Overview

Ash is a tree. The seeds are used to make medicine.

People use ash for diabetes, arthritis, constipation, bladder problems, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Don't confuse ash with manna ash, northern prickly ash, or southern prickly ash.

How does it work ?

Certain chemicals in ash might help to lower blood sugar.

Certain chemicals in ash might help to lower blood sugar.

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Insufficient Evidence for

  • Obesity. Taking ash extract doesn't seem to boost weight loss or improve blood sugar control in people who are already dieting. But it might help reduce fat by a small amount.
  • Fever.
  • Arthritis.
  • Bladder problems.
  • Constipation.
  • Increasing urine production to relieve water retention (as a diuretic).
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of ash for these uses.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Taking ash seed/fruit extract is POSSIBLY SAFE when used in doses of up to 1 gram daily for up to 3 months. No side effects have been reported in clinical research. But some people might be allergic to ash.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Taking ash seed/fruit extract is POSSIBLY SAFE when used in doses of up to 1 gram daily for up to 3 months. No side effects have been reported in clinical research. But some people might be allergic to ash. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if ash is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Cross-allergies: Some people are allergic to chemicals in the pollen in ash. Since similar chemicals are found in other pollens, people allergic to other pollens might also be allergic to ash pollen.

Diabetes: Ash might affect blood sugar levels. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use ash.

Interactions ?

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with ASH

    Ash might lower blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking ash along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

    Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

  • Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with ASH

    Ash might lower blood pressure. Using ash with drugs that lower blood pressure might increase the effects of these drugs and lower blood pressure too much.

    Some medications for high blood pressure include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), amlodipine (Norvasc), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of ash 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 ash. 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.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.