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Common ragwort

Commonragweed is a plant that is used to make medicine. Despite serious safety concerns, common ragwort is used to treat worm infestations and colic. The pressed juice is used for irregular or painful menstrual periods and epilepsy. The pressed juice is sometimes applied directly to the gums to stop bleeding.

How does common ragwort work?

There is not enough information available to say how common ragwort might work as a medicine.

How effective is common ragweed?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective common ragweed is for colic, irregular or painful menstrual periods, epilepsy, treating worm infestation and applied directly to the gums for bleeding gums. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of common ragwort in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Common ragweed is not safe or safe for anyone. There are numerous concerns regarding the use of common ragweed for medicinal purposes because common ragweed contains chemicals called hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These chemicals can block blood flow in the veins and cause liver damage. Hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids can also cause cancer and birth defects. Products made from common ragweed that are not certified free of hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids are not considered safe and harmless.

It is also not safe or safe to apply common ragweed to fragile or injured skin. The hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained in common ragweed can be absorbed by the body through damaged skin and lead to dangerous body-wide toxicity. One should also avoid skin products containing common ragweed that are not certified free of hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Precautions & Warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: It is not safe to use common ragweed products that may contain hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids during pregnancy and lactation, as these products may cause birth defects and liver damage. It is also not safe to use products containing common ragweed, which may contain hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, while breastfeeding, as the potentially harmful chemicals may pass into breast milk and harm the nursing infant.

It is not known whether products containing common ragweed that are certified as free from hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids are safe and harmless during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid common ragweed altogether to be on the safe side.

Allergies to broomweed and related plants: common ragweed may cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae/Compositae family. Members of this plant family include broomweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies and many others. If you suffer from allergies, you should consult your doctor before taking common ragweed.

Liver disorders: There are concerns that the pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained in common ragwort may aggravate liver disorders.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining common ragweed with the following medications:

Medications that may accelerate the breakdown of other medications by the liver:

Common ragweed is broken down by the liver. Some chemicals produced when common ragweed is broken down by the liver can be harmful. Medications that can accelerate the breakdown of common ragweed by the liver may increase the toxic effects of these breakdown products.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of common ragweed depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for common ragweed. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Chojkier M. Hepatic sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome: toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. J Hepatol 2003;39:437-46.
  2. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Advises Dietary Supplement Manufacturers to Remove Comfrey Products From the Market. July 6, 2001. available at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dspltr06.html.
  3. Fox DW, Hart MC, Bergeson PS, et al. Pyrrolizidine (Senecio) intoxication mimicking Reye syndrome. J Pediatr 1978;93:980-2.
  4. Klepser TB, Klepser ME. Unsafe and potentially safe herbal therapies. Am J Health Syst Pharm 1999;56:125-38.
  5. Roeder E. Medicinal plants in Europe containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pharmacy 1995;50:83-98.
  6. Wang YP, Yan J, Fu PP, Chou MW. Human liver microsomal reduction of pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides to form the corresponding carcinogenic parent alkaloid. Toxicol Lett 2005;155:411-20.
  7. WHO working group. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Environmental Health Criteria, 80. WHO: Geneva, 1988.