Black Cohosh Appears Safe for Menopausal Breast CancerPatients

Black Cohosh Appears Safe for Menopausal Breast Cancer Patients

SALZGITTER, Germany--It appears that black cohosh may be a safe alternative for menopausal women who have breast cancer. Researchers from Schaper & Brummer GmbH & Co. KG, maker of the supplement RemiFemin, investigated black cohosh's (Cimicifuga racemosa) effects on estrogen-dependent mammary cancers in vitro, results of which are reported in the November edition of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (76, 1:1-10, 2002).

It was found that black cohosh significantly inhibited MCF-7 (breast cancer tumor) cell proliferation, as well as estrogen-induced proliferation of MCF-7 cells. Moreover, the chemopreventive drug tamoxifen's effect of inhibiting MCF-7 proliferation was also enhanced by black cohosh.

The researchers, led by Johannes Freudenstein, Ph.D., concluded that black cohosh's non-estrogenic, even estrogen-antagonistic effect, may make this herb a safe, natural remedy for menopausal symptoms experienced by breast cancer patients.

The study can be found online (www.kluweronline.com/issn/0167-6806).

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