Wahoo
OTHER NAME(S): Arrowwood, Bitter Ash, Bleeding Heart, Bois Carré, Bonetero, Bonnet Carré, Bonnet d'Évêque, Bonnet de Prêtre, Bursting Heart, Eastern Burning Bush, Fish Wood, Fusain Pourpre, Fusanum, Fusoria, Gadrose, Gatten, Gatter, Indian Arrowroot, Indian Arrowwood, Pegwood, Pigwood, Prickwood, Skewerwood, Spindle Tree, Strawberry Bush, Strawberry Tree, Euonymus atropurpureus, Evónimo, Fusain
Overview
Wahoo is a tree. The trunk, root bark, and fruit are used to make medicine.
Despite serious safety concerns, people take wahoo root bark for indigestion, constipation, and water retention. They also use it as a tonic and to stimulate bile flow. Bile is produced by the liver and is important in the digestion of fats.
Wahoo might stimulate the digestive tract and affect the heart. There isn't enough information to know how it might work for as a medicine.
Wahoo might stimulate the digestive tract and affect the heart. There isn't enough information to know how it might work for as a medicine.
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- Constipation.
- Indigestion.
- Water retention.
- Stimulating bile production.
- As a tonic.
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of wahoo for these uses.
Precautions
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Wahoo is UNSAFE. If you take it while pregnant or breast-feeding, you will endanger yourself as well as your baby.
Diarrhea: Wahoo contains caffeine. The caffeine in wahoo, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.
Wahoo is UNSAFE. It is poisonous and even deadly. Symptoms of poisoning include severe upset stomach, bloody diarrhea, fever, shortness of breath, unconsciousness, spasms, and coma.
While wahoo is UNSAFE for anyone to use, some people are especially sensitive to the toxic effects. Be particularly careful not to use wahoo if you have one of the following conditions:
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Wahoo contains caffeine. The caffeine in wahoo, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.
Stomach and intestinal problems: Wahoo could make stomach and intestinal disorders worse.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Quinine interacts with WahooWahoo can affect the heart. Quinine can also affect the heart. Taking quinine along with wahoo might cause serious heart problems.
- Stimulant laxatives interacts with WahooWahoo is a type of laxative called a stimulant laxative. Stimulant laxatives speed up the bowels. Taking wahoo 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.
- Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with WahooWahoo 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 wahoo. 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 WahooWahoo can affect the heart. Some antibiotics might increase how much wahoo the body absorbs. Increasing how much wahoo the body absorbs might increase the effects and side effects of wahoo. Some antibiotics called macrolide antibiotics include erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin.
- Antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics) interacts with WahooTaking tetracycline antibiotics along with wahoo might increase the chance of side effects from wahoo. Some tetracycline antibiotics include demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Minocin), and tetracycline (Achromycin).
- Digoxin (Lanoxin) interacts with WahooDigoxin (Lanoxin) helps the heart beat more strongly. Wahoo also seems to affect the heart. Taking wahoo along with digoxin (Lanoxin) can increase the effects and the side effects from digoxin (Lanoxin). Do not take wahoo if you are taking digoxin (Lanoxin) without talking to your healthcare professional.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of wahoo 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 wahoo. 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.
- 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.
- Burnham TH, ed. Drug Facts and Comparisons, Updated Monthly. Facts and Comparisons, St. Louis, MO.