Several botanical therapies have been proposed as alternatives to estrogen. There is little evidence that any one provides a full range of estrogenic benefits. Here is some of what we know to date. Small amounts are added as a flavoring agent in blending Benedictine and Chartreuse liqueurs. Toxicity has been reported when large amounts have been ingested to induce abortion.
Potential risks attributed to angelica include photosensitization, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity.
Black cohosh was the principle ingredient in Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, an ethanolic extract sold over the counter in the US and Europe. A branded black cohosh extract is one of the leading botanicals sold in Germany and clearly the top-selling menopausal herbal remedy. Though in a dozen studies there is an apparent reduction in symptomatology in women taking black cohosh extracts, the studies are often not blinded, use unvalidated tools to measure outcomes, and are small. At this point in time, black cohosh appears to be safe and to offer some significant improvements in menopause symptoms. Maximum duration of use is six months, for no reason save that no studies cover a period longer than that.