BAEL: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Bael is a plant. The unripe fruit, root, leaf, and branch are used to make medicine.

Bael is used for constipation, diarrhea, diabetes, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

How does it work ?

Bael contains chemicals called tannins, flavonoids, and coumarins. These chemicals help to reduce swelling (inflammation). This might help treat asthma, diarrhea, and other conditions. Also, some of these chemicals help to reduce blood sugar.

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence for

Asthma. Research shows that taking a product that contains bael fruit and boswellia gum helps people with asthma to breathe better. It's unclear if the effects are due to bael, to boswellia, or to the combination.
Illness from a Shigella bacteria infection (shigellosis). Early research shows that taking dried bael fruit powder for 3 days does not reduce the number of stools in people with diarrhea caused by an infection called shigellosis.
Constipation.
Depression.
Diabetes.
Diarrhea.
Memory.
Snakebite, when applied to the skin.
Stomach ache.
Other conditions.

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

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: There isn't enough reliable information to know if bael is safe to use as medicine. Large amounts may cause stomach upset and constipation.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if bael is safe or what the side effects might be.

Special Precautions and Warnings

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

Diabetes: Bael might lower blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes and take medications to lower your blood sugar, adding bael might make your blood sugar drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar carefully.

Surgery: There is a concern that bael might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using bael at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with BAEL
Bael might decrease blood sugar levels. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking bael along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
Various medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer disease, and other conditions (Cholinergic drugs) interacts with BAEL
Bael might increase certain chemicals in the brain, heart, and elsewhere in the body. Some medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer disease, and other conditions also affect these chemicals. Taking bael with these medications might increase the chance of side effects.
Some of these medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions include pilocarpine (Pilocar and others), donepezil (Aricept), tacrine (Cognex), and others.

Minor Interaction

Be watchful with this combination

Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates) interacts with BAEL
Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Bael might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking bael along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of these medications. Before taking bael, talk to your healthcare provider if you take any medications that are changed by the liver.
Some medications that are changed by the liver include amitriptyline (Elavil), haloperidol (Haldol), ondansetron (Zofran), propranolol (Inderal), theophylline (Theo-Dur, others), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, others), and others.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) interacts with BAEL
Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Bael might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking bael along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before taking bael, 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 bael 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 bael. 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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BAEL - Uses, Side Effects, and More