Cimicifuga racemosa

Synonyms

Cimicifuga racemosa, buttercup, bugloss, candle, lady’s root, snake root

Plant description

The Cimicifuga is a perennial plant, found in shady places in the forests of North America, it grows up to 1.5m high. The leaves are stalked, triple pinnate, pointed and deeply serrated at the edges. The flowers grow candle-like, long and narrow, grape-like, small, white flowers. The small, brown seeds sit in egg-shaped capsules. The flowering time is between June and September.

Medicinally used plant parts

The rootstock of the cimicifuga is dug in the autumn, cleaned, dried and cut into pieces of 5 to 10 cm in length. The roots are longitudinally furrowed, knotty and dark brown, have an unpleasant smell and taste very bitter and pungent.

Ingredients

Actein, cimicigenol, saponins, tanning agents, phenolic acids

Curative effect and application

This drug is not used as tea, but is often a component of ready-to-drink medicines, which are mainly used for menopausal complaints, but also for rheumatism and arthrosis in this phase of life.

Application in homeopathy

Cimicifuga is used here primarily for menopausal complaints with depression in patients with a hysterical basic posture. Also for migraine and rheumatic complaints in this phase. Headaches affect the back of the head and are described as if the skull is about to burst and a wedge is driven in from behind. Sometimes women in pregnancy are also treated with Cimicifuga with the aim of facilitating childbirth.

Side effects

No side effects are expected at normal dosage.