Jamaican quassia

Quassia/Drug Interactions:

  • Anticoagulant/antiplatelet agents (warfarin)Anticoagulant/antiplatelet agents (warfarin): Theoretically, quassia may potentially increase the risk of bleeding or potentiate the effects of warfarin therapy (22).
  • Antacids (H2 antagonists)Antacids (H2 antagonists): Theoretically, because quassia stimulates gastric acid, it might oppose the effects of H2 antagonist antacids (15;17).
  • Cardiac medicationsCardiac medications: Theoretically, concomitant use with cardiac mediations increases the risk of cardiac effects and adverse effects (14). High doses may complicate heart treatments (quassia may be inotropic).
  • DiureticsDiuretics: Theoretically, concomitant use of potassium-depleting diuretics or stimulant laxative abuse might increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium loss (23).
  • Hormonal agentsHormonal agents: Theoretically, quassia may affect epididymal sperm counts, serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) based on animal study (5).
  • Potassium-depleting drugsPotassium-depleting drugs: Theoretically, concomitant use of potassium-depleting diuretics or stimulant laxative abuse might increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium loss (23).
  • Sedative drugsSedative drugs: Oral administration of hexane extracts of Quassia amara in an animal study showed sedative effects on pentobarbital-induced sleep. Naloxone did not reverse the antinociceptive effect of this extract (2). Theoretically, quassia may have additive effects with other agents that have sedative effects.
  • Stimulant laxativesStimulant laxatives: Theoretically, concomitant use of potassium-depleting diuretics or stimulant laxative abuse might increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium loss (23).

    • Quassia/Herb/Supplement Interactions:

  • Anticoagulant/antiplatelet herbs and supplementsAnticoagulant/antiplatelet herbs and supplements: Concomitant use of herbs that have coumarin constituents or affects platelet aggregation could theoretically increase the risk of bleeding including; clove, danshen, fenugreek, feverfew, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, horse chestnut, horseradish, licorice, meadowsweet, prickly ask, onion, papain, passionflower, poplar, red clove, turmeric, wild carrot, wild lettuce, willow, and others (15;17). Theoretically, quassia may potentially increase the risk of bleeding or potentiate the effects of warfarin therapy (22).
  • Cardioactive glycoside-containing herbsCardioactive glycoside-containing herbs: Theoretically, concomitant use with other cardiac glycoside-containing herbs might increase risk of cardiac toxicity (14). High doses may complicate heart treatments (quassia may be inotropic). Cardiac glycoside containing herbs include black hellebore, Canadian hemp roots, digitalis leaf, hedge mustard, figwort, lily of the valley roots, motherwort, oleander leaf, pheasant's eye plant, pleurisy root, squill bulb leaf scales, and strophanthus seeds.
  • DiureticsDiuretics: Theoretically, concomitant use of potassium-depleting diuretics or stimulant laxative abuse might increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium loss (23).
  • Hormonal agentsHormonal agents: Theoretically, quassia may affect epididymal sperm counts, serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) based on animal study (5).
  • HorsetailHorsetail: Theoretically, abuse of horsetail might increase risk of cardiac toxicity due to potassium loss (15).
  • LicoriceLicorice: Theoretically, abuse of licorice might increase risk of cardiac toxicity due to potassium loss (15).
  • Sedative herbs and supplementsSedative herbs and supplements: Oral administration of hexane extracts of Quassia amara in an animal study showed sedative effects on pentobarbital-induced sleep. Naloxone did not reverse the antinociceptive effect of this extract (1). Theoretically, quassia may have additive effects with other herbs and supplements that have sedative effects.
  • Stimulant laxative herbsStimulant laxative herbs: Theoretically, abuse might increase risk of cardiac toxicity due to potassium depletion. Stimulant laxative herbs include aloe dried leaf sap, blue flag rhizome, alder buckthorn, European buckthorn, butternut bark, cascara bark, castor oil, colocynth fruit pulp, gamboges bark exudates, jalap root, black root, manna bark exudates, podophyllum root, rhubarb root, senna leaves and pods, wild cucumber fruit and yellow dock root (17).

    • Quassia/Food Interactions:

  • Insufficient available evidence.

    • Quassia/Lab Interactions:

  • Coagulation panelCoagulation panel: Theoretically, quassia may potentially increase the risk of bleeding (22).
  • Hormone levelsHormone levels: Theoretically, quassia may affect epididymal sperm counts, serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) based on animal study (5).
  • PotassiumPotassium: Theoretically, concomitant use of potassium-depleting diuretics or stimulant laxative abuse might increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium loss (23).