Boldo and Fringe Non-Alcohol [Discontinued] by Hawaii Pharm

INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Oral boldo has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: A small clinical study in adults with BPH, some of whom were already receiving conventional treatment such as alpha-1 blockers, shows that taking a specific product containing water-soluble extracts of boldo, goldenrod, chanca piedra, fireweed, and spiny restharrow (Fluxonorm, Omega Pharma) orally for 30 days improves lower urinary tract symptom scores by about 50% when compared with baseline. Maximum urinary flow rate and quality of life were also improved when compared with baseline (106432). The validity of these findings is limited by the lack of a comparator group.
• Gallbladder disease. Although there has been interest in using oral boldo for gallbladder disease, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of boldo for this purpose.
• Gonorrhea. Although there has been interest in using oral boldo for gonorrhea, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of boldo for this purpose.
• Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis). Oral boldo has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: Preliminary clinical research in children 6-18 years of age with upper ureteral tract kidney stones shows that taking a specific combination product containing boldo 200 mg, uva ursi 300 mg and Herniaria hirsuta 40 mg (Renalit-combi, Bio-Stilogit Pharmaceuticals) orally for 12 days each month for 3 months after undergoing lithotripsy, in addition to standard care, reduces presence of residual stone fragments by 58% when compared with standard care alone (109936).
• Joint pain. Although there has been interest in using oral boldo for joint pain, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of boldo for this purpose. More evidence is needed to rate boldo for these uses.

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There is insufficient reliable information available about the effectiveness of fringetree.

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LIKELY SAFE ...when used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. Boldo has Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status for use in foods in the US (4912).

POSSIBLY UNSAFE ...when used orally in medicinal amounts. The volatile oil (2.5% in the leaf) contains the liver toxin ascaridole (4). Boldo has also been linked to a documented case of liver damage (13178). If boldo preparations are taken for medicinal purposes, only ascaridole-free preparations should be used. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of boldo when used topically.

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: POSSIBLY UNSAFE
when used orally in medicinal amounts. In animals, boldo and the constituent boldine have abortive and teratogenic effects (100302). Also, the ascaridole constituent of boldo is a liver toxin (4).

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There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of fringetree.

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

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ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = High •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, taking boldo with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.  Details Animal and in vitro research shows that boldine, a constituent of boldo, has antiplatelet activity (5191,36789). In one case report, an adult taking a combination of boldo and fenugreek with warfarin experienced an increase in international normalized ratio (INR); however, it is unclear if this effect was due to boldo, fenugreek, the combination, or another factor (5191).

HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = High •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, taking boldo with hepatotoxic drugs might increase the risk of hepatic injury and disease.  Details Boldo leaf contains ascaridole, a known liver toxin. Many cases of hepatotoxicity, including elevated liver transaminase levels and jaundice, have been reported in patients taking boldo (13178,100304,106431).

LITHIUM Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = Moderate •  Occurrence = Probable •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, taking boldo with lithium might increase the levels and clinical effects of lithium.  Details Boldo is believed to have diuretic effects (4). Theoretically, these diuretic effects might reduce the excretion of lithium. The dose of lithium might need to be decreased.

TACROLIMUS (Prograf) Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = High •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Taking boldo with tacrolimus may decrease the levels and clinical effects of tacrolimus, potentially increasing the risk of transplant rejection.  Details In one case report, a patient with a long-term history of stable tacrolimus levels developed subtherapeutic levels after taking boldo 300 mg twice daily orally for several weeks. Tacrolimus levels returned to normal after discontinuing boldo. However, the mechanism of this interaction is unclear (92601).

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General ...Orally, boldo is generally well tolerated when used in amounts commonly found in foods. However, when used in medicinal amounts, boldo can cause significant adverse effects such as hepatotoxicity. There is currently a limited amount of information on the adverse effects of topical boldo; however, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted.
Most Common Adverse Effects:
Orally: Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting.
Topically: Dermatitis.
Severe Adverse Effects (Rare):
Orally: Hepatotoxicity, jaundice.

Cardiovascular ...In one report, a 39-year-old obese female developed palpitations and syncope after taking a weight loss supplement containing a combination of boldo, dandelion, and bladderwrack for 3 weeks. The patient was found to have prolonged QT-interval on ECG and frequent episodes of sustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (14321). It is not clear whether boldo, another ingredient, or the combination of ingredients is responsible for this adverse effect. The product was not analyzed to determine the presence of any potential toxic contaminants.

Dermatologic ...Topically, boldo can be irritating when applied to the skin (4). In one case report, a healthy 64-year-old patient experienced allergic contact dermatitis in an airborne pattern on the face, arms, and dorsum of both hands following airborne exposure to boldo. After exposure to boldo was avoided, the dermatitis resolved (106433).

Gastrointestinal ...In one case report, a manufacturer of an herbal laxative reformulated their product to contain boldo. Within 5 months of switching to this reformulated product, an 82-year-old male developed abdominal discomfort with gastrointestinal upset including heartburn (13178). In another case, a 72-year-old female reported nausea, vomiting, and anorexia, which were thought to be associated with hepatotoxic effects of a boldo infusion (100304).

Hepatic ...Orally, boldo is thought to potentially cause hepatotoxicity. The volatile oil from the boldo leaf contains the liver toxin, ascaridole. In one case report, a manufacturer of an herbal laxative reformulated their product to contain boldo. Within 5 months of switching to this reformulated product, an 82-year-old male with mild hepatic steatosis and very small gallbladder stones developed elevated liver transaminase levels. Levels normalized following discontinuation of the herbal product (13178). Several other cases of hepatotoxicity have been reported in elderly patients who received infusions of boldo leaves. These patients presented with elevated liver transaminase and bilirubin levels, sometimes up to 200 times the upper limit of normal, as well as nausea, vomiting, anorexia, asthenia, and jaundice. Lab tests and symptoms normalized a few days after stopping boldo (100304,106431).

Immunologic ...Boldo intake has been linked to one case of IgE-mediated anaphylactic allergic reaction (13185).

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General ...Orally, no adverse effects have been reported. However, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted.

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