Overview

Groundsel is a plant. The whole flowering plant is used to make medicine.

Despite serious safety concerns, some people take groundsel by mouth for worm infections and colic. Some people also drink the pressed juice for irregular or painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea) and epilepsy.

The pressed juice is sometimes applied directly to gums to stop bleeding.

How does it work ?

There isn't enough information to know how groundsel might work.

There isn't enough information to know how groundsel might work.

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Insufficient Evidence for

  • Colic.
  • Worms.
  • Epilepsy.
  • Irregular or painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea).
  • Stopping dental bleeding, when applied directly to the affected area.
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of groundsel for these uses.

Side Effects

Groundsel is LIKELY UNSAFE for anyone to take by mouth. There’s a lot of concern about using groundsel as medicine, because it contains chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). These chemicals may block blood flow in the veins, causing liver damage. PAs might also cause cancer and birth defects.

It’s also LIKELY UNSAFE to apply groundsel directly to broken skin. The dangerous chemicals in groundsel can be absorbed quickly through broken skin and can lead to dangerous body-wide toxicity. Steer clear of skin products that aren’t certified and labeled "hepatotoxic PA-free." There isn’t enough information to know if it’s safe to apply groundsel to unbroken skin. It’s best to avoid use.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Groundsel is LIKELY UNSAFE for anyone to take by mouth. There’s a lot of concern about using groundsel as medicine, because it contains chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). These chemicals may block blood flow in the veins, causing liver damage. PAs might also cause cancer and birth defects.

It’s also LIKELY UNSAFE to apply groundsel directly to broken skin. The dangerous chemicals in groundsel can be absorbed quickly through broken skin and can lead to dangerous body-wide toxicity. Steer clear of skin products that aren’t certified and labeled "hepatotoxic PA-free." There isn’t enough information to know if it’s safe to apply groundsel to unbroken skin. It’s best to avoid use. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It’s LIKELY UNSAFE to use groundsel preparations that might contain hepatotoxic PAs during pregnancy. These products might cause birth defects and liver damage.

It’s also LIKELY UNSAFE to use groundsel preparations that might contain hepatotoxic PAs if you are breast-feeding. These chemicals can pass into breast-milk and might harm the nursing infant.

It’s not known whether products that are certified hepatotoxic PA-free are safe to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid using any groundsel preparation if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Allergy to ragweed and related plants: Groundsel may cause an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to the Asteraceae/Compositae plant family. Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many others. If you have allergies, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before taking groundsel.

Liver disease: There is concern that the hepatotoxic PAs in groundsel might make liver disease worse.

Interactions ?

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Medications that increase break down of other medications by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 [CYP3A4] inducers) interacts with GROUNDSEL

    Groundsel is broken down by the liver. Some chemicals that form when the liver breaks down groundsel can be harmful. Medications that cause the liver to break down groundsel might enhance the toxic effects of chemicals contained in groundsel.

    Some of these medicines include carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin, rifabutin (Mycobutin), and others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of groundsel 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 groundsel. 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.