Cypress Spurge

• Overview
• Uses
• Side Effects
• Precautions
• Dosing

Cypress spurge is a plant. The flowering plant and root are used to make medicine.

Despite serious safety concerns, people take cypress spurge for breathing disorders, diarrhea, and skin diseases.

How does it work?

It is not known how cypress spurge might work as a medicine.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Breathing disorders.
• Diarrhea.
• Skin diseases.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of cypress spurge 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).

Cypress spurge is UNSAFE. The plant contains a poisonous white milky liquid (white latex) and chemicals that can cause cancer. Both the fresh and dried products are unsafe.

When taken by mouth, cypress spurge can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, burning of the mouth, dilation of the pupils, dizziness, painful bowel movements, near unconsciousness, irregular heartbeat, and collapse. When put on the skin, cypress spurge can also cause rash, reddening, itching, burning, and blisters. Getting cypress spurge in the eye can cause swelling of the eye and eyelid, as well as damage to the cornea of the eye.

While cypress spurge is UNSAFE for anyone to use, some people are especially sensitive to its harmful effects. Be particularly careful not to use cypress spurge if you have one of the following conditions:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's UNSAFE to use cypress spurge if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It has many harmful effects when taken by mouth and when applied to the skin.

Diarrhea: Cypress spurge could make diarrhea worse.

Swelling or irritation of the stomach or intestines: Cypress spurge could make these conditions worse.

Nausea, vomiting: Cypress spurge could make these conditions worse.

The appropriate dose of cypress spurge 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 cypress spurge. 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.