Overview

Jalap is a plant. People use the root of jalap to make medicine.

Despite serious safety concerns, jalap is sometimes used to empty and cleanse the bowels (as a cathartic or purgative), and to increase urine flow to relieve water retention (as a diuretic).

Don't confuse jalap (Ipomoea purga) with pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) or Mexican scammony root (Ipomoea orizabensis). These plants are also known as jalap.

How does it work ?

Jalap is a stimulant laxative herb. That means it contains substances that increase water loss and cause contractions of bowel muscles to push out stool.

Jalap is a stimulant laxative herb. That means it contains substances that increase water loss and cause contractions of bowel muscles to push out stool.

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence for

  • Emptying and cleansing the bowels (cathartic, purgative).
  • Increasing the body's loss of water by increasing urine production (diuretic).
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of jalap for these uses.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Jalap is UNSAFE. It has powerful effects on the bowel that might cause irritation of the digestive tract, including diarrhea, vomiting, and a loss of important chemicals such as potassium.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Jalap is UNSAFE. It has powerful effects on the bowel that might cause irritation of the digestive tract, including diarrhea, vomiting, and a loss of important chemicals such as potassium. While jalap is UNSAFE for anyone to use, people with the following conditions should be especially careful to avoid it.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's UNSAFE to use jalap when pregnant. It might start your period, and that could cause a miscarriage. It's UNSAFE to use jalap when breast-feeding.

Digestive tract problems, such as appendicitis, ulcers, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, or other conditions: Don't use jalap if you have one of these conditions. Jalap can irritate the digestive tract and make your condition worse.

Interactions

    Major Interaction

    Do not take this combination

  • Stimulant laxatives interacts with JALAP

    Jalap is a type of laxative called a stimulant laxative. Stimulant laxatives speed up the bowels. Taking jalap 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.

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Digoxin (Lanoxin) interacts with JALAP

    Jalap 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).

  • Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with JALAP

    Jalap can work as a laxative. In some people jalap can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea can increase the effects of warfarin and increase the risk of bleeding. If you take warfarin, do not to take excessive amounts of jalap.

  • Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with JALAP

    Jalap is a laxative. Some laxatives can decrease potassium in the body. "Water pills" can also decrease potassium in the body. Taking jalap 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.

    Minor Interaction

    Be watchful with this combination

  • Lithium interacts with JALAP

    Jalap might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic". Taking jalap might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of jalap 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 jalap. 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.
View References
Show More Show Less

You Might Also Like

Simple Remedies to Relieve Cough From a Cold or Flu 
Explore Medicare Advantage & Prescription Drug Coverage
Can Your Multivitamin Help Protect Your Eyes?
Navigating Life With Migraine
View More

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
Licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC
Copyright © 1995-2024 by Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. All Rights Reserved.