Black Cohosh

<p>Black cohosh (known as both <em>Actaea racemosa</em> and <em>Cimicifuga racemosa</em>), a member of the buttercup family, is a perennial plant that is native to North America.&nbsp;</p>

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Other common names include&nbsp;

black snakeroot,&nbsp;

bugbane,&nbsp;

bugwort,&nbsp;

rattleroot,&nbsp;

rattletop,&nbsp;

rattleweed, and&nbsp;

macrotys.&nbsp;</p>

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Insects avoid it, which accounts for some of these common names.</p>

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For menopausal symptoms, the dose of black cohosh used in studies has been 20-40 milligram tablets of a standardized extract taken twice a day. More than 900 milligrams a day of black cohosh is considered an overdose. Directions for taking black cohosh in other forms will vary. Some experts say that no one should take black cohosh for more than six months at a time.</p>