The Adverse Reactions Between Horse Chestnut & Black Cohosh

Apparently harmless herbs, such as horse chestnut and black cohosh, contain powerful substances able to cure or poison.

Among the curative properties of horse chestnut are the ability to improve circulation and increase the strength of blood vessels, while black cohosh is mostly used to reduce hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.

However, if taken together, these herbs can increase the risks of abnormal bleeding.

Uses of Black Cohosh

According to the British Department of Health, black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa Nutt) can be used as a remedy for: rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, intercostal myalgia (pain in the rib muscles), sciatica (pain in the lower back), whooping cough, chorea (loss of nervous-system function), tinnitus, dysmenorrhoea (painful menstruation), and uterine colic (painful cramps of the muscle of the uterus).

Uses of Horse Chestnut

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is mainly used to treat hemorrhoids and chronic venous insufficiency (a condition in which the veins do not efficiently return blood from the legs to the heart), which is associated with varicose veins, pain, ankle swelling, feelings of heaviness, itching and leg cramping.

Risk of Bleeding

Black cohosh contains salicylic acid, which is an anti-coagulant substance.

According to the Department of Chemistry of the University of Bristol, U.K., horse chestnut has esculin, a substance that also acts as an anti-coagulant. The concomitant use of both substances can cause unnatural bleeding. Pregnant women should definitely avoid it.

Low Blood Glucose

Horse chestnut contains extracts that reduce the levels of blood glucose, being used to control diabetes.

However, in interaction with black cohosh, these botanic extracts may cause hypoglycemia.

Addictive Effect

In a document published by the University of Michigan, black cohosh can have addictive effect, when interacting with antihyperlipidemics (substances that reduce cholesterol).

Horse chestnut contains escin, an antihyperlipidemic. In order to avoid black cohosh dependency, it is better to avoid taking both herbs together.

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