Summer Savory: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Summer savory is a plant. The leaves and stem are used to make medicine.

People take summer savory for cough, stomach pain, gas (flatulence), diarrhea, loss of appetite, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

In foods, summer savory is used as a culinary spice. The oil is used as a flavoring agent.

The chemicals in summer savory are thought to decrease muscle spasms and kill bacteria and fungus.

How does it work ?

The chemicals in summer savory are thought to decrease muscle spasms and kill bacteria and fungus.

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence for

Cough.
Diarrhea.
Gas (flatulence).
Increasing sex drive in healthy people.
Indigestion (dyspepsia).
Insect bites.
Loss of appetite.
Nausea and vomiting.
Sore throat (pharyngitis).
Stomach pain.
Thirst in people with diabetes.
Other conditions.

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

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Summer savory is LIKELY SAFE in food amounts. It's POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken in usual medicinal amounts.

When applied to the skin: Summer savory is POSSIBLY SAFE when the diluted oil is applied to the skin. The concentrated, undiluted oil is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. It is very irritating and should not be used.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if summer savory is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Surgery: Summer savory might slow blood clotting. There is concern that summer savory might increase the risk for bleeding during and after surgical procedures. Stop using summer savory at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with Summer Savory
Summer savory might slow blood clotting. Taking summer savory along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of summer savory 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 summer savory. 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.

View References

REFERENCES:

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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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