Cimicifuga – Black Cohosh

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh rootstock with attached roots of Cimicifuga racemosa [L.] Nutt., which is commonly found growing in hedges and sparse groves in the eastern states of North America and Canada. N.O. Ranuncu- laceae.

The homoeopathic indications for Cimicifuga concern mostly nervous illnesses, the picture being dominated by neuralgic pains and a changed frame of mind with strong mood-swings and moodiness. Obviously the spinal column plays a consider- able part in many Cimicifuga symptoms as the starting-point of the complaints. In the remedy-picture we find shooting pains like lightning, neuralgias, and violent headaches pressing outwards as if the top of the skull were about to fly off, extend- ing to the eyes and possibly as far as the nose-wings. The pains may also be lo- calised in the occiput, shooting down the neck, or above the eyes as supra-orbital neuralgia, localised especially on the left. Likewise there are neuralgias which ap- pear to originate in the uterus, and also pains in the pleura, nerve and muscle pains in influenza, sciatic pains, stabbing pains in the heart, a sensation of heaviness in the left arm suggestive of angina pectoris, and a sensation as if a wedge were being driv- en into the head from below at the back, with raging occipital headache and mi- graine, particularly on the left. Eye pains occur particularly on turning around. There is also a sensitivity of the spine, especially in the cervical spine, to pressure with stiffness and pain along the whole length of the spine with weakness and a battered sensation in the sacrum, making it impossible to lie on the back.

In the area of the uterus, the Cimicifuga symptoms express themselves in the form of painful contractions and cramping labour pains, also threatened miscarriage. Here the pains shoot across from hip to hip. Frequently there is also chronic leucorrhoea and a bearing down sensation in the uterus (like Sepia and Lilium Tigrinum). In the ovaries there is neuralgic pain, especially on the left side, like Lachesis. There may also be amenorrhoea, or complaints which are ameliorated at the beginning or after the end of the menses. Pituitary disturbances may be suggested by the presence of either corpulence or emaciation of endocrine origin; so it could be concluded that Cimicifuga has a special action on the pituitary. However, in the end every medica- ment, whether in allopathic or in homoeopathic dosage, has some action on the mechanism of the pituitary/adrenal axis, so that no final conclusions may be drawn from the above phenomena.

The muscle-pains of Cimicifuga are charateristic insofar as they occur particularly in the belly of the muscle.

Also typical of Cimicifuga are certain hysterical signs, finding expression particu- larly in the female body. Twitching, cramps, convulsions, neuralgias, as well as a great variety of mental and emotional symptoms, all have a hysterical character. Shivering may occur with nervous chill when it is not cold, faint-heartedness being prominent with an incessant flow of speech, jumping frequently from one theme to another. The patients are troubled and confused, sighing much (as in Ignatia), or else

they exhibit deep depression with sleeplessness, so that they are afraid that they might be becoming mentally ill (cf. Calcium Carbonicum). Emotional symptoms may also occur in the form of St. Vitus’ dance, delirium tremens, melancholia or puerperal psychosis. Otosclerosis and tinnitus are also said to respond to low poten- cies of Cimicifuga sometimes.

All complaints are aggravated by cold and wet, and there is likewise an aggrava- tion before and during the menses.

The following is a summary of the main symptoms of Cimicifuga:

1. Neuralgic pains, principally originating in the spinal column, shooting, like lightning.
2. Supra-orbital neuralgia on the left. Cervical migraine with pains pressing up- wards as if the top of the skull would fly off, possibly extending down to the nose-wings.
3. Pains in the pleura; nerve and muscle pains in influenza.
4. Uterine pains, cramping labour pains shooting from hip to hip; bearing-down in the uterus.
5. Ovarian neuralgia on the left.
6. Amenorrhoea, menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea.
7. Complaints ameliorated at the onset and after the end of the menses.
8. Muscular pains in the belly of the muscle.
9. General nervous/hysterical disposition, with twitching, cramps, convulsions, and a wide variety of mental and emotional symptoms.
10. Faint-heartedness and incessant flow of speech. Sighing. Puerperal psychosis.
11. All complaints aggravated by cold and wet, before and during the menses.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Cimicifuga racemosa, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for cimicifuga: rheumatic myalgia and myalgia associated with spinal af- fections; spasm; cramp (apparently, only for muscles); painful spasmodic conditions affecting the heart, the gastrointestinal tract, the gallbladder, and the areas of the fe- male reproductive organs; complaints associated with menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause; nervous conditions of excitement and depressive emotional discord or upset.