Herb Safety Guidelines

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Just because a product is natural doesn't mean that it's harmless. Inappropriate use can lead to adverse and damaging side effects. Always consult your physician before ingestion of any herb product if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition.

Agar: should be ingested only with adequate liquid. Not for use by persons with bowel obstruction.
Alfalfa: products not recommended for use by persons taking blood thinning agents.
Aloe: should not be used if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools or abdominal pain. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition consult your physician before using this product.
Angelica: is not to be used during pregnancy or by persons taking blood thinning agents. Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Arnica: is for external use only. Arnica may cause allergic dermatitis with extended use or in sensitive persons.
Ashwagandha: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Barberry: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Black Cohosh: is not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing.
Black Walnut: is not recommended for long term use.
Bladderwrack: is not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing, or by persons with hyperthyroidism.
Blessed Thistle: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Blood Root: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Blue Cohosh: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Boldo: is not to be used by persons with gallstones, serious liver conditions or obstruction of the bile duct.
Borage: is not recommended for long term use. Not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing.
Butchers Broom Root: is not for use by persons taking MAO inhibitors or with high blood pressure.
Buckthorn: should not be used if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools or abdominal pain. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition consult your physician before using this product.
Calamus: is not recommended for internal use.
Canadian Snake Root: should be used with caution. Avoid excessive or long term use. Not to be used during pregnancy
Cascara: should not be used if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools or abdominal pain. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition consult your physician before using this product.
Catnip: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Chaparral: is not for use in large amounts by persons with pre-existing kidney disease and liver conditions, such as hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Coltsfoot: should be used with caution. Avoid excessive or long term use. Not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing.
Comfrey: is for external use only. This herb should not be used on abraded skin and should not be used on unbroken skin for prolonged periods. Not to be used during pregnancy.
Coptis: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Cornflowers: are not to be used during pregnancy.
Cramp bark: is not recommended for use by persons with ulcers.
Devils Claw: is not recommended for use by persons with ulcers.
Don Quai: is not to be used during pregnancy or by persons taking blood thinning agents.
Elecampane: is not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing.
Eucalyptus: is not to be used by persons with inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal and bile ducts, nor severe diseases of the liver.
Goldenrod: Persons with chronic kidney disorder should consult a health care practitioner before use.
Goldenseal: should be used with caution. Avoid excessive or long term use. Not to be used during pregnancy.
Guar: should only be ingested with adequate liquid. Not for use by persons with bowel obstruction.
Hops: are not recommended for use by persons suffering from depression.
Horehound: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Hydrangea: should be used with caution. Avoid excessive or long term use.
Juniper Berries: are not to be used for more than six weeks in succession. Persons with inflammatory kidney disease should not use this herb. Not to be used during pregnancy.
Lemon grass: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Licorice: is not for prolonged use except under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. Prolonged use may cause hypertension, edema, headache, vertigo and potassium depletion. Not for use by persons with hypertension, hypokalemia, edema, cirrhosis of the liver and cholestatic liver disorders, and diabetes. Not to be used during pregnancy.
Lobelia: may cause nausea and vomiting if ingested. Not to be used during pregnancy.
Lovage: is not recommended for use by persons taking blood thinning agents. This product may cause a skin rash. Discontinue use if a rash occurs.
Lycii: berries are not to be used during pregnancy.
Mace: in large quantities may cause dizziness, stomach pains, rapid pulse, nausea, anxiety, liver pain, double vision and coma.
Mandrake: should not be taken internally. Mandrake is to be used only under the supervision of an expert qualified in the appropriate use of this substance.
Mistletoe: is not for use by persons with protein hypersensitivity and chronic-progressive infections such as Tuberculosis and AIDS.
Motherwort: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Mugwort: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Myrrh: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Nutmeg: in large quantities may cause dizziness, stomach pains, rapid pulse, nausea, anxiety, liver pain, double vision and coma.
Oregon grape root: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Parsley root: is not to be used during pregnancy or by persons with inflammatory kidney disease.
Peach leaf: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Pennyroyal: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Periwinkle: is not for use by persons with low blood pressure or hypotension.
Pleurisy: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Poke root: is to be used only under the supervision of an expert qualified in the appropriate use of this substance.
Prickly ash bark: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Psyllium: should only be ingested with adequate liquid. Not for use by persons with bowel obstruction.
Quassia: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Queen of the Meadow: should be used with caution. Not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing.
Red Clover: is not to be used during pregnancy or by persons taking blood thinning agents.
Rehmannia Root: is not for use by persons with diarrhea and indigestion.
Rhubarb Root: should not be used if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools, or abdominal pain. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.
Safflower: is not to be used during pregnancy or by persons with hemorrhagic diseases or peptic ulcers. Ingestion of this herb may prolong blood coagulation time.
Sarsaparilla Root, Indian: is not recommended for use by persons taking blood thinning agents.
Sassafras Root: should be used with caution. Avoid excessive or long term use.
Senna: should not be used if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools, or abdominal pain. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.
Sheep sorrel: is not recommended for use by persons with a history of kidney stones.
Shepherds purse: is not to be used during pregnancy or by persons with a history of kidney stones.
Stevia: is only for use as a dietary supplement.
Stillingia Root: is not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing.
Tansy: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Tonka beans: are only for use as an aromatic fixative in potpourris or other crafts. Not for internal use.
Uva Ursi leaf: is not to be used during pregnancy, contraindicated in kidney disorders, not for prolonged use without consulting a practitioner.
Vervain: is only to be used as a flavoring agent in alcoholic beverages. Blue Vervain is not to be used during pregnancy.
White oak bark: should not be applied to extensively damaged skin.
Wild Cherry Bark: should be used with caution. Avoid excessive or long term use.
Wormwood: should be used with caution. Avoid excessive or long term use. Not to be used during pregnancy.
Yarrow: is not to be used during pregnancy.
Yellow dock root: is not recommended for use by persons with a history of kidney stones.
Yohimbe bark: is contraindicated in existing liver and kidney diseases and in chronic inflammation of the sexual organs or prostate gland. Not recommended for excessive or long term use; may potentiate pharmaceutical MAO-inhibitors. depending on location.