Squill
OTHER NAME(S): Charpentaire, European Squill, Indian Quills, Indian Squill, Jacinthe de Mer, Jangli Pyaj, Jungli Plyaz, Mediterranean Squill, Oignon Marin, Red Squill, Scilla, Scille Blanche, Scille Maritime, Scille Mort-aux-Rats, Scille Officinale, Sea Onion, Sea Squill Bulb, Squille, Urginée Fausse-Scille, Urginée Maritime, Vanpalandu, White Squill, Wild Onion, Urginea indica, Drimia indica, Scilla indica, Urginea maritima, Drimia maritima, Scilla maritima, Urginea scilla, Cebolla Albarrana, Scille
Overview
Squill is a plant native to Africa, India, and the Mediterranean. Despite serious safety concerns, the bulbs of the plant are sometimes used to make medicine.
Some people use squill for conditions such as asthma, patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), heart disease, and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Using squill can also be unsafe and may lead to irregular heartbeat and other serious and life-threatening heart problems.
In manufacturing, squill is used in pest control as rat poison.
The chemicals in squill affect the heart. They can also thin out the mucus secretions in the lungs.
The chemicals in squill affect the heart. They can also thin out the mucus secretions in the lungs.
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- Patchy hair loss (alopecia areata). Early research shows that applying squill 2% solution to the scalp for 12 weeks might improves hair regrowth better than clobetasol 0.05% lotion.
- Asthma. Early research shows that taking a squill syrup might improve breathing by a small amount in people with moderate to severe asthma.
- Fluid retention (edema).
- Heart disease.
- Inducing vomiting.
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).
- Long-term swelling (inflammation) of the airways in the lungs (chronic bronchitis).
- Thinning mucus.
- Whooping cough.
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of squill for these uses.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Squill is UNSAFE when taken by mouth. It can cause stomach irritation, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, vision changes, depression, confusion, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat, and skin rash. More serious side effects such as seizures, life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms, and death have occurred.
When applied to the skin: Squill is POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the scalp as a 2% solution for 12 weeks or less.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Squill is UNSAFE when taken by mouth. It can cause stomach irritation, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, vision changes, depression, confusion, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat, and skin rash. More serious side effects such as seizures, life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms, and death have occurred.
When applied to the skin: Squill is POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the scalp as a 2% solution for 12 weeks or less.
It is UNSAFE for anyone to take squill by mouth, but people with the following conditions have even more reasons not to use it:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's UNSAFE to take squill by mouth if you are pregnant. It might cause a miscarriage. It's also UNSAFE to take squill if you are breast-feeding.
Heart disease: Do not use squill if you have heart disease. It is unsafe and can cause serious adverse effects.
Low potassium levels: It's unsafe to use squill if you have this condition. Avoid use.
Stomach and bowel problems: Squill can irritate the stomach and intestines. Don't use it if you have any stomach or bowel conditions.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Digoxin (Lanoxin) interacts with SquillDigoxin (Lanoxin) helps the heart beat more strongly. Squill also seems to affect the heart. Taking squill along with digoxin can increase the effects of digoxin and increase the risk of side effects. Do not take squill if you are taking digoxin (Lanoxin) without talking to your healthcare professional.
- Medications for inflammation (Corticosteroids) interacts with SquillSquill might affect the heart. Some medications for inflammation can decrease potassium in the body. Low potassium levels can also affect the heart and increase the risk of side effects from squill. Some medications for inflammation include dexamethasone (Decadron), hydrocortisone (Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisone (Deltasone), and others.
- Quinine interacts with SquillSquill can affect the heart. Quinine can also affect the heart. Taking quinine along with squill might cause serious heart problems.
- Stimulant laxatives interacts with SquillSquill can affect the heart. The heart uses potassium. Laxatives called stimulant laxatives can decrease potassium levels in the body. Low potassium levels can increase the risk of side effects from squill. Some stimulant laxatives include bisacodyl (Correctol, Dulcolax), cascara, castor oil (Purge), senna (Senokot), and others.
- Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with SquillSquill might affect the heart. "Water pills" can decrease potassium in the body. Low potassium levels can also affect the heart and increase the risk of side effects from squill. Some "water pills" that can deplete potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide), and others.
- Antibiotics (Macrolide antibiotics) interacts with SquillSquill might affect the heart. Some antibiotics might increase how much squill the body absorbs. Taking squill along with some antibiotics might increase the effects and side effects of squill. Some antibiotics called macrolide antibiotics include erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin.
- Antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics) interacts with SquillSquill might affect the heart. Some antibiotics might increase how much squill the body absorbs. Taking squill along with some antibiotics might increase the effects and side effects of squill. Some tetracyclines include demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Minocin), and tetracycline (Achromycin).
Dosing
The appropriate dose of squill 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 squill. 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.
- Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
- 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.
- Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
- Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
- Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
- Robbers JE, Tyler VE. Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York, NY: The Haworth Herbal Press, 1999.
- Tuncok Y, Kozan O, Cavdar C, et al. Urginea maritima (squill) toxicity. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1995;33:83-6.
- United States Pharmacopeial Convention I, editor. Drug Information for the Health Care Professional. 19th ed. Micromedex, 1999.
- Stauch, M., Grewe, N., and Belz, G. G. [Effect of proscillaridin-4'-methylether on pressure rise velocity in the left ventricle of patients with coronary heart disease (author's transl)]. Klin.Wochenschr. 7-15-1977;55(14):705-706.
- Dallari, A. and Barbaresi, F. [Clinical experimentation with a cardiokinetic extracted from squill: 3-beta-ramnoside-14-beta-hydroxy-delta-4,20,22-bufatrienolide (proscillaridine A)]. Clin Ter. 10-31-1965;35(2):126-141.
- Nejatbakhsh F, Karegar-Borzi H, Amin G, et al. Squill Oxymel, a traditional formulation from Drimia Maritima (L.) Stearn, as an add-on treatment in patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma: A pilot, triple-blind, randomized clinical trial. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;196:186-192.
- Moosavi ZB, Aliabdi M, Golfakhrabadi F, Namjoyan F. The comparison of therapeutic effect of Clobetasol propionate lotion and squill extract in alopecia areata: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Arch Dermatol Res. 2020 Apr;312(3):173-178.
- Akhtar G, Shabbir A. Urginea indica attenuated rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory paw edema in diverse animal models of acute and chronic inflammation. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Jun 28;238:111864.