PHILADELPHIA -- According to a new study, the herbal remedy black cohosh, developed by American Indians to ease menopause symptoms is effective in clinical trials.
Black cohosh, a member of the buttercup family, is among the most popular of alternative treatments for menopause. The herb, native to North America, was used by Indians for a variety of ailments, and became popular among whites in the 19th century.
Most clinical studies involved a brand of concentrated black cohosh called Remifemin, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Remifemin is also manufactured in Germany by Schaper & Brümmer, and is available at a less expensive cost on the web from a company in Australia called A1Health.
According to A1Health, Remifemin has been used to treat hormonal imbalances and menopausal symptoms since 1956, and has been proven to be extremely effective by consumers over the age of 40 years.
Natural treatments for hot flashes, vaginal dryness and other menopause symptoms have gotten additional attention since July, when researchers found evidence linking estrogen-progestin hormone supplements with breast cancer and heart disease.
Researchers at Columbia University and George Washington University examined the results of 29 independent studies on alternative treatments for hot flashes and found that the herb black cohosh works.
Three of four trials found the herb had a benefit, according to the review in Tuesday's issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study said a few "alternative" treatments are promising. Women who ate soybean dietary supplements reported hot flashes that were less intense, though in many cases the benefits disappeared after a few weeks.
Study authors Fredi Kronenberg and Adriane Fugh-Berman noted, however, that most of the trials examining the benefits of alternative treatments were small and inconclusive. Few looked at the benefits or harm of using herbal remedies for many months or years.
The authors of the study were quite sceptical on the benefits of natural remedies, and thought that "product advertising hype far exceeds scientific knowledge."
Dr. Margery Gass, director of the University Hospital Menopause and Osteoporosis Center in Cincinnati and president of the North American Menopause Society, said the review points to a need for further study.
"We're seeing pharmaceutical companies get interested in these products. We are seeing the government get interested," she said. "It would be wonderful if we could see some bigger clinical trials before people start spending millions of dollars on nontraditional therapies."
Source: various press and industry sources
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