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Decalepis hamiltonii

Swallowroot is a plant whose root is used to make medicine. Swallowroot is used as a so-called blood purifier and as an appetite stimulant.

How does swallowroot work?

New research suggests that swallowroot may act as an antioxidant and may also be able to fight bacteria.

How effective is swallowroot?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of swallowroot when used as an appetite stimulant or to cleanse the blood. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Swallowroot in these applications.

Safety and side effects

There is not enough information to say whether Swallowroot is safe and harmless or what side effects Swallowroot may have.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Not enough is known about the use of Swallowroot during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Swallowroot.

Surgeries: Swallowroot could slow down blood clotting. There are concerns that this could increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. For this reason, Swallowroot should be discontinued at least 2 weeks before planned operations.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining Swallowroot with the following medications:

Medications that slow down blood clotting

Swallowroot could slow down blood clotting. Taking Swallowroot in combination with medicines that also slow down blood clotting could increase the risk of bleeding and the tendency to bruise.

Some medications that can slow blood clotting include aspirin, diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen, naproxen and others.

Dosage

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

References

  1. Harish R, Divakar S, Srivastava A, Shivanandappa T. Isolation of antioxidant compounds from the methanolic extract of roots of Decalepis hamiltonii (Wight and Arn.). J Agric Food Chem 2005;53:7709-14. view abstract.
  2. Suneetha WJ, Krishnakantha TP. Effect of swallowroot extract on functions of platelets in vitro. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2005;19:133-4. View abstract.
  3. Thangadurai D, Anitha S, Pullaiah T, et al. Essential oil constituents and in vitro antimicrobial activity of Decalepis hamiltonii roots against foodborne pathogens. J Agric Food Chem 2002;50:3147-9. view abstract.