Pregnancy is a particular and delicate physiological situation, during which great care must be taken in the use of drugs, medicinal herbs and supplements in general. The widespread awareness of the potential dangers of some pharmacological therapies on fetal health leads many women to limit the use of synthetic drugs during pregnancy. At the same time, many pregnant women approach non-pharmacological treatments with the often groundless belief that natural products are safer than synthetic drugs.
Second, the bulletin of the AIFA Farmacovigilanza News - n. 12/13 - June 2005:
Always, and in particular in the first quarter, the use of medicinal herbs and derivatives, including herbal products, should be avoided or in any case limited to cases of actual need and on medical prescription.
• The most risky vegetable substances are essential oils (also present in propolis), and alkaloids, all substances with very high diffusibility and low therapeutic index, therefore potentially toxic for the embryo and fetus or active on uterine contractility, therefore potentially at risk of abortion.
• Caffeine and nicotine easily reduce placental circulation and for this reason smoking and the consumption of many coffees, as well as other neuro / cardiostimulant or neuro / cardiotoxic plants such as ephedra, nutmeg, orange, are contraindicated in pregnancy. bitter, etc.
• The following medicinal plants are especially contraindicated: China, Absinthe, Ruta, anthraquinone laxatives (Aloe, Cascara, Senna etc.), Pomegranate, Chenopodium, Juniper, Parsley, Mint, Aromatic Calamus, Cinnamon, Hyssop, Sage and in any case all the oils essential in particular those rich in ketones. Some increase uterine contractility with the risk of abortion, others are directly toxic to the fetus or embryo, such as plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (Borage, Farfara, Consolida, Farfaraccio, Senecione, etc.).
• Caution should also be exercised with plants that prove effective, such as ginger whose efficacy against nausea and vomiting has been demonstrated in a case-control study and in some randomized controlled trials. Compared to placebo, ginger causes a significant reduction in nausea and vomiting. Given, despite this, the presence of mutagenic substances in the ginger rhizome remains the advice to avoid taking it.
The list of medicinal herbs contraindicated in pregnancy follows (edited by Gioacchino Calapai, Giovanni Polimeni, and Achille P. Caputi ).
| Italian name | Latin name | Indication | Which is why it is contraindicated in pregnancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| agnocasto | Vitex agnus castus | Premenstrual syndrome | Possible androgenising effects |
| Devil's claw | Harpagophytum procumbens | Inflammatory joint diseases | Possible action on uterine muscles |
| Burdock | Arctium lappa | Acne, dermopathies, liver failure | Possible action on uterine muscles |
| Chamomile | Matricaria chamomilla | Mild anxiety and gastrointestinal disorders | Stimulates uterine contractions |
| Roman Chamomile | Anthemis nobilis | Chronic gastritis | Stimulates uterine contractions |
| Centella | Centella asiatica | Venous insufficiency of lower limbs | Possible releasing action of the uterine musculature |
| Cimicifuga | Cimicifuga racemosa | Menopausal disorders | The uterine vessels are dilated |
| Ginseng | Panax ginseng | States of fatigue Neurastenia | Interference with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis |
| goldenseal | Hydrastis canadensis | vaginitis | Irritating to the uterine mucosa |
| hypericum | Hypericum perforatum | Medium-mild depression | MAOS inhibitor optimizes uterine contractions |
| Kava kava | Piper methysticum | States of anxiety | It can cause loss of uterine tone |
| Licorice | Glycyrrhiza glabra | Gastritis and ulcer | Mineralocorticoid effects |
| Momordica | Momordica charantia | Reduction in carbohydrate absorption | Stimulates uterine contractions |
| Nettle | Urtica dioica | Inflammatory joint diseases | Stimulates uterine musculature |
| feverfew | Tanacetum parthenium | Prophylaxis of migraine | The uterine vessels are dilated |
| Pausinystalia yohimbe | Pausinystalia yohimbe | Erection disorders | Can increase arterial pressure |
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | Cirrhosis, lithiasis | Prokinetic activity |
| Schizandra (Chinese) | Schisandra chinensis | Antistress | Stimulates uterine contractions |
| Celery | Apium graveolens | nephropathies | Stimulates uterine contractions |
| Tribulus | Tribulus | anabolic | May interfere with fetal development |
| Clover | Trifolium pratense | Adjuvant hormone replacement therapy in menopause | Similar activity to phytoestrogens (agonist / antagonist of estrogen receptors) |
| Uncaria tomentosa | Uncaria tomentosa | Inflammatory joint diseases | There are not enough data |
| Bearberry | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Cystitis and urethritis | vasoconstrictor |
| Witania (Indian Ginseng) | Withania somnifera | Antiphlogistic Analgesic | Stimulates uterine contractions |
