Cramp bark / Black haw (Viburnum)
Native American and European traditional herb for dysmenorrhoea and uterine cramping, no modern RCT base.
Why
Cramp bark (Viburnum opulus) and black haw (Viburnum prunifolium) have been used traditionally in Native American and 19th-century Western Eclectic medicine for menstrual cramps and uterine spasm. Modern clinical evidence is essentially absent, no Cochrane review, no EMA monograph, no significant RCT. Inclusion is for honest reference.
How it works
Scopoletin (a coumarin) and viburnine have antispasmodic effects in animal smooth-muscle preparations. Salicin content provides mild anti-inflammatory effect. Clinical translation to human dysmenorrhoea is not characterised.
Expected onset · Acute effect during symptomatic phase
How to take
Dosage
Dried bark: 2–4 g decoction or 4–8 ml tincture, three times daily during symptomatic phase.
Timing
Three times daily during menstrual cramps; preventive dosing in days preceding menstruation in traditional practice
On the label
Viburnum opulus (cramp bark) or V. prunifolium (black haw). Both used similarly in tradition. Aged bark preferred.
Ideal for
Adults with dysmenorrhoea exploring Western-herbalist traditional options with awareness that modern evidence is limited.
Safety
Evidence
No regulator anchor. Traditional-use registration only, no Cochrane review, no Well-Established Use monograph, no EFSA-authorised claim, and no major-journal RCT supports a specific therapeutic effect. Inclusion here reflects the documented tradition; modern clinical evidence is limited.
Traditional-use registration only, no Cochrane review, no Well-Established Use monograph, no EFSA-authorised claim, and no major-journal RCT supports a specific therapeutic effect. Inclusion here reflects the documented tradition; modern clinical evidence is limited.
Where to get it
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