen receptors. This leads to a focused effort in the search for estrogen-like substances.
As a result, later in the composition of cimicifugate acetyne, deoxyacteine and cimicifugoside were detected. For them, scientists suggest that they may have an effect on hormonal balance.
Cimicifugate contains phytohormones, triterpene compounds, phytoestrogens and progestin-like substances. It contains organic acids such as ferulic and isoferulic.
Benefits of cimicifuge
After determining the chemical composition, scientists begin the next stage of its study, which clarifies whether these newly discovered compounds have a clinical effect. Clinical trials of cimicifuga began in the 1980s.
In 1982, a study was conducted in Germany with over 600 women who were observed by obstetricians and gynecologists. After summarizing the data, it was found that cimicifuge significantly reduces postmenopausal symptoms - reduction of hot flashes, headache, sweating and dizziness.
A little later it was found that cimicifuge reduces luteinizing hormone levels with almost no effect on prolactin and follicle-stimulating hormone levels.
It is clear that treatment with cimicifuge is comparable in efficacy to conventional hormone therapies. Nowadays, it is an indisputable fact that cimicifuga is extremely effective in relieving menopausal symptoms. Cimicifuga has been successfully administered in one form or another to over 2 million women in the United States and Europe, including Bulgaria.
In addition, cimicifuge has antidepressant and sedative effects; used for menstrual disorders; cardiac disorders, depression, neurosis, migraine. Cimicifuga improves heart function, enhances diuresis, has a hypotensive effect, affects hair loss, which is due to hormonal basis.
Damage from cimicifuga
Cimicifuge should not be used during pregnancy. The recommended doses should not be exceeded, as excessive doses can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting and dizziness.
