Background

Uzara is a plant used in traditional African medicine. The root is used to make medicine.

People take uzara for diarrhea.

Safety Safety definitions

When taken by mouth: Uzara is POSSIBLY SAFE when used by healthy adults for up to 5 days. The common side effects of uzara are unknown. Rarely, uzara can cause worsened heart function, irregular heart rhythm, and difficulty breathing.

Uzara is commonly used for diarrhea. Diarrhea lasting for more than a couple of days should be brought to the attention of your healthcare provider.

When given as a shot: Uzara is UNSAFE when used by injection and has caused death.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if it is safe to use uzara when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Heart disease: Don't use uzara if you have a heart condition. It contains chemicals that could make your condition worse or interfere with your treatment.

Low potassium levels: Low potassium levels threaten the health of your heart. Using uzara can drive your potassium levels even lower and raise the risk of heart damage.

Effectiveness

Dosing & administration

The appropriate dose of uzara 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 uzara. 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

Antibiotics (Macrolide antibiotics)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Uzara can affect the heart. Some antibiotics might increase how much uzara the body absorbs. Increasing how much uzara the body absorbs might increase the effects and side effects of uzara.

Some antibiotics called macrolide antibiotics include erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin.

Antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Taking tetracycline antibiotics along with uzara might increase the chance of side effects from uzara.

Some tetracycline antibiotics include demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Minocin), and tetracycline (Achromycin).

Digoxin (Lanoxin)

Interaction Rating=Major Do not take this combination.

Digoxin (Lanoxin) helps the heart beat more strongly. Uzara also seems to affect the heart. Taking uzara along with digoxin can increase the effects of digoxin and increase the risk of side effects. Do not take uzara if you are taking digoxin (Lanoxin) without talking to your healthcare professional.

Quinine

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Uzara can affect the heart. Quinine can also affect the heart. Taking quinine along with uzara might cause serious heart problems.

Stimulant laxatives

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Uzara can affect the heart. The heart uses potassium. Laxatives called stimulant laxatives can decrease potassium levels in the body. Low potassium levels can increase the chance of side effects from uzara.

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

Water pills (Diuretic drugs)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Uzara might affect the heart. "Water pills" can decrease potassium in the body. Low potassium levels can also affect the heart and increase the risk of side effects from uzara.

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

Interactions with herbs & supplements

Herbs that contain cardiac glycosides: Uzara contains chemicals called cardiac glycosides, which are similar to the prescription drug digoxin. Cardiac glycosides can cause the body to lose too much potassium, and this can harm the heart. Using uzara with other herbs that also contain cardiac glycosides might increase the risk of heart damage. Herbs that contain cardiac glycosides include black hellebore, Canadian hemp roots, digitalis leaf, gossypol, hedge mustard, figwort, lily-of-the-valley roots, motherwort, oleander leaf, pheasant's eye plant, pleurisy root, squill bulb leaf scales, star of Bethlehem, and strophanthus seeds. Avoid using uzara with any of these.
Horsetail: Uzara contains chemicals called cardiac glycosides. Cardiac glycosides can cause the body to lose too much potassium, and this can harm the heart. Horsetail increases the production of urine (acts as a diuretic) and this can cause the body to lose potassium. There is a concern that using horsetail with cardiac glycoside-containing herbs such as uzara increases the risk of losing too much potassium and increases the risk of heart damage. Avoid using uzara with horsetail.
Licorice: Uzara contains chemicals called cardiac glycosides. Cardiac glycosides can cause the body to lose too much potassium, and this can harm the heart. Licorice also causes the body to lose potassium. There is a concern that using licorice with cardiac glycoside-containing herbs such as uzara increases the risk of losing too much potassium and increases the risk of heart damage. Avoid using uzara with licorice.
Stimulant laxative herbs: Stimulant laxative herbs speed up the bowels. As a result, food may not remain in the intestine long enough for the body to absorb minerals such as potassium. This can lead to lower than ideal potassium levels. Uzara can also cause the body to lose potassium due to the effects of the cardiac glycosides it contains. There is a concern that taking uzara along with stimulant laxatives herbs can make potassium levels drop too low, and this can harm the heart. Stimulant laxative herbs include aloe, alder buckthorn, black root, blue flag, butternut bark, colocynth, European buckthorn, fo ti, gamboge, greater bindweed, jalap, manna, Mexican scammony root, rhubarb, senna, and yellow dock. Avoid using uzara with any of these.

Interactions with foods

There are no known interactions with foods.

Action

Uzara contains ingredients that might slow the movement of the contents of the intestines.