Britain warns on safety of popular menopause herb

LONDON, July 19 (Reuters) Black cohosh, a herb popular for relieving hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, may be linked with liver damage and products containing it will in future carry a warning, Britain's drug regulator said.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) yesterday said a review of all available data had concluded that liver injury resulting from black cohosh was rare but could be serious.

''In the light of this advice, the MHRA is working with the herbal sector to ensure that labels of black cohosh products carry updated safety warnings,'' Professor Kent Wood, the agency's chief executive, said in a statement.

''The labels will point out the possible symptoms so that appropriate action can be taken without delay.'' Symptoms of liver problems include pain on the right side of the stomach just below the ribs, unexplained nausea, flu-like symptoms, dark urine and yellowing of eyes or skin.

The warning will come as a blow to women looking for something to ease the symptoms of menopause who may have assumed that black cohosh, as a herb, was a safe option.

The herbal treatment has been used for many years in Europe and North America and gained popularity after a highly publicised study in 2002 found hormone replacement therapy raised the risk of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer.

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