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The jury's still out on black cohosh, an herb used for centuries for women's health problems, originally by Native Americans. A new study indicates that black cohosh is effective in easing menopausal symptoms--but research conducted about the same time at another university suggests it may also carry health risks. Research conducted at Germany's University of Gottingen and published in the March 2003 journal Maturitas found that black cohosh is, as effective as estrogen in alleviating hot flashes, heart palpitarions and other difficulties of peri-menopause without the side effects associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including an increased rate of some forms of cancer. A rodentian study conducted at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation and presented in July 2003 to the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, DC, suggests that black cohosh could be harmful to women with underected breast tumors. The conclusion underscores the importance of mammograms for woolen who seek natural alternatives to HRT.