BLUE COHOSH
Caulophyllum thalictroides
COMMON NAMES: Pappoose root, squawroot, blue ginseng, yellow ginseng.
FEATURES: This handsome perennial grows in all parts of the United States near running streams and in
low moist rich grounds. The plant is 1–3 feet high, purple when young, with leaves 1–3 inches long.
May or June finds the yellowish green flowers in bloom, which ripen to seeds in August, these being
used for a decoction that closely resembles coffee. Its active principle is caulophyllin.
MEDICINAL PARTS: Root, rhizome.
SOLVENT: Water.
BODILY INFLUENCE: Antispasmodic, diuretic, emmenagogue, demulcent, sedative, oxytocic, spasmodic,
dysmenorrhea, diaphoretic, parturient.
USES: The established native American uses were for cramps during difficult menstruation periods,
promoting the flow and administering relief. It is especially valuable and has been found in many cases to
almost entirely relieve the patient of pain in childbirth and promote prompt delivery. For efficacy, a tea of
blue cohosh should be used for the last three or four weeks of pregnancy. A decoction is also useful for
colic (thus the common name of pappoose root), cramps, hysterics, and rheumatism.
In their book Vitalogy (1925) Drs. Wood and Ruddock found blue cohosh “especially valuable in
epileptic fits and ulcerations of the mouth and throat.” Among other therapeutic properties, blue cohosh
contains the following vital minerals: potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, silicon, and phosphorus,
which helps to alkalize the blood and urine.
DOSE: Steep 1 ounce of the root in 1 pint of boilding water; dose, 2 tablespoonfuls every 3 hours. For
nervous and sluggish cough it will act as an expectorant, for spasms it may be given more freely.
HOMEOPATHIC CLINICAL: Tincture or trituration of root for abortion, after pains, amenorrhea, barrenness,
bearingdown pains, chloasma, cholera morbus, dysmenorrhea, false conception, feet (affections of),
gonorrhea, hands (affections of), intramammary pain, labor (abnormal, false pains of), leukorrhea,
menstruation (disorders of), ovarian neuralgia, pityriasis, pregnancy (disorders of), rheumatic gout,
rheumatism, uterine spasm, uterine atony.
RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE: On the Russian Amur River and Sakhalin Island the same family, called
Caulophyllum robustum, or in Russian, steblelist moshny, is found growing wild. Blue cohosh has many
good medical properties, including antibacterial properties for tuberculosis. Taspin (acetan) is used in
proportions of 1–1,000,000. This is a strong irritant and limited strictly to clinical use for female disorder
and as a tonic for blood circulation. Further experimental research required.