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Dietary supplement

Blue Cohosh Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Herb Pharm

Blue Cohosh label
See full label image
Liquid Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Blue Cohosh against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Blue Cohosh is a dietary supplement by Herb Pharm with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for inducing labor or starting menstruation, menstrual cramps and irregular periods, symptoms of menopause.Based on those ingredients, 259 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Jul 16, 2026

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: blue cohosh rhizome and rootlet extract (from Caulophyllum thalictroides). Blue cohosh is an herb traditionally used, though its effectiveness has not been established in the data we hold.

The liquid also contains certified organic cane alcohol and distilled water as inactive ingredients.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

This is a single-ingredient Blue Cohosh product and its label doesn't state a use — see Blue Cohosh's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.

We have no effectiveness ratings on file for blue cohosh. The evidence supporting its use has not been established in our data.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Blue Cohosh

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Blue cohosh carries serious safety concerns. It contains compounds that affect the heart and has been linked to significant adverse events, including chest pain (angina), high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, stomach upset, diarrhea, and cramping.

Most critically, the herb is likely unsafe in pregnancy — it can stimulate the uterus and has been linked to severe harm to newborns, including heart attacks, heart failure, and shock when used near delivery. There's not enough safety information to use it while breastfeeding either.

Because of these risks, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before considering this product.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Blue Cohosh

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Blue Cohosh.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 259 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking blue cohosh if you take antihypertensive drugs (blood pressure medications) — it may reduce their effectiveness and raise your blood pressure. Also check if you take antidiabetes drugs, as the herb may increase blood glucose and reduce how well your medications work.

If you use nicotine in any form, blue cohosh can intensify its effects.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Blue cohosh is a single-herb extract with serious cardiovascular and blood sugar concerns, and it's linked to major risks in pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you take blood pressure or diabetes medications, or use nicotine, you'll need to clear this with your doctor or pharmacist first.

Anyone pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding should avoid it altogether.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated May 22, 2015.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Blue Cohosh, straight from the product label.

Brand Herb Pharm
Barcode (UPC) 090700001131
Net contents 4 fl. Oz.; 120 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD May 22, 2015
DSLD ID 45984
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Organic, Gluten Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
0.7 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
0.7 mL
Servings per container
168
UPC/BARCODE
090700001131
IngredientAmount% DV
Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract624 mg--

Other ingredients: certified organic Cane Alcohol, distilled Water

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Storage

Store away from heat & light

General Statements

OPTIMAL WELL-BEING

Blue Cohosh Liquid Extract

Dry herb/menstruum ratio: 1:5

Seals/Symbols

USDA ORGANIC

FDA Statement of Identity

HERBAL SUPPLEMENT

Formulation

GLUTEN-FREE

We prepare our Blue Cohosh Extract from the rhizome with rootlet of Caulophyllum thalictroides plants which are Certified Organically Grown on our own farm or especially for us in their natural Appalachian Mountains habitat.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC BY ORGANIC CERTIFIERS

General

009

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

SUGGESTED USE Shake Well Before Using Add one full squeeze of the dropper bulb to 2 oz. of water or juice, two to four times per day. Best taken between meals.

Precautions

Caution: Seek expert medical advice before taking during pregnancy.

Keep Out of the Reach of Children

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

Blue Cohosh label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size0.7 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container168 Amounts shown are per serving.

Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract

Interacts with
259 drugs
624 mg per serving

Blue cohosh is a traditional herb historically used by Native Americans and midwives to bring on labor or menstruation, but it carries serious safety...

Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Certified organic Cane Alcohol, Distilled Water. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Blue Cohosh?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

 Go to the checker
259Drugs
259 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract 259

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Blue Cohosh interact with 259 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Blue Cohosh interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Blue Cohosh with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract3 drug types · 259 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

There is some concern that blue cohosh might increase blood glucose levels. Theoretically, it might decrease the effectiveness of medicines used for diabetes. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Antihypertensive Drugs

Constituents in blue cohosh might increase blood pressure by causing coronary vasoconstriction. Theoretically, concomitant use might decrease the effectiveness of drugs used for angina and high blood pressure; use with caution. Some antihypertensive drugs include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), Amlodipine (Norvasc), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDiuril), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Nicotine

Blue cohosh can increase the effects of nicotine.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Blue Cohosh rhizome with rootlet (Caulophyllum thalictroides) extract full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Blue Cohosh, from the product label.

