Lovage
OTHER NAME(S): Ache des Montagnes, Angélique de Montagne, Apio de Monte, Céleri Perpétuel, Herbe à Maggi, Lavose, Levistici Radix, Lévistique Officinale, Livèche, Love Parsley, Maggi Plant, Persil d'Amour, Sea Parsley, Smallage, Smellage, Szechuan Lovage, Levisticum officinale, Levisticum officinalis, Angelica levisticum, Hipposelinum levisticum, Ligusticum levisticum, Levístico, Livèche
Overview
Lovage is a plant. The root and underground stem (rhizome) are used to make medicine.
Lovage is used for kidney damage in people with diabetes (diabetic nephropathy), indigestion, kidney stones, cough, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
The chemicals in lovage might increase water loss through urination, and decrease spasms.
In foods and beverages, lovage is used for flavoring.
In manufacturing, lovage is used as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics.
The chemicals in lovage might increase water loss through urination, and decrease spasms.
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- Cough.
- Kidney damage in people with diabetes (diabetic nephropathy).
- Gas (flatulence).
- Gout.
- Indigestion (dyspepsia).
- Infections of the kidney, bladder, or urethra (urinary tract infections or UTIs).
- Kidney stones.
- Liver disease.
- Malaria.
- Migraine.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Sore throat.
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of lovage for these uses.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Lovage is LIKELY SAFE for most people when used in amounts commonly found in foods. It is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken as a medicine in appropriate amounts, short-term. Taking lovage may increase sensitivity to the sun. This might put you at greater risk for rashes from the sun, sunburns, and skin cancer. If you are taking lovage, wear sunblock and protective clothing outside, especially if you are light-skinned.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Lovage is LIKELY SAFE for most people when used in amounts commonly found in foods. It is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken as a medicine in appropriate amounts, short-term. Taking lovage may increase sensitivity to the sun. This might put you at greater risk for rashes from the sun, sunburns, and skin cancer. If you are taking lovage, wear sunblock and protective clothing outside, especially if you are light-skinned.
Pregnancy: Lovage is LIKELY UNSAFE during pregnancy. There are some reports that it might cause the uterus to contract or start a menstrual period. This could cause a miscarriage.
Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if lovage is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
High blood pressure: There is a concern that lovage might increase the amount of sodium in the body, and that might increase blood pressure.
Kidney problems: Do not use lovage if you have poor kidney function.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with LovageLovage seems to work like "water pills" by causing the body to lose water. Taking lovage along with other "water pills" might cause the body to lose too much water. Losing too much water can cause you to be dizzy and your blood pressure to go too low. Some "water pills" include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, Microzide), and others.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of lovage 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 lovage. 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.
References
- Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
- Foster S, Tyler VE. Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies. 3rd ed., Binghamton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1993.
- The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
- Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy: A Physician's Guide to Herbal Medicine. Terry C. Telger, transl. 3rd ed. Berlin, GER: Springer, 1998.
- Wichtl MW. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Ed. N.M. Bisset. Stuttgart: Medpharm GmbH Scientific Publishers, 1994.
- Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
- McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
- Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
- Robbers JE, Tyler VE. Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York, NY: The Haworth Herbal Press, 1999.
- 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
- Heck AM, DeWitt BA, Lukes AL. Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2000;57:1221-7.
- Ashwood-Smith MJ, Ceska O, Yeoman A, et al. Photosensitivity from harvesting lovage (Levisticum officinale). Contact Dermatitis 1992;26(5):356-357.
- Simon JE, Chadwick.A.F., Craker E. Herbs: An Indexed Bibliography. 1971-1980. The Scientific Literature on Selected Herbs, and Aromatic and Medicinal Plants of the Temperate Zone. 1984.
- Martynyuk L, Martynyuk L, Ruzhitska O, Martynyuk O. Effect of the herbal combination Canephron N on diabetic nephropathy in patients with diabetes mellitus: results of a comparative cohort study. J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(6):472-478.
- Lapeere H, Boone B, Verhaeghe E, Ongenae K, Lambert J. Contact dermatitis caused by lovage (Levisticum officinalis) essential oil. Contact Dermatitis 2013;69(3):181-2.
- Assessment report on Levisticum officinale Koch, radix. European Medicines Agency Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). 2012. https://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Herbal_-_HMPC_assessment_report/2012/05/WC500126833.pdf. Accessed August 10, 2017.