5 Health Benefits of Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

December 10, 2023December 11, 2023 Agric4Profits

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is a genus of trees that includes three extant and one alive species of trees. The most common plant that is meant when you hear the term is sassafras albidum, which is widely farmed in North America.

Sassafras is more of a herb and doesn’t have many calories or vitamins. Methyleugenol, safrole, and camphor are the three main substances found in the bark.

It’s interesting to note that all three of these substances are in some ways regarded as carcinogens. On the other hand, all three of them have some favorable effects on the human body.

In the United States, only safrole, out of the three, is illegal to use (as well as in several other nations). Although many foods, including cinnamon and nutmeg, naturally contain safrole, the amounts are so minute that these products nonetheless adhere to FDA safety standards.

Camphor was taken off the market in the 1980s due to the same safety concerns, but it was brought back as an approved component in the early 1990s.

Despite not being produced commercially in the United States, sassafras tea and sassafras root beer continue to be local favorites in many places where trees are common.

Sassafras does not mean dripping sarcasm, as the Urban Dictionary entry claims. It’s a kind of tree that thrives in North America and East Asia, giving off a nice perfume and serving as the basis for numerous folk treatments.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned sassafras in its pure form over 38 years ago from being used in foods, drinks, and other products because one of the three main compounds it contains, safrole, poses health risks.

Sassafras trees continue to flourish and are often utilized in households today to produce sassafras tea and homebrewed sassafras root beer.

Sassafras has been utilized for generations, particularly by diverse Native American tribes, to treat a variety of ailments, from stomach aches to blood purifications. Making sassafras tea was one of the traditional medicine methods used to cure liver, kidney, and chest issues.

Others advise utilizing the bark’s essential oil as an antiseptic, lice treatment, and treatment for bug bites.

Sassafras trees have been cultivated for their wood, bark, and leaves, which have therapeutic properties. The bark is a fantastic material for building boats since it is supple but strong.

5 Health Benefits of Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

1. Helps In Treating Parasitic Diseases

Leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease found in southern Europe and tropical and subtropical regions, may be treated with sassafras.

Sassafras albidum bark extract appears to be able to eliminate leishmaniasis parasites without having an adverse effect on the adjacent cells.

2. May Interact Well With Other Pharmaceutical

There are circumstances in which you may decide to utilize conventional medicine for a specific purpose, even though I normally advise against it for many ailments that may be managed by dietary changes.

If this occurs, traditional Persian medicine offers several “convoy” items that may help your body more effectively digest medicines or food. Sassafras albidum appears to be able to boost the absorption of specific foods or drugs.

On the other hand, methyl eugenol, one of the compounds in sassafras, may interact favorably in the body to lessen the potency of some poisons.

3. Natural Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

According to a study, two recently identified sassafras chemicals act as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChE inhibitors). The class of compounds that sassafras belongs to is classified as reversible, which means it can have some therapeutic advantages even though some of these substances can cause major harm.

Alzheimer’s treatments are among the most frequently used medical applications for AChE inhibitors. In some instances, they are also used to treat schizophrenia, poisoning, and glaucoma.

4. Aids In The Treatment Of Epilepsy

Since anti-seizure drugs frequently have unfavorable side effects, researchers are striving to create alternative treatment strategies, some of which may make use of organic substances that may be able to prevent seizures.

Safrole appears to block lactate dehydrogenase, which is one of the techniques used by physicians to treat epilepsy and prevent seizures.

5. Helps Improve Blood Circulation

Sassafras also contains camphor, which has the capacity to increase blood flow and bring back more cold and warm sensations. Nine adult subjects received separate applications of petroleum jelly containing 2% menthol or 5% camphor.

The present results indicate that camphor causes both cold and warm sensations and enhances blood circulation, the researchers wrote in their study’s conclusion.

Dangers of Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

Research has concentrated on the chemicals in sassafras’ potential to cause cancer more than any other potential issue.

It’s a hotly debated subject. Researchers have discovered that methyl eugenol and safrole both produce malignant liver tumors in rat and mouse models. The most effective approach for producing cancer appears to be pure safrole injection.

Safrole was banned from food, beverage, and cosmetic goods in the past in most countries primarily because of this. But the tale is far from over; many people think that the claims of safrole toxicity are greatly overstated. They present a variety of justifications for their positions.

Sassafras could potentially be harmful to people with heart disease. Sassafras oil with safrole may enhance plaque vulnerability or the likelihood that plaque deposits in the arteries or veins could burst.

If this occurred, the presence of safrole might disrupt the formation of plaque within the body and might potentially have a role in the development of cardiac events like a heart attack or stroke.

According to numerous accounts, some pregnant women allegedly experienced sudden abortions due to sassafras. As a result, it is never advised to ingest sassafras while expecting.

Sassafras supplementation is beneficial for some drugs, although it is dangerous when combined with sedatives.

Read Also: How to Grow Microgreens

5 Health Benefits of Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)