Overview

Butternut is a plant. People use the bark for medicine.

Butternut is used for constipation, gallbladder disease, hemorrhoids, skin diseases, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its use.

Butternut bark might work as a laxative to help stool move through the intestine.

Butternut bark might work as a laxative to help stool move through the intestine.

Uses

Insufficient Evidence for

• Gallbladder disease.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Skin diseases.
• Constipation.
• Cancer.
• Infections.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of butternut for these uses.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Butternut is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people, but it can cause diarrhea and irritation of the stomach and intestines.

Precautions

When taken by mouth: Butternut is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people, but it can cause diarrhea and irritation of the stomach and intestines.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's LIKELY UNSAFE to use butternut in large amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It might stimulate the bowels too much. Avoid use.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

• Digoxin (Lanoxin) interacts with ButternutButternut is a type of laxative called a stimulant laxative. Stimulant laxatives can decrease potassium levels in the body. Low potassium levels can increase the risk of side effects of digoxin (Lanoxin).
• Medications for inflammation (Corticosteroids) interacts with ButternutSome medications for inflammation can decrease potassium in the body. Butternut is a type of laxative that might also decrease potassium in the body. Taking butternut along with some medications for inflammation might decrease potassium in the body too much. Some medications for inflammation include dexamethasone (Decadron), hydrocortisone (Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisone (Deltasone), and others.
• Stimulant laxatives interacts with ButternutButternut is a type of laxative called a stimulant laxative. Stimulant laxatives speed up the bowels. Taking butternut along with other stimulant laxatives could speed up the bowels too much and cause dehydration and low minerals in the body. Some stimulant laxatives include bisacodyl (Correctol, Dulcolax), cascara, castor oil (Purge), senna (Senokot), and others.
• Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with ButternutButternut can work as a laxative. In some people butternut can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea can increase the effects of warfarin and increase the risk of bleeding. If you take warfarin do not take excessive amounts of butternut.
• Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with ButternutButternut is a laxative. Some laxatives can decrease potassium in the body. "Water pills" can also decrease potassium in the body. Taking butternut along with "water pills" might decrease potassium in the body too much. Some "water pills" that can decrease potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide), and others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of butternut 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 butternut. 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.