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Herbs & Supplements
Ague Tree
Scientific Name: Sassafras
Other Names: Cinnamon Wood, Saloop, Sassafras albidum, Sassafras officinale, Saxifras
When should I be careful taking it?
Precautions
Sassafras is not considered safe to take by mouth. Even when sassafras oil is only applied to the skin, some chemicals from it may be absorbed into the body.
While it is not recommended for oral use by any individuals, members of certain groups should be particularly careful to avoid using sassafras topically, as well:
- Pregnant women should not take or use sassafras due to the risk of miscarriage.
- In animal experiments, safrole was found in the breast milk of new mothers. In at least one laboratory study, newly born, breast-feeding mice developed cancers when their mothers were given safrole. A similar effect in humans has not been proven, but it is considered to be probable. Women who are breastfeeding should not use any sassafras products.
- Children are more susceptible than adults to the toxic effects of sassafras oil. In one report, swallowing just a few drops of sassafras oil that contained safrole caused the death of a small child. In addition, safrole may be absorbed through the skin when applied topically--especially when applied to raw areas of the skin. It is also believed that the elderly may be more sensitive to volatile oils such as sassafras oil, although no reports of such sensitivity have been published. Therefore, the use of any type of sassafras should be avoided by individuals under the age of 18 and over the age of 55.
- Because safrole is known to cause liver damage, sassafras should not be taken by mouth and sassafras oil should not be applied by individuals with known or suspected liver diseases or by individuals who drink large amounts of alcohol.
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Note: The above information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not meant to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
In general, herbal products are not subject to review or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not required to be standardized, meaning that the amounts of active ingredients or contaminants they contain may vary between brands or between different batches of the same brand. Not all of the risks, side effects, or interactions associated with the use of herbal products are known because few reliable studies of their use in humans have been done.
This information is provided for your education only. Please share this information with your healthcare provider and be sure that you talk to your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take before you begin to use any herbal product.
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When should I be careful taking it? 
