Synonyms. Actea Racemosa. Macrotys. Natural order. Ranunculaceae. Common name. Black Cohosh. Black Snake Root. Squaw Root. Rattleweed. Habitat. A perennial plat indigenous to the United-states. Preparation. Tincture from the fresh root.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Through the brain and spinal cord cimicifuga affects directly the entire nervous system, disturbing the nerve centers and producing a universal depressing irritant condition, which indirectly extends to the muscular system, and to the female generative organs, giving rise to various disorders indicating rheumatic and neuralgic disturbances of those parts. Cimicifuga is supposed to increase the contractility of unstriped muscular fiber, but to a less degree than by Ergot. The heartbeats are slower and stronger, and the arterial tension increased. In the brain, the primary action is to cause congestion, giving rise to vertigo, dilated pupils, and other symptoms resembling those of Belladonna, though less intense in their manifestations.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind Thinks she is going crazy (Calcareac.). Miserable, dejected feeling. Feels grieved and troubled, with sighing (Ignatia). Mania following disappearance of neuralgia. Incessant talking, changing from one subject to another (Lachesis). Fear of death (Aconite, Arsenicum, Agn., Nitr.ac.). Not disposed to fix the attention on anything (Aethus., Gelsemium, Nux v., phos. ac.).
Head Vertigo, fullness, and dull aching in vertex and impaired vision. Rush of blood to the head (Belladonna); brain feels too large for the cranium (Argentum nit., Gloninum). Dull aching, particularly in occiput, during afternoon and evening; worse indoors, better in the open air. Headache through the whole brain, with distinct of soreness in occipital region, worse on motion. Pain in vertex in afternoon; paroxysmal, worse morning. Severe pain in head and eyeballs, increased on slightest motion (Belladonna, Bryonia). Excruciating pain in right side of head, back of orbit. Top of head feels as if it would fly off (Baptisia). Headache better in the open air.
Eyes Intense aching pain in the eyeballs (Aloe, Spigelia). Dilated pupils, with dark spots before the eyes. Eyes congested during headache. Black specks before the eyes.
Face Pale, eyes large, sunken, surrounded by dark rings. Neuralgia affecting malar bone; pain goes off at night and reappears next day. Frequent flushes of heat; wants to be in the open air.
Mouth Breath offensive. Mouth and tongue hot and dry. Throat. Soreness of throat.
Stomach Nausea, eructations, headache and tremor (more in women). Sharp pains across the hypogastrium. Sinking or goneness in the epigastrium (Baptisia, Hydras., Ignatia, Petrol., Sepia, Sulphur, Viburn.).
Abdomen Periodical colicky pains, better bending double and after stool (Coloc.). Excruciating pains in the bowels, small of back and limbs. Abdominal muscles sore.
Stool Alternate diarrhoea and constipation (Antim crud., Iodi., Nux v.). Frequent, thin, dark, offensive stools (Arsenicum).
Urinary Organs Incessant flow of urine. Pressing in region of kidneys and small of back.
Female Organs Menses irregular delayed or suppressed (Pulsatilla, Senecio, Sepia). Hysterical or epileptical spasms at time of menses. Pains in uterine region shoot from side to side. Pains in ovarian region shoot upward. Bearing down in uterine region and small of back; limbs feel heavy, torpid (Aloe, puls., Sepia). Severe pain in lower part of abdomen. Rheumatic dysmenorrhoea. Leucorrhoea with sensation of weight in the uterus (Sepia). During pregnancy; nausea; false labor-like pains (Gelsemium, Secale); Sharp pains across abdomen; sleeplessness (Coffeac.). During parturition “shivers,” first stage (Aconite); pains too strong, spasmodic cardiac neuralgia; lochia suppressed (Aconite); rigid os (Belladonna, Gelsemium); puerperal mania (Hyoscyamus). Infra-mammary pains, worse on left side. Burning in the mammae.
Respiratory Organs Night cough, dry, constant, short (Alumina, Hyoscyamus, Pulsatilla). Tickling in throat, with violent cough (Phosphorus). Pains in sides of chest, worse from motion (Belladonna, Bryonia, Mercurius Phosphorus).
Heart Pain in region of the heart, followed by palpitation. Pulse weak and irregular.
