Quassia

Quassia amara

Other Names: Quassia amara, Amargo, Bitter-Ash, Bitter Wood, Bitterwood, Bois Amer, Cuasia, Écorce de Quassia, Jamaican Quassia, Palo de Cuasia, Pao Tariri, Picrasma, Picrasma excelsa, Quassia amara, Quassia Amer, Quassia Bark, Quassia de Jamaïque, Quassia de Surinam, Ruda, Surinam Quassia, Surinam Wood.
Quassia is a plant used in herbal medicine. Extracted from the bark of a tree native to Jamaica, it's most commonly sold in powder or tea form.

Special Precautions of Quassia

• Quassia seems to be safe when taken in food amounts. But quassia might be UNSAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. It can cause side effects such as irritation of the mouth, throat, and digestive tract along with nausea and vomiting. In very large doses, it could cause abnormal heart function; however, most people throw up before they get a high enough dose to cause heart problems. Long-term use can cause vision changes and blindness.
• It is not known if quassia is safe for use on the skin (including the scalp) or rectally.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Quassia is UNSAFE to take by mouth during pregnancy or breast-feeding. It can cause cell damage and nausea.
• Not enough is known about the safety of applying quassia to the skin or scalp during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
• Digestive tract problems or diseases, such as stomach or intestinal ulcers, Crohn's disease, infections, and many other conditions: In large amounts quassia can irritate the digestive tract. Don’t use it if you have one of these conditions.
• Digoxin (Lanoxin) interacts with QUASSIA
• Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with QUASSIA
• Antacids interacts with QUASSIA
• Medications that decrease stomach acid (H2-Blockers) interacts with QUASSIA
• Medications that decrease stomach acid (Proton pump inhibitors) interacts with QUASSIA

Benefits and uses of Quassia are

Quassia contains chemicals that might increase stomach acid and bile secretions, perhaps accounting for appetite stimulant and digestive effects. Other chemicals may have activity against bacteria, fungi, and mosquito larvae.

• Lice. There is some evidence that applying quassia tincture one time can kill head lice, but the lice sometimes come back. Some researchers suggest that two applications within one week might be more effective than a single application.
• Appetite loss (anorexia).
• Indigestion.
• Constipation.
• Fever.
• Intestinal worms.
• Diabetes : Quassia amara shows promise in the treatment of diabetes, according to an animal-based study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2011. In tests on rats, the study's authors observed that Quassia amara may help control diabetes in part by regulating blood sugar levels.
• Pain Relief : In a preliminary study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2003, scientists discovered that Quassia amara extract may act as an antinociceptive (a substance that reduces the body's sensitivity to painful stimuli).
• Ulcers : Quassia may serve as an alternative therapy for gastric ulcers, suggests a preliminary study published in the journal Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin in 2002. In an experiment involving mice, researchers found that Quassia amara extract may help inhibit the formation of ulcers, in part by lowering the secretion of gastric acid.