An alarmist article appeared in various newspapers last week, claiming that Black Cohosh could help spread cancerous cells from the breast to the lung. The research was carried out on mice. Mice that already had breast cancer showed a greater tendency to develop lung tumours when taking Black Cohosh.
However, mice that had no breast cancer were unaffected by their daily dose of Black Cohosh. They showed no more tendency to develop either breast cancer or any other cancer than the mice that were not given Black Cohosh. The authors stated: “The lack of effect on mammary tumour development suggests that Black Cohosh would not influence breast cancer risk if given to women before tumour formation.”
We would make the following common sense, non-alarmist observations.
We do not recommend any herbal remedies to women with cancer.
Women with breast cancer or any other cancer should only be taking herbal products under the supervision of their consultant or a qualified medical herbalist working with their consultant.
Black Cohosh should only be given to women with symptoms of low oestrogen levels.
Black Cohosh products vary in quality – reputable companies manufacture to the highest standards, have GMP status, and can provide safety data.