Neck and Back Rheumatic pains in the muscles of the neck and back; a feeling of stiffness and retraction (Rhus tox.). Violent lightning-like pains in posterior spinal sclerosis Stiff neck from cold air (Dulcamara), from moving even the hands. Drawing tensive pain at points of spinous processes of three upper dorsal vertebrae; in morning on bending neck forward. Sensitiveness of the spine (Agaricus); especially in the cervical and upper dorsal regions. Severe aching pain in the lumbar and sacral regions (Aesculus); down the thighs and through the hips, with heavy pressing down (Aesculus). Head and neck retracted (in spotted fever).
Limbs Constant irregular motion of left arm; arm useless. Rheumatic pains in the joints, with heat and swelling (Bryonia). Twitching of fingers and toes. Aching in the limbs. Excessive muscular soreness (Arnica). Rheumatism affecting the belly of the muscles. Trembling of the fingers when writing. Trembling of the limbs, is scarcely able to walk. Uneasy feeling in limbs, causing restlessness. Pain and soreness in tendo-achillis. When walking in open air, and a shortening sensation. Burning pain in right great toe; extending up the limb.
Generalities Weakness, trembling, and spasmodic action of the muscles. Nervous shuddering, tremor all over the body. Alternate tonic and clonic spasms. Epileptic and hysterical convulsions. Sharp lancinating pains in various parts, associated with ovarian or uterine irritation. General feeling of intoxication. Restless in forenoon; nervous in afternoon; cannot fix attention on anything. Affects the left side most. Pains come on suddenly. PAins like electric shocks here and there. General bruised feeling of the whole body, as if sore.
Sleep Obstinate insomnia (Coffeac., Opium) Unpleasant dreams of being in trouble. Restless sleep.
Compare Actea spic., Arnica, Aconite, Baptisia, Bryonia, Belladonna, Caulophyllum, Cinchona, Clem., Gelsemium, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Liliumtig., Pulsatilla, Ranune., Silicea Antidotes. Aconite, Baptisia, Caulophyllum, Gelsemium, Pulsatilla
THERAPEUTICS.
The clinical value of Cimicifuga depends largely upon its power to produce and cure reflex nervous symptoms, especially such as arise from irritation of the ovaries or uterus. It is in valuable in the treatment of all rheumatic, neuralgic and choreic affections in nervous, hysterical women arising from irritation of these organs. In addition to the usual symptoms indicating such reflex disturbances the patient may complain of headache in the vertex and occiput; top of the head feels as if it would fly off; pain in the eyeballs. etc. Hysterical or epileptiform spasms at time of menses. Chorea at the age of puberty, the menses not appearing, left side most affected. Only second toe Pulsatilla in amenorrhoea, especially suppressed menstruation from cold or emotions. Menses irregular. Partial amenorrhoea. A valuable remedy in all forms of dysmenorrhoea, especially neuralgic or rheumatic. Rarely useful in menorrhagia, but may be indicated by the subjective symptoms. Ovarian neuralgia, especially left side, pains shoot upward, great tenderness, ovaritis. Cervical endometritis, in nervous, hysterical patents, with leucorrhoea, weight and bearing down in uterine region, etc. During pregnancy useful for nausea. Neuralgic pains like false labor pains; sleeplessness. Often useful in the lying-in room for false pains which shoot upward and across the abdomen; “shivers” in first stage; suppressed lochia; rigid os; puerperal mania; severe after pains. Cimicifuga has proved useful in various mental disorders; delirium tremens; puerperal mania;nausea following disappearance of neuralgia; melancholia; in all these conditions the patient is restless both mentally and physically, cannot remain long in one place, or cannot talk without continually changing the subject; extremely nervous. Also useful in cerebro-spinal meningitis; spinal irritation, sensitiveness, especially in cervical and upper dorsal regions; nausea on pressure, etc.; locomotor ataxia, with violent lighting-like pains; sciatica. An extremely valuable remedy in rheumatism affecting the belly or fleshy part of the muscles, worse on motion, nervous and restless; rheumatism of the back and neck; lumbago; especially valuable in pleurodynia, worse on left side, and in left inframammary region. Angina pectoris. Nervous cough, brought on by an attempt to speak.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).