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Deciding
When to Avoid Certain Herbs
Q: If I am pregnant or breast-feeding, what precautions should I
use when taking herbs?
Here is a list of herbs and herbal formulas that should be avoided
during pregnancy and breast-feeding unless specifically recommended
by a knowledgeable herbalist, naturopath or other primary care
physician. Because some herbs have a direct influence on the
uterus the most
common contraindication is when pregnancy is involved. Other herbs
are contraindicated while breast-feeding because some of the herbs'
constituents may migrate into and through the milk to the infant.
I have also included laxatives in this list even though they are
not found in this site. Laxatives may have undesirable side
effects for
pregnant or breast-feeding women.
Herbs
to Avoid in Pregnancy
Single extracts and formulas are listed separately
Single herbs not to be taken during pregnancy
Ashwagandha
Barberry
Black Cohosh (Not in the first seven months.)
Blue Cohosh (Not in the first seven months.)
California Poppy
Catnip
Chaparral
Dong Quai
Feverfew
Goldenseal
Hyssop
Juniper
Kava
Licorice
Lobelia
Lomatium
Motherwort
Myrrh
Osha
Pennyroyal
Pleurisy Root
Red Clover
Shepherd's Purse
Turmeric
Uva Ursi
Vitex
Yarrow
Laxatives to be avoided: Aloin (an aloe extract),
Buckthorn, Cascara Sagrada, Rhubarb root and Senna although not
found in
this site should
be avoided in pregnancy.
Formulas
not to be taken during pregnancy
Acnetonic™
Adrenotonic™
Arthrotonic™
Bionic Tonic™
Cardiotonic™
Cholesterotonic™
Congest Free™
CranBladder ReLeaf™
Cycle 1 Estrotonic™
Cycle 2 Progestonic™
Decongestonic™
Dermatonic™
Digestonic™
Essiac Tonic
HB Pressure Tonic™
Herbaprofen®
Kava Cool Complex™
Kidalin®
Kidney Tonic™
Liver Tonic™
Lymphatonic™
Menopautonic™
Montezuma's ReLeaf™
Nervine Tonic™
Osha Root Complex Syrup (Not in the first three months)
ParaFree™
Peak Defense™ (Goldenseal/Echinacea Complex)
Phytocillin®
PMS ReLeaf™
Respiratonic®
Smoke Free®
Stomach Tonic™
Vein Tonic™
Yeast ReLeaf™
Herbs
to Avoid While Breast-Feeding:
Single extracts and formulas are listed together
Black Cohosh
Congest Free™
Decongestonic™
Herbaprofen®
Kava
Kava Cool Complex™
Licorice
ParaFree™
Laxatives to be avoided: Aloin (an aloe extract),
Buckthorn, Cascara Sagrada, Rhubarb root and Senna although not
found
in this site,
should be avoided while breast-feeding.
Contraindications
of Herbs:
Ashwagandha — do not use with barbiturates
California Poppy — do not use with MAO-inhibitors
Cayenne — do not use on broken skin or near eyes
Chaparral — do not use
in pre-existing kidney disease or liver conditions (hepatitis,
cirrhosis)
Dandelion root — do not
use in blockage of the bile ducts, acute gallbladder inflammation,
and
...intestinal blockage
Devil's Claw — do not
use in gastric and duodenal ulcers
Dong Quai — do not use
during acute inflammation of uterine, vaginal, ovarian or
prostatic
... tissues
Gentian — do not use
in gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastric irritation and inflammation
Ginseng, Chinese Kirin Red — do
not use when thyroid disease, high blood pressure,
... hyperglycemia,
or insomnia is present.
