Background

Sassafras is a plant. The root bark is used to make medicine.

Despite serious safety concerns, people use sassafras for many conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

In beverages and candy, sassafras was used in the past to flavor root beer. It was also used as a tea. But sassafras tea contains a lot of safrole, the chemical in sassafras that makes it poisonous. One cup of tea made with 2.5 grams of sassafras contains about 200 mg of safrole. This is about 4.5 times the dose that researchers think is poisonous. So, in 1976, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that sassafras could no longer be sold as sassafras tea.

Safety Safety definitions

When taken by mouth: Sassafras is POSSIBLY SAFE in foods and beverages if it is "safrole-free." In medicinal amounts, taking safrole-free sassafras is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Some scientists think even safrole-free sassafras can increase the risk of cancer. Sassafras containing safrole is LIKELY UNSAFE in the amounts found in medicine. Don't take it by mouth. The safrole in sassafras root bark and oil can cause cancer and liver damage. Consuming just 5 mL of sassafras oil can kill an adult. Sassafras can cause sweating and hot flashes. High amounts can cause vomiting, high blood pressure, hallucinations, and other severe side effects.

When applied to the skin: Sassafras containing safrole is LIKELY UNSAFE for use as a medicine. Don't put it on your skin. The safrole in sassafras root bark and oil can cause cancer and liver damage. It can cause skin rashes in some people when used on the skin.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

It is UNSAFE for anyone to use sassafras in medicinal amounts, but some people have extra reasons not to use it:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Sassafras is LIKELY UNSAFE if you are pregnant. There is evidence that sassafras oil might cause a miscarriage. There isn't enough reliable information to know if it is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Children: Sassafras is LIKELY UNSAFE for children. A few drops of sassafras oil may be deadly.

Surgery: In medicinal amounts, sassafras can slow down the central nervous system. This means it can cause sleepiness and drowsiness. When combined with anesthesia and other medications used during and after surgery, it might slow down the central nervous system too much. Stop using sassafras at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Urinary tract conditions: Sassafras might make these conditions worse.

Effectiveness

Dosing & administration

The appropriate dose of sassafras 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 sassafras. 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

Sedative medications (CNS depressants)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Sassafras might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking sassafras along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness.

Some sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

Herbs and supplements with sedative properties: Sassafras might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. There is a concern that if it is used with other natural products that have this same effect, it might cause too much sleepiness. Some of these products include 5-HTP, calamus, California poppy, catnip, hops, Jamaican dogwood, kava, St. John's wort, skullcap, valerian, yerba mansa, and others.
Herbs that contain a chemical called safrole: Sassafras contains safrole, which can be poisonous if taken in large enough amounts. Taking sassafras along with other herbs that also contain safrole might increase the chance that you will get a poisonous amount of safrole. Other herbs that contain safrole include basil, camphor, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Interactions with foods

There are no known interactions with foods.

Action

There isn't enough information available to know how sassafras works.