Other Names : Peumus boldus, Boldu boldus, Boldea fragrans, boldus, boldoa, boldea.<br>Boldo is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to central Chile and Peru
==Special Precautions of Boldo==
*Toxicities : Serious health hazards exist with internal use. Patients with kidney disorders, liver disease, gallstones, and other medical illnesses should not use this herbal. Large doses cause paralysis and death.
*Pregnancy/nursing : Documented adverse effects from the irritant oil. Avoid use.
* Boldo ingestion may enhance the anticoagulant effect of warfarin, increasing the risk of bleeding. Patients taking warfarin should consult their health care provider before taking boldo or other herbal products.
*Boldo is known to be a CNS stimulant.
==Health Benefits and uses of Boldo are==
* Traditional/Ethnobotanical uses : In Chile, the yellowish-green fruit is eaten, its bark used in tanning, and its wood used for charcoal. Boldo leaves have been used by South American natives against diseases of the liver and for the treatment of gallstones. The plant is used in homeopathy in the treatment of digestive disorders, as a laxative, choleretic (a stimulant of bile secretion), diuretic, and for hepatic diseases. The leaves also have been used for worms, urogenital inflammations (eg, gonorrhea, syphilis), gout, rheumatism, head colds, and earaches. Boldo extract is used as a flavoring for alcoholic beverages. An ethnobotanical survey is available, demonstrating boldo's importance in Guatemalan culture as a medicinal plant.