The saturated tincture of the root is recommended as a valuable embrocation in all cases where a stimulant, tonic, anodyne, and alterative combined is required, as in all cases of inflammation of the nerves, tic-dolloureux, periodic cephalic pain, inflammation of the spine, ovarian inflammation, spasms of the broad ligaments, rheumatism, crick in the back or side, inflammation of the eyes, old ulcers, etc. Preparations of Cimicifuga, to be of any medicinal value, must be prepared from recently dried roots.

Preparations & Dosage : Decoction: pour a cup of water onto l/2-l teaspoonfuls of the dried root and bring to boil. Let it simmer for l0-l5 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day.

Tincture: take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

"As a partus accelerator, it may be substituted for, and should be preferred to, ergot; 1/2 drachm of the powdered root may be given in warm water every 15 or 20 minutes, until the expulsive action of the uterus is induced, and which it seldom fails to bring on speedily and powerfully. In acute troubles, as acute muscular rheumatism, and in false pains, and as an oxytocic, Webster prefers the strong decoction of the recent root in tablespoonful doses. The fluid extract of black cohosh may be used in all cases where the article is indicated; its dose is from 1/2 fluid drachm to 2 fluid drachms. The ordinary dose for its specific effects is a teaspoonful of a mixture of from 10 drops to 1 drachm of Cimicifuga tincture in 4 ounces of water, the larger or smaller dose being determined by the condition of the patient."

Citations from the Medline database for the genus Cimicifuga

Black Cohosh Duker EM Kopanski L Jarry H Wuttke W Effects of extracts from Cimicifuga racemosa on gonadotropin release inmenopausal women and ovariectomized rats.

Planta Med 1991 Oct;57(5):420-4 Ito M Kondo Y Takemoto T spasmolytic substances from Cimicifuga dahurica maxim.

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1976 Apr;24(4):580-3>Jarry H Harnischfeger G [Endocrine effects of constituents of Cimicifuga racemosa. 1. The effect onserum levels of pituitary hormones in ovariectomized rats]

Planta Med 1985 Feb(1):46-9 (Published in German)>Jarry H Harnischfeger G Duker E [The endocrine effects of constituents of Cimicifuga racemosa. 2. In vitrobinding of constituents to estrogen receptors]

Planta Med 1985 Aug(4):316-9 (Published in German) Shibata M Ikoma M Onoda M Sato F Sakurai N [Pharmacological studies on the Chinese crude drug "Shoma". III. Centraldepressant and antispasmodic actions of Cimicifuga rhizoma, Cimicifuga simplex Wormsk (author's transl)]

Yakugaku Zasshi 1980 Nov;100(11):1143-50 (Published in Japanese) Shibata M Sakurai N Onoda M [Pharmacological studies on the Chinese crude drug "Shoma". II. Anti-inflammatory action of Cimicifuga rhizoma, Cimicifuga simplex Wormsk (author'stransl)]

Yakugaku Zasshi 1977 Aug;97(8):911-5 (Published in Japanese) Shibata M Yamatake Y Amagaya Y Fukushima M [Pharmacological studies on the Chinese crude drug "Shoma". I. Acutetoxicity and anti-inflammatory action of Cimicifuga rhizoma, Cimicifugadahurica Maxim. (author's transl)]

Yakugaku Zasshi 1975 May;95(5):539-46 (Published in Japanese)