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Wild Cherry

Other Name(s):

Black Cherry, Black Choke, Cerezo Silvestre, Cerisier à Grappes, Cerisier d'Automne, Cerisier de Virginie, Cerisier Noir, Cerisier Sauvage, Cerisier Tardif, Choke Cherry, Prunier d'Automne, Prunus serotina, Prunus virginiana, Rum Cherry Bark, Virginian Prune, Wild Black Cherry.

Overview

Wild cherry is a plant. The bark is used to make medicine.

Wild cherry is used for colds, whooping cough, bronchitis and other lung problems; diarrhea; gout; digestive disorders; pain; and cancer. It is also used in cough syrups because of its sedative, expectorant, drying, and cough-suppressing effects.

In foods and beverages, wild cherry is used as a flavoring agent.

How does it work?

Wild cherry contains chemicals that might help reduce swelling (inflammation) and have a drying (astringent) effect on the tissues.

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

  • Cough.
  • Colds.
  • Bronchitis.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of wild cherry 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).

Side Effects

Wild cherry is LIKELY SAFE when consumed in amounts normally found in food. Wild cherry is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth in small amounts, short-term. But taking wild cherry long-term or in large amounts is POSSIBLY UNSAFE and might cause deadly poisonings.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's LIKELY UNSAFE to use wild cherry if you are pregnant. Wild cherry contains a chemical, prunasin, which can cause birth defects. Not enough is known about the safety of using wild cherry during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

QUESTION

Next to red peppers, you can get the most vitamin C from ________________. See Answer

Interactions

Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Wild cherry might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking wild cherry along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before taking wild cherry, talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking any medications that are changed by the liver.

Some medications changed by the liver include lovastatin (Mevacor), ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), fexofenadine (Allegra), triazolam (Halcion), and many others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of wild cherry 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 wild cherry. 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.