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Amur cork tree

The Amur cork tree (Phellodendron), also known by its Latin name Phellodendron amurense, is a deciduous tree whose bark is used to make medicine. Amur cork tree is used for osteoarthritis, diarrhea, ulcers of the stomach and small intestine, diabetes, meningitis, pneumonia, eye infections, tuberculosis and liver cirrhosis, as well as to support weight loss. Some people apply Amur cork tree to the skin for psoriasis, to kill germs and to reduce redness and swelling.

How does Amur cork tree work?

Some chemicals contained in the Amur cork tree may reduce redness and inflammatory swelling. Another chemical called berberine may also be able to lower blood sugar and bad LDL cholesterol levels and protect the liver from toxic materials. Berberine is also active against tumors. However, berberine can also be harmful.

How effective is Amur cork tree?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of Amur cork tree in the following applications.

  • Weight loss support: Some research suggests that overweight women who took a specific product containing a combination of Amur cork tree and magnolia extracts (Relora) for 6 weeks gained less weight than women who did not receive this product. Women taking this product also appeared to consume fewer calories than members of a control group. One possible explanation is that this product reduces stress and stress-related eating. However, this theory is not tenable as there is no evidence to date that this product reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
  • Psoriasis: There is a report that an ointment containing Amur cork tree, woad and Baikal skullcap reduced psoriasis in an 8-year-old boy who responded poorly to other treatments.

There is also insufficient scientific information on the effectiveness of Amur cork tree for diarrhea, stomach and intestinal ulcers, osteoarthritis, obesity, diabetes, meningitis, pneumonia, eye infections and tuberculosis. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Amur cork tree in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Amur CorkTree appears to be safe and harmless for adults for short-term use. The safety of using Amur Cork Tree for more than 6 weeks is not known. In one study, one person experienced heartburn, trembling hands, sexual dysfunction and thyroid dysfunction. Another person experienced fatigue and headaches. However, it is not known whether these side effects are due to the use of Amur cork tree or to other factors.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Amur Cork Tree is not safe to use during pregnancy. Amur cork tree contains a chemical called berberine, which can pass through the placenta to the fetus. The use of Amur cork tree is also not safe during breastfeeding. Berberine can be transferred to the breastfed child via the mother's milk and cause brain damage in newborns - and especially premature babies suffering from jaundice.

Children: Amur cork tree is not safe and harmless for newborn children. It can cause brain damage, especially in premature babies suffering from jaundice.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining Amur cork tree with the following medicines.

Cyclosporine

The body breaks down cyclosporine in order to be able to excrete it. Amur Korkbaum could reduce the rate at which the body breaks down cyclosporine. Taking Amur cork tree in combination with cyclosporine could increase the risk of side effects.

Drugs that are broken down by the liver (cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates)

Some drugs are broken down by the liver. Amur Korkbaum can reduce the rate at which the liver breaks down certain medicines. Taking Amur cork tree in combination with medicines that are broken down by the liver can increase the side effects of some medicines. For this reason, you should consult your doctor before taking Amur cork tree if you are taking medicines that are broken down by the liver.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of Amur Korkbaum products depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for Amur cork tree products. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

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