Ashitaba
Scientific names: Angelica keiskei
Family: Apiaceae
Alternate names: Angelica, Ashitaba du Japon, Herbe de la Longévité, Japanese Ashitaba, Kenso, Leaves of Tomorrow, Sinsuncho, Tomorrow Leaf
Background
Ashitaba is a large herb that grows primarily in the central region of Japan. Its root, leaf, and stem are used to make medicine.
Ashitaba is used for persistent heartburn, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, constipation, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
The fresh leaves and dried powder are used as food and in beverages.
Ashitaba is used for persistent heartburn, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, constipation, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
The fresh leaves and dried powder are used as food and in beverages.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: Ashitaba is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth at a dose of up to 1000 mg daily, short-term. There isn't enough reliable information available to know if ashitaba is safe or what the side effects might be when taken for longer than 3 months.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if ashitaba is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions
- Liver disease in people who drink alcohol. Early research shows that taking ashitaba extract twice daily for 12 weeks doesn't improve fatigue or liver function in people who drink alcohol and have early signs of liver disease.
- Breast-feeding.
- Cancer.
- Constipation.
- Gout.
- Hay fever.
- High blood pressure.
- High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia).
- Persistent heartburn.
- Stomach ulcers.
- Other conditions.
Dosing & administration
The appropriate dose of ashitaba depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for ashitaba. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Ashitaba might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. In theory, using ashitaba along with some medications that are broken down by the liver might increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before using ashitaba, talk to your healthcare provider if you take any medications that are changed by the liver.
Some medications changed by the liver include amitriptyline (Elavil), haloperidol (Haldol), ondansetron (Zofran), propranolol (Inderal), theophylline (Theo-Dur, others), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, others), and others.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Action
There is not enough information to know how ashitaba might work. Some chemicals in ashitaba seem to work as antioxidants. Other chemicals might block secretions of stomach acid. But most research has been done on animals or in test tubes, not people.
vital.ly has licensed monographs from TRC Healthcare.
This monograph was last reviewed on 30/04/2023 10:00:00 and last updated on 18/11/2020 20:34:00. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
Natural Medicines disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. No reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. It is unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.
Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
