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The following guidelines are based on the American Herbal Products Association Botanical Safety Handbook/Index. The purpose of the Handbook was to create meaningful safety classifications and labeling recommendations for botanicals.

The following safety data assumes the botanical will be used in a rational and informed manner. Illness or negative reactions can occur from excessive consumption, individual sensitivites, and allergic reactions. Seek qualified expert advice before using a botanical with which are you unfamiliar.

This listing by no means should be taken to be inclusive of every herbs for which cautions apply. Not all existing herbs have been included in the analysis performed by the American Herbal Products Association.

Also, homeopathic herbal preparations are not included in the American Herbal Products Association's Safety Handbook, and therefore are not included in this listing.

Botanicals for External Use Only

Botanicals that are NOT to be used during pregnancy

Botanicals that are NOT to be used during lactation by nursing mothers

Botanicals that are NOT to be used by persons taking MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitors

Botanicals that are NOT to be used by persons taking blood thinning agents

Botanicals that are photosensitizing (cause reactions with sunlight)

The botanicals in the following table are for external use only (when properly diluted), unless otherwise directed by an expert qualified in the appropriate use of the botanical. In case of ingestion, contact a poison control center immediately.

Common Name(s) Botanical Name(s)
Alkanet Alkanna tinctoria
Borage Borago officinalis
Comfrey Symphytum officinale L.
Gravel Root
See Queen of the Meadow		 Eupatorium purpureum
Henna Lawsonia inermis
Joe Pye
See Queen of the Meadow		 Eupatorium purpureum
Male Fern Dryopteris filix mas
Queen of the Meadow Eupatorium purpureum
Russian Comfrey Symphytum asperum L.
Symphytum x uplandicum N.

The botanicals in the following table are NOT to be used during pregnancy, unless otherwise directed by an expert qualified in the appropriate use of the botanical.

