Healthnotes Newswire (June 21, 2007)—Women who take the herb black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) are less likely to get breast cancer, according to new research published in the International Journal of Cancer.
“With the serious health concerns that have been raised about the use of estrogen and progestin-containing hormone replacement therapy in recent years, many women have turned to complementary-alternative medicines to alleviate symptoms of menopause,” said Timothy R. Rebbeck, PhD, professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania and lead author of the new study. “The long-range effects of these compounds have not been studied. Ours is the first report that black cohosh confers a degree of protection from breast cancer, which represents a potentially important piece of information for women who take, or who might consider taking, these compounds.”
