B
Metrorrhagia (f; CRC); Miscarriage (Preventive) (f; CAN; PH2); Mycosis (1; PED); Nephrosis (f;
DEM); Nervousness (f; CRC); Neuralgia (f; CRC); Ovaries (f; CRC); Pain (f; CAN; CRC; DEM);
Parturition (f; CRC; DEM); Pityriasis (f; CRC); Poison Ivy (f; DEM); Pregnancy (f; CRC);
Pulmonosis (f; DEM; FAD); Rheumatism (1; APA; CAN; CRC; DEM; PNC; PH2); Senile Dementia
(f; APA); Sore Throat (f; CRC); Stomachache (f; DEM); Stomatosis (f; CRC); Swelling (1; CAN;
PNC); Toothache (f; DEM); Uterine Atony (f; CAN); Uterine Cramp (f; CRC); Uterosis (f; CRC;
PH2); UTI (f; APA; FAD); Vaginosis (f; CRC); Water Retention (f; APA; CRC); Womb (f; DEM);
Worm (1; APA; CRC; PED; PH2); Yeast (f; PED).
Dosages (Blue Cohosh) — 40–200 mg/day (APA); 0.3–2 g rhizome 3 ×/day (CAN);^1 / 2 –1 tsp fresh
root (PED); 0.25–0.5 g dry root (PED); 0.5 g dry root: 3 g alcohol/2 ml water (PED); 0.3–2 g
powdered root (PNC); 0.3–2 ml liquid root extract (PNC); 0.3–2.0 ml liquid extract (1:1 in 90%
alcohol) (CAN); 2–4 ml tincture (1:10 in 60% alcohol) (CAN).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Blue Cohosh) — Class 2b (AHP). “Hazards
and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). CAN caution that the poi-
sonous seeds will irritate the GI tract. Because it is reputed to be abortifacient and to affect the
menstrual cycle, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. May interfere with angina
therapy (CAN). Anagyrines may be teratogenic (PHR). Canadian regulations do not allow blue
cohosh as a nonmedicinal ingredient for oral use products (Michols, 1995). The alcoholic extract
was uterotonic in guinea pig; caulosaponin is oxytocic to rat uterus in vivo; even low-potency
homeopathic produce follicular and endometrial changes likened to inhibition of ovulation; admin-
istration of this homeopathic preparation interrupted implantation (De Smet et al., 1993).
BLUE FLAG (Iris versicolor L.) +For orris, see Iris x germanica. Is it the irises, or the taxonomists (or me) who are screwed up. In
a rare show of bravery, Steinmetz (EFS) covers six species of Iris but then templates very repetitive
entries for all six, especially the two I treat as orris, almost identical in EFS. More modern writers
tend to aggregate some of these that are also called, colloquially, “orris.” The USDA accepts I.
pallida as orris, but also has listed I. x germanica as orris-root. Unlike the herbal PDR, I maintain
that Iris versicolor, the blue flag, is a distinct species. (See also, Orris.)
Activities (Blue Flag) — Alterative (f; CRC; PNC); Analgesic (f; DEM; FAD); Anorectic (1; PNC);
Antidermatotic (f; CAN); Antidote (f; MIC); Antiemetic (f; CAN); Antiinflammatory (f; CAN);
Antiobesity (1; PNC); Catabolic (f; CRC); Cholagogue (f; CAN; DEM; MAD); Depurative (f;
CRC); Diuretic (f; CAN; CRC; MAD); Emetic (f; CRC; MAD; MIC); Hepatotonic (1; MAD);
Laxative (1; CAN; CRC; DEM; FAD; PNC); Poison (f; DEM); Resolvent (f; CRC); Sialagogue
(f; CRC); Stimulant (f; CRC; PNC).
Indications (Blue Flag) — Allergy (f; DEM); Amenorrhea (f; MAD); Biliousness (f; CAN; CRC);
Bruise (f; DEM; FAD); Burn (f; DEM); Cancer (f; CRC); Cancer, breast (f; JLH); Cancer, kidney
(f; JLH); Catarrh (f; MAD); Childbirth (f; CRC); Cholecystosis (f; MAD); Cholera (f; DEM); Cold
(f; DEM); Constipation (1; CAN; CRC; FAD); Dermatosis (f; CAN; CRC); Diabetes (f; CRC;
MAD); Diarrhea (f; CRC; MAD); Dropsy (f; CRC; MAD); Duodenosis (f; MAD); Dysentery (f;
CRC); Dysmenorrhea (f; CRC; MAD); Dyspepsia (f; CRC); Eczema (f; CRC); Felon (f; JLH);
Fistula (f; CRC); Gallstone (f; DEM; MAD); Gastrosis (f; CRC; MAD); Headache (f; CRC; MAD);
Heartburn (f; MAD); Hemicrania (f; CRC; HHB); Hepatosis (f; CAN; CRC; DEM); Herpes (f;
CRC); Impetigo (f; CRC); Infertility (f; DEM); Inflammation (f; CAN; DEM); Jaundice (f; MAD);
Malaria (f; MAD); Migraine (f; CRC; FAD; MAD); Morning Sickness (f; CRC); Nausea (f; CRC;
MAD); Nephrosis (f; DEM); Neuralgia (f; CRC; MAD); Obesity (1; CRC; PNC); Ophthalmia (f;
DEM); Otosis (f; DEM); Pain (f; CRC; DEM; FAD); Pancreatosis (f; CRC); Parotosis (f; CRC);
Proctosis (f; CRC); Psoriasis (f; CRC); Rheumatism (f; CRC; DEM; FAD); Salivation (f; CRC);