Common Name(s) Botanical Name(s)
Achyranthes (nui xi) Achyranthes bidentata
Alkanet Alkanna tinctoria
Aloe vera (cape aloe) Aloe ferox, Aloe perryi, Aloe vera
Andrographis (chuan xin lian) Andrographis paniculata
Angelica Angelica archangelica, Angelica atropurpurea
Anise Pimpinella anisum
Apricot Kernel
Arnica Arnica latifolia, Arnica montana, Arnica spp.
Asafoetida, devil's dung, giant fennel Ferula assa-foetida, Ferula foetida, Ferula rubricaulis
Asarabacca Asarum europaeum
Ashwagandha Withania somnifera
Barberry Berberis vulgaris
Barley Seed Sprouts, mai ya (germinated barley) Hordeum vulgare
Beth Root Trillium erectum
Black Snakeroot Cimicifuga racemosa
Bladderwrack Fucus vesiculosus
Blessed Thistle (holy thistle) Cnicus benedictus
Bloodroot Sanfuinaria canadensis
Blue Cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides
Blue Flag Iris Versicolor, Iris virginica
Borage Borago officinalis
Buchu Barosma betulina, Barosma crenulata, Barosma serratifolia
Buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus, Rhamnus frangula
Bugleweed, Water Horehound Lycopus americanus, Lycopus europaceus, Lycopus virginicus
Calamus Acorus calamus
California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
California Spikenard Aralia californica
Camphor Cinnamomum camphora
Canada Snakeroot Asarum canadense
Capillary artemisia (yin chen hao) Artemisia capillaris, Artemisia scoparia
Cascara Sagrada Rhamnus purshiana
Castor Oil (listed under various manufacturers) Ricinus communis
Catnip Nepeta cataria
Cedarwood, Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana
Celandine (Greater Celandine) Chelidonium majus
Celery Seed Apium graveolens
Chaste Berry, Vitex Vitex agnus-castus
Chervil Anthriscus cerefolium
Chinese Motherwort, yi mu cao (herb), chong wei zi (fruit) Leonurus heterophyllus, Leonurus sibiricus
Cinchona (Quinine, Yellow Quinine, Red Cinchona, Calisaya Bark, Yellow Cinchona) Cinchona calisaya, Cinchona ledgeriana, Cinchona officinalis, Cinchona pubescens
Cinnamon, Cassia Cinnamon Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamom verum
Coffee Coffea arabica
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara
Comfrey Symphytum officinale
Corydalis, yan hu suo Corydalis yanhusuo
Cotton Root Bark, Levant Cotton Root Bark Gossypium herbaceum, Gossypium hirsutum
Culver's Root Leptandra virginica
Cyathula, chuan niu xi Cyanthula officinalis
Dong Quai (dang gui, tang kuei) Angelica sinensis
Dyer's Broom Genista tinctoria
Elecampane Inula helenium
Ephedra, ma huang Ephedra distachya, Ephedra equisetina, Ephedra gerardiana, Ephedra intermedia, Ephedra sinica
False Unicorn Chamaelirium luteum
Fenugreek Trigonella foenum-graecum
Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium
Forsythia, Golden Bells, lian qiao Forsythia suspensa
Fritillary, bei mu Fritillaria cirrhosa, Fritillaria thunbergii
Ginger Zingiber officinale
Goldenrod Solidago odora
Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Goldthread, Chinese Goldthread, Canker Root, huang lian Coptis chinensis, Coptis groenlandica
Grass-leaved Calamus (shi chang pu) Acorus gramineus
Guggul Commiphora mukul
Horehound Marrubium vulgare
Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
Immortal Asclepias asperula
Indigo Baptisia tinctoria
Ipecac Cephaelis ipecacuanha
Jaborandi, Paraguay jaborandi Pilocarpus jaborandi, Pilocarpus microphyllus, Pilocarpus pennatifolius
Japanese Arisaema (tian nan xing) Arisaema japonicum
Jatamansi Nardostachys jatamansi
Job's Tears (yi yi ren) Coix lacryma-jobi
Jujube Seed, suan zao ren Ziziphus spinosa
Juniper Juniperus communis, Juniperus oxycedrus, Juniperus monosperma, Juniperus osteoperma
Kola Nut, Bissy Nut Cola acuminata, Cola nitida
Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus
Licorice, gan cao Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza echinata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis
Liverwort Hepatica nobilis
Lobelia, Blue Lobelia Lobelia inflata, Lobelia siphilitica
Lomatium Lomatium dissectum
Long Birthwort Aristolochia clematitis
Lovage Levisticum officinale
Lycii, Lycium, gou qi zi (berry), di gu pi (root bark) Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense
Mace Myristica fragrans
Ma dou ling, qing mu xiang, tian xian teng Aristolochia contorta, Aristolochia debilis
Magnolia, hou po (bark), hou po hua (flower) Magnolia officinalis
Maidenhair Fern Adiantum pedatum
Male Fern Dryopteris filix-mas
Mayapple, Himalayan mayapple Podophyllum hexandrum, Podophyllum peltatum
Mimosa (Silk Tree, he huan pi) Albizia julibrissin
Ming dang shen changium smyrnoides
Motherwort Leonurus cardiaca
Mugwort Artemisia douglasiana, Artemisia lactiflora, Artemisia vulgaris
Myrrh Commiphora madagascariensis, Commiphora molmol, Commiphora myrrha
Ocotillo Fouquieria splendens
Oregon Grape, Oregon Grapeholly, Oregon Barberry Mahonia aquifolium, Mahonia nervosa, Mahonia repens
Osha Ligusticum porteri
Parsley Petroselinum crispum
Peach Bark, Peach Seed Prunus persica
Pennyroyal, European Pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides, mentha pulegium
Phellodendron Bark, Amur Cork Tree, Chinese Corktree, huang bai, chuan huang bai Phellodendron amurense, Phellodendron chinense
Pinellia, ban xia Pinellia ternata
Prickly Ash, Toothache Tree, Northern Prickly Ash, Southern Prickly Ash, Hercules' Club Zanthoxylum americanum, Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Psoralea, Scurfy Pea, bu gu zhi Cullen corylifolia
Psyllium Plantago psyllium/TD>
Purslane Portulaca oleracea
Quassia, Jamacian quassia, Surinam quassia Picrasma excelsa, Quassia amara
Queen of the Meadow, Gravel Root, Joe Pye Eupatorium purpureum
Red Clover Trifolium pratense
Rhubarb, Chinese Rhubarb, Turkey Rhubarb
(an herbal ingredient in essiac formula)		 Rheum officinale, Rheum palmatum, Rheum tanguticum
Roman Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile
Rosemary Rosemarinus officinalis
Rue, Herb of Grace Rutus graveolens
Safflower (flower) Carthamus tinctorius
Saffron Crocus sativus
Sage Salvia officinalis
Scouring Rush, mu zei Equisetum hyemale
Senega Snakeroot Polygala senega
Senna Senna alexandrina, Senna obtusifolia, Senna tora
Sete Sangrias Cuphea balsamona
Shepherd's Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris
Sichuan lovage, Szechuan lovage, chuan xiong Ligusticum chuanxiong
Sichuan Pepper, Szechuan pepper, chuan jiao Zanthoxylum simulans, Zanthoxylum bungeanum, Zanthoxylum schinifolium
Small Spikenard (Wild sarsaparilla) Aralia nudicaulis
Southernwood Artemisia abrotanum
Sweet Annie (qing hao) Artemisia annua
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
Thuja, Northern White Cedar, Eastern White Cedar, Eastern Arborvitae, Swamp Cedar Thuja occidentalis
Tienchi Ginseng, Sanchi Ginseng, san qi Panax notoginseng
Tree Peony Paeonia suffriticosa
Trichosanthes, Chinese cucumber, Chinese snakegourd, tian hua fen (root), gua lou (fruit), gua lou ren (seed) Trichosanthes kirilowii
Turmeric, jiang huang Curcuma aromatica, Curcuma domestica, Curcuma longa
Uva Ursi (bearberry, kinnikinnik) Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Vervain, Blue Vervain, European Vervain Verbena hastata, Verbena officinalis
Vetiver Crocus sativus
Virginia Snakeroot Vetiveria zizanoides
Watercress Nasturtium officinale
Wild Bergamot, Beebalm, Oswego tea, Horsemint, Spotted Beebalm Monarda clinopodia, Monarda didyma, Monarda fistulosa, Monarda pectinata, Monarda punctata
Wild Carrot, Queen Anne's Lace Daucus carota
Wormwood Artemisia absinthium
Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Zedoary, e zhu Curcuma zedoaria