Herb Pharm

See all Herb Pharm products
Name
Herb Pharm
City
Williams
State
OR
ZipCode
97544
Phone Number
800-348-4372
Web Address
www.herb-pharm.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm: Common Questions

Does Blue Cohosh by Herb Pharm interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Blue Cohosh has a known interaction with 259 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Blue Cohosh contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Is blue cohosh safe in pregnancy?
No. Blue cohosh is likely unsafe in pregnancy — it can stimulate the uterus and has been linked to serious harm to newborns, including heart attacks and heart failure when used near delivery. Avoid it if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
Can I take blue cohosh while breastfeeding?
No. There's not enough safety information to recommend blue cohosh while breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about alternatives.
What are the main side effects of blue cohosh?
Orally, blue cohosh can cause chest pain (angina), high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, stomach upset, diarrhea, cramping, nausea, vomiting, and a faster heartbeat. Because of its effects on the heart, use it only under close medical supervision.
Can I take blue cohosh if I have high blood pressure?
You should check with your doctor or pharmacist first. Blue cohosh may raise your blood pressure further and could reduce how well your blood pressure medications work.
Does blue cohosh interact with diabetes medications?
Yes. Blue cohosh may raise your blood glucose levels and could decrease the effectiveness of insulin and other diabetes drugs. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting it if you take diabetes medications.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Blue Cohosh label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Blue Cohosh’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Herb & supplement monograph

Blue Cohosh

Interacts with 259 drugs

Blue cohosh is a traditional herb historically used by Native Americans and midwives to bring on labor or menstruation, but it carries serious safety concerns, especially for the heart and d...

Read the full Blue Cohosh monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Blue Cohosh's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 16 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Blue Cohosh 16 references
  1. Jones TK, Lawson BM. Profound neonatal congestive heart failure caused by maternal consumption of blue cohosh herbal medication. J Pediatr 1998;132:550-2. PubMed
  2. McFarlin BL, Gibson MH, O'Rear J, Harman P. A national survey of herbal preparation use by nurse-midwives for labor stimulation. Review of the literature and recommendations for practice. J Nurse Midwifery 1999;44:205-16. PubMed
  3. Wright IM. Neonatal effects of maternal consumption of blue cohosh. J Pediatr 1999;134:384-5. DOI
  4. Edmunds J. Blue cohosh and newborn myocardial infarction? Midwifery Today Int Midwife 1999;52:34-5.
  5. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. 1st ed. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse Corp., 1999.
  6. Irikura B, Kennelly E. American Health Consultants. Blue Cohosh: a word of caution. 1999. Available at: http://www.ahcmedia.com/articles/50424-blue-cohosh-a-word-of-caution.
  7. Gunn TR, Wright IM. The use of black and blue cohosh in labour. N Z Med J 1996;109:410-1.
  8. Baillie N, Rasmussen P. Black and blue cohosh in labour. N Z Med J 1997;110:20-1.
  9. Finkel RS, Zarlengo KM. Blue cohosh and perinatal stroke. N Engl J Med 2004;351:302-3. PubMed
  10. Kennelly, E. J., Flynn, T. J., Mazzola, E. P., Roach, J. A., McCloud, T. G., Danford, D. E., and Betz, J. M. Detecting potential teratogenic alkaloids from blue cohosh rhizomes using an in vitro rat embryo culture. J.Nat.Prod. 1999;62(10):1385-1389. PubMed
  11. Rao, R. B. and Hoffman, R. S. Nicotinic toxicity from tincture of blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) used as an abortifacient. Vet.Hum.Toxicol. 2002;44(4):221-222.
  12. Gunn, T. R. and Wright, I. M. The use of black and blue cohosh in labour. N.Z Med J 10-25-1996;109(1032):410-411.
  13. Scott, C. C. and Chen, K. K. The pharmacological action of N-methylcytisine. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapuetics 1943;79:334-339. DOI
  14. Low, D. T. Blue cohosh and neonatal myocardial toxicity. Journal of the American Herbalists Guild 2001;2(2):9-10.
  15. Dugoua JJ, Perri D, Seely D, et al. Safety and efficacy of blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) during pregnancy and lactation. Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;15(1):e66-73.
  16. Sirtori CR, Triolo M, Bosisio R, et al. Hypocholesterolaemic effects of lupin protein and pea protein/fibre combinations in moderately hypercholesterolaemic individuals. Br J Nutr 2012;107:1176-83. PubMed

See these in context on the Blue Cohosh monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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