Hawthorn — do not use with digitalis
Hops — do not use in
depression
Horsetail — do not use
in cardiac or renal dysfunction
Juniper — do not use
in acute urinary tract inflammation, stomach inflammation
or
... serious kidney disease
Kava — do not use with alcohol or barbiturates
Kava Cool Complex™ — do not use with alcohol or barbiturates
Licorice — do not use
in high blood pressure from sodium retention or hypokalemia
... (low blood potassium level)
Mullein/Garlic Ear Drops — do
not use in perforated eardrums
Myrrh — do not use in
overt kidney disease or excessive uterine bleeding
St. John's Wort — do not use with antidepressants
Turmeric — do not use
in bile duct obstruction, stomach/duodenal ulcers or hyperacidity
Uva Ursi — do not use with a history of kidney disorders,
irritated digestive conditions
... and with acidic urine or in conjunction
with
remedies which produce acidic urine
Vitex — do not use with oral contraceptives
Possible
Side Effects of Herbs:
Bionic Tonic™ — may cause insomnia
Black Cohosh — excessive use may cause occasional gastrointestinal
discomfort,
... mild frontal headache, dizziness, impaired vision, vertigo,
nausea, vomiting, and/or
... impaired circulation
Blue Cohosh — may cause mid-cycle spotting & cramping
in sensitive women
Cayenne — may cause stomach or intestinal irritation
ChlorOxygen® Chlorophyll Concentrate — dark
green stools may occur
CranBladder ReLeaf™ — peculiar urine smell and color
may occur
Feverfew — mouth ulceration or gastric disturbance may occur
Ginseng, Chinese Kirin Red — may cause insomnia
HB Pressure Tonic™ — may cause low blood pressure
Hops — may cause depression (with long term usage)
Juniper — may aggravate stomach or kidney inflammation
Kava — large amounts over an extended period of time may cause
skin rash
Kava Cool Complex™ — large amounts over an extended
period of time may cause skin rash
Kidney Tonic™ — peculiar urine smell and color may occur
Licorice — large amounts over an extended period of time may
cause high blood pressure,
... water retention, headache and vertigo
Lobelia — may cause nausea and vomiting
Lomatium — may cause skin rash
Myrrh — large amounts may cause diarrhea and irritation of
the kidneys
Pleurisy Root — may cause nausea and vomiting
Shepherd's Purse — large doses of extract may cause heart
palpitations
St. John's Wort — may
cause increased photosensitivity(which may lead to skin
rash)
... in fair-skinned
individuals
Uva Ursi — may cause stomach irritation
Wild Yam — large doses
of the extract may cause vomiting
Warnings
for Herbs:
Ashwagandha — may potentiate the effects of barbiturates
Black Walnut — not for prolonged use
Blueberry — not useful in insulin-dependent (Type I) diabetes
California Poppy — may potentiate the effects of MAO-inhibitors
Cardiotonic™ — not useful for damaged heart where the
damage is termed organic.
... Works best for functional heart problems
(i.e., angina)
Cayenne — if the skin becomes irritated, cease use
Chaparral — discontinue use if nausea, fever, fatigue or jaundice
(e.g. dark or yellow
... discoloration of the eyes) should occur
Deprezac™ — not
effective for bi-polar syndrome and/or for any other
severe depressive
... states.
Goldenseal — use until the inflammatory stage goes away, then
discontinue use. Not
... for long term use. Do not exceed recommended
dose
Hawthorn — may potentiate the effects of digitalis, consult
primary care practitioner
... prior to use with digitalis. Not useful
for damaged heart where the damage is termed
... organic. Works best
for functional heart problems (i.e., angina)
HB Pressure Tonic™ — monitor your blood pressure to
make sure the herbal treatment
... is effective for you
Ivy Itch ReLeaf® — FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY
Juniper — do not use for more than six weeks in succession.
Do not exceed recommend dose
Kava — may potentiate the effects of alcohol or barbituates.
Chronic situations may
... require long term use. Do not exceed recommended
dose. If skin rash occurs, cease use
Kava Cool Complex™ — may potentiate the effects of alcohol
or barbituates. Chronic
... situations may require long term use. Do
not exceed recommended dose. If skin rash
... occurs, cease use
Licorice — may potentiate potassium depletion of thiazide
diuretics, stimulant laxatives,
... cardiac glycosides or cortisol.
Prolonged use
is not recommended
Lobelia — excessive amount slows heart beat and depresses
respiration
Lomatium — if skin rash occurs, cease use
Marshmallow — may cause delayed absorption of other drugs
taken at the same time
Mullein/Garlic Ear Drops — FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY. Do not use
in ears with perforated
... eardrums.
Pau D'Arco — for babies less than six months old, use EXTERNALLY
only
Phytocillin® — if infection persists longer than three
days or a fever is present, seek the
... advice of a primary care practitioner
Propolis — should not be used internally by those with known
reactions to bees or bee
... products, such as bee pollen or honey
Shepherd's Purse — if prolonged significant or unusual bleeding
occurs, seek medical
... attention. Individuals with a history of kidney
stones should use cautiously
St. John's Wort — may potentiate the effects of antidepressants.
Although photosensitivity
... in human beings is rare, fair-skinned
individuals should avoid excessive exposure to
... UV irriadiation (e.g.
sunlight,
tanning) Do not use while taking any prescription drugs
... without
the advice of your primary care practitioner
Uva Ursi — not for prolonged use without consulting a primary
care practitioner
Vitex — may counteract the effectiveness of birth control
pills
Wild Cherry — not for long term use. Do not exceed recommended
dose
Yellow Dock — use cautiously when a history of kidney stones
is present
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