The botanicals in the following table are NOT to be used during lactation by nursing mothers, unless otherwise directed by an expert qualified in the appropriate use of the botanical.

Common Name(s) Botanical Name(s)
Alkanet Alkanna tinctoria
Aloe vera (cape aloe) Aloe ferox, Aloe perryi, Aloe vera
Black Snakeroot Cimicifuga racemosa
Bladderwrack Fucus vesiculosus
Borage Borago officinalis
Buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus, Rhamnus frangula
Bugleweed, Water Horehound Lycopus americanus, Lycopus europaceus, Lycopus virginicus
Cascara Sagrada Rhamnus purshiana
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara
Comfrey Symphytum officinale
Elecampane Inula helenium
Ephedra, ma huang Ephedra distachya, Ephedra equisetina, Ephedra gerardiana, Ephedra intermedia, Ephedra sinica
Garlic Allium sativum
Licorice, gan cao Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza echinata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis
Male Fern Dryopteris filix-mas
Queen of the Meadow, Gravel Root, Joe Pye Eupatorium purpureum
Rhubarb, Chinese Rhubarb, Turkey Rhubarb
(an herbal ingredient in essiac formula)		 Rheum officinale, Rheum palmatum, Rheum tanguticum
Senna Senna alexandrina, Senna obtusifolia, Senna tora
Stillingia Stillingia sylvatica
Wormwood Artemisia absinthium

The botanicals in the following table are for NOT to be taken by persons taking MAO (Monamine Oxidase) inhibitors, unless otherwise directed by an expert qualified in the appropriate use of the botanical.

Common Name(s) Botanical Name(s)
Ephedra, ma huang Ephedra distachya, Ephedra equisetina, Ephedra gerardiana, Ephedra intermedia, Ephedra sinica
California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba
St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum
Mace Myristica fragrans
Scotch Broom, Broom, Broom Tops Cytisus scoparius
Yohimbe Pausinystalia yohimbe

The botanicals in the following table are for NOT to be taken by persons taking blood thinning agents, unless otherwise directed by an expert qualified in the appropriate use of the botanical.

Common Name(s) Botanical Name(s)
Alfalfa Medicago sativa
Angelica Angelica archangelica, Angelica atropurpurea
Cramp Bark Viburnum opulus
Dong Quai (dang gui, tang kuei) Angelica sinensis
Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba
Indian Sarsaparilla Hemidesmus indicus
Lomatium Lomatium dissectum
Lovage Levisticum officinale
Mulberry Twig, sang zhi Morus alba
Red Clover Trifolium pratense
Rue, Herb of Grace Rutus graveolens
Safflower (flower) Carthamus tinctorius
Woodruff Galium odoratum

The botanicals in the following table are photosensitizing (cause reactions with sunlight).

Common Name(s) Botanical Name(s)
Angelica Angelica archangelica, Angelica atropurpurea
Celery Seed Apium graveolens
Bitter Orange Citrus aurantium
Psoralea, Scurfy Pea, bu gu zhi Cullen corylifolia
St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum
Rue, Herb of Grace Rutus graveolens

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