Background

Jalap is a plant. People use the root of jalap to make medicine.

Despite serious safety concerns, jalap is sometimes used to empty and cleanse the bowels (as a cathartic or purgative), and to increase urine flow to relieve water retention (as a diuretic).

Don't confuse jalap (Ipomoea purga) with pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) or Mexican scammony root (Ipomoea orizabensis). These plants are also known as jalap.

Safety Safety definitions

When taken by mouth: Jalap is UNSAFE. It has powerful effects on the bowel that might cause irritation of the digestive tract, including diarrhea, vomiting, and a loss of important chemicals such as potassium.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

While jalap is UNSAFE for anyone to use, people with the following conditions should be especially careful to avoid it.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's UNSAFE to use jalap when pregnant. It might start your period, and that could cause a miscarriage. It's UNSAFE to use jalap when breast-feeding.

Digestive tract problems, such as appendicitis, ulcers, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, or other conditions: Don't use jalap if you have one of these conditions. Jalap can irritate the digestive tract and make your condition worse.

Effectiveness

Dosing & administration

The appropriate dose of jalap 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 jalap. 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

Digoxin (Lanoxin)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Jalap is a type of laxative called a stimulant laxative. Stimulant laxatives can decrease potassium levels in the body. Low potassium levels can increase the risk of side effects of digoxin (Lanoxin).

Lithium

Interaction Rating=Minor Be watchful with this combination.

Jalap might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic". Taking jalap might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.

Stimulant laxatives

Interaction Rating=Major Do not take this combination.

Jalap is a type of laxative called a stimulant laxative. Stimulant laxatives speed up the bowels. Taking jalap along with other stimulant laxatives could speed up the bowels too much and cause dehydration and low minerals in the body.

Some stimulant laxatives include bisacodyl (Correctol, Dulcolax), cascara, castor oil (Purge), senna (Senokot), and others.

Warfarin (Coumadin)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Jalap can work as a laxative. In some people jalap can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea can increase the effects of warfarin and increase the risk of bleeding. If you take warfarin, do not to take excessive amounts of jalap.

Water pills (Diuretic drugs)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Jalap is a laxative. Some laxatives can decrease potassium in the body. "Water pills" can also decrease potassium in the body. Taking jalap along with "water pills" might decrease potassium in the body too much.

Some "water pills" that can decrease potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide), and others.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

Herbs that contain cardiac glycosides: Cardiac glycosides are chemicals that are similar to the prescription drug digoxin. Cardiac glycosides can cause the body to lose potassium. Jalap can also cause the body to lose potassium because it is a stimulant laxative. Using jalap along with an herb that contains cardiac glycosides can cause the body to lose too much potassium, and this can cause heart damage.
Horsetail: Horsetail increases the production of urine (acts as a diuretic) and this can cause the body to lose potassium. Jalap can also cause the body to lose potassium because it is a diuretic and stimulant laxative. There is a concern that using horsetail with jalap increases the risk of losing too much potassium and increases the risk of heart damage. Avoid using jalap with horsetail.
Licorice: Licorice causes the body to lose potassium. Jalap can also cause the body to lose potassium because it is a diuretic and stimulant laxative. There is a concern that using licorice with jalap increases the risk of losing too much potassium and increases the risk of heart damage. Avoid using jalap with licorice.
Stimulant laxative herbs: Jalap is a stimulant laxative. There is a concern that taking jalap along with other stimulant laxatives herbs can make potassium levels drop too low, and this can harm the heart.

Interactions with foods

There are no known interactions with foods.

Action

Jalap is a stimulant laxative herb. That means it contains substances that increase water loss and cause contractions of bowel muscles to push out stool.