Allspice
OTHER NAME(S): All Spice, Allspice Essential Oil, Aqua Pimentae, Clove Pepper, Eugenia Piment, Jamaica Pepper, Jamaican Pepper, Kiln-Dried Allspice, Pimenta, Pimento, Poivre Anglais, Poivre Aromatique, Poivre de Jamaïque, Poivre de la Jamaïque, Quatre-Épices, Spanish Pimienta, Toute-Épice, Water of Pimento, West Pimenta Officinalis, Pimenta dioica, Pimenta officinalis, Eugenia pimenta, Pimento Oil, Pimento Water, Piment de la Jamaïque, Pimienta de Jamaica
Overview
Allspice (Pimenta dioica) is a tree. The unripe berries and leaves are used as a spice. They are also sometimes used as medicine.
Allspice contains a chemical called eugenol, which is thought to have some beneficial effects for pain and infection.
People use allspice for many conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Uses
We currently have no information for Allspice overview.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Allspice is commonly used as a flavoring in foods. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if allspice is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine. Also, some people are allergic to allspice.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if allspice is safe or what the side effects might be. Some people are allergic to allspice.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Allspice is commonly used as a flavoring in foods. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if allspice is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine. Also, some people are allergic to allspice.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if allspice is safe or what the side effects might be. Some people are allergic to allspice.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Allspice is commonly used as a flavoring in foods. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if allspice is safe to use as a medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to the amounts found in foods.
Surgery: Allspice might slow blood clotting. There is some concern that it might increase the chance of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using allspice at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with AllspiceAllspice might slow blood clotting. Taking allspice along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Dosing
Allspice is commonly used as a flavoring in foods. As medicine, there isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of allspice might be. 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 a healthcare professional before using.
References
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182
- Kanerva L, Estlander T, Jolanki R. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from spices. Contact Dermatitis 1996;35:157-62.
- Chen SJ, Wang MH, Chen IJ. Antiplatelet and calcium inhibitory properties of eugenol and sodium eugenol acetate. Gen Pharmacol 1996;27:629-33.
- Ramos A, Visozo A, Piloto J, et al. Screening of antimutagenicity via antioxidant activity in Cuban medicinal plants. J Ethnopharmacol 2003;87:241-6.
- Suarez A, Ulate G, Ciccio JF. Cardiovascular effects of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Pimenta dioica in Sprague-Dawley rats. J Ethnopharmacol 1997;55:107-11.
- Kikuzaki, H., Sato, A., Mayahara, Y., and Nakatani, N. Galloylglucosides from berries of Pimenta dioica. J Nat.Prod. 2000;63(6):749-752.
- Miyajima, Y., Kikuzaki, H., Hisamoto, M., and Nikatani, N. Antioxidative polyphenols from berries of Pimenta dioica. Biofactors 2004;21(1-4):301-303.
- Marzouk, M. S., Moharram, F. A., Mohamed, M. A., Gamal-Eldeen, A. M., and Aboutabl, E. A. Anticancer and antioxidant tannins from Pimenta dioica leaves. Z.Naturforsch.[C.] 2007;62(7-8):526-536.
- Lee, Y. H., Hong, S. W., Jun, W., Cho, H. Y., Kim, H. C., Jung, M. G., Wong, J., Kim, H. I., Kim, C. H., and Yoon, H. G. Anti-histone acetyltransferase activity from allspice extracts inhibits androgen receptor-dependent prostate cancer cell growth. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2007;71(11):2712-2719.
- Kikuzaki, H., Miyajima, Y., and Nakatani, N. Phenolic Glycosides from Berries of Pimenta dioica. J Nat.Prod. 3-4-2008;
- Doyle, B. J., Frasor, J., Bellows, L. E., Locklear, T. D., Perez, A., Gomez-Laurito, J., and Mahady, G. B. Estrogenic effects of herbal medicines from Costa Rica used for the management of menopausal symptoms. Menopause. 2009;16(4):748-755.
- Niinimaki, A. Delayed-type allergy to spices. Contact Dermatitis 1984;11(1):34-40.
- Padmakumari KP, Sasidharan I, Sreekumar MM. Composition and antioxidant activity of essential oil of pimento (Pimenta dioica (L) Merr.) from Jamaica. Nat Prod Res. 2011;25(2):152-60.
- Shamaladevi N, Lyn DA, Shaaban KA, et al. Ericifolin: a novel antitumor compound from allspice that silences androgen receptor in prostate cancer. Carcinogenesis. 2013;34(8):1822-32.
- Doyle BJ, Lawal TO, Locklear TD, et al. Isolation and identification of three new chromones from the leaves of Pimenta dioica with cytotoxic, oestrogenic and anti-oestrogenic effects. Pharm Biol. 2018;56(1):235-244.
- Mérida-Reyes MS, Muñoz-Wug MA, Oliva-Hernández BE, et al. Composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. from Guatemala. Medicines (Basel). 2020 Sep 23;7(10):59. doi:
- Ismail MM, Samir R, Saber FR, Ahmed SR, Farag MA. Pimenta Oil as a potential treatment for Acinetobacter baumannii wound infection: in vitro and in vivo bioassays in relation to its chemical composition. Antibiotics (Basel). 2020 Oct 7;9(10):679.
- Regula P, Edelman D, Ferastraoaru D, Ramesh M, Hudes G. Severe allergic reaction to allspice, a hidden food allergen. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2022;129(2):241-2.