Black Cohosh - History and Folklore
The botanical name of black cohosh, Cimicifuga (literally, "bedbug-flee"), is from the common name bugbane, reflecting an early use of the herb. Other traditional names are black snakeroot and rattle root, showing that, like Echinacea, black cohosh, Indian snakeroot (Rauwolfia), and common snakeroot (Aristolochia) were used by Native Americans for ceremonial purposes in the treatment of snakebite.
The name squawroot was attached to the black cohosh plant by nineteenth-century herbalists, who confused the plant with Perideridia gairdneri, the actual squaw root of the Plains Indians. Common uses included treatment for rheumatism, kidney disease, respiratory illnesses, and skin problems: It was considered to be both a sedative and a stimulant. The Iroquois used black cohosh to promote lactation. The plant's later connection with women's health referred to the occasional Cherokee use of black cohosh to bring on menstruation and, consequently, as an abortifacient.
