Cubebs

• Overview
• Uses
• Side Effects
• Precautions
• Interactions
• Dosing

Cubebs is an herb. The dried, fully-grown but unripe fruit is used to make medicine.

People use cubebs for increasing urination to relieve water retention (as a diuretic). They also use it to treat a certain parasitic infection in the intestines called amoebic dysentery. Other uses include treatment of intestinal gas, gonorrhea, and cancer. Some people take it for loosening mucus.

In foods, cubebs oil is used as a flavoring ingredient.

How does it work?

Cubebs contains cubebic acid, which might have an effect on the urinary and respiratory tracts.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Increasing urination.
• Amoebic dysentery.
• Intestinal gas (flatulence).
• Gonorrhea.
• Cancer.
• Loosening mucus.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of cubebs for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

Cubebs seems to be safe for most people when taken by mouth, but the possible side effects are not known.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of cubebs during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Infection or swelling (inflammation) of the stomach or intestines (gastrointestinal tract, GI tract): Cubebs may irritate the GI tract. Don't use it if you have a stomach or intestinal problem.

Kidney disease (nephritis): Don't use cubebs if you have this condition.

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AntacidsInteraction Rating: Minor Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

Antacids are used to decrease stomach acid. Cubebs may increase stomach acid. By increasing stomach acid, cubebs might decrease the effectiveness of antacids.

Some antacids include calcium carbonate (Tums, others), dihydroxyaluminum sodium carbonate (Rolaids, others), magaldrate (Riopan), magnesium sulfate (Bilagog), aluminum hydroxide (Amphojel), and others.

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Medications that decrease stomach acid (H2-blockers)Interaction Rating: Minor Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

Cubebs might increase stomach acid. By increasing stomach acid, cubebs might decrease the effectiveness of some medications that decrease stomach acid, called H2-blockers.

Some medications that decrease stomach acid include cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid), and famotidine (Pepcid).

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Medications that decrease stomach acid (Proton pump inhibitors)Interaction Rating: Minor Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

Cubebs might increase stomach acid. By increasing stomach acid, cubebs might decrease the effectiveness of medications that are used to decrease stomach acid called proton pump inhibitors.

Some medications that decrease stomach acid include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex), pantoprazole (Protonix), and esomeprazole (Nexium).

The appropriate dose of cubebs 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 cubebs. 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.