Herbs & Supplements

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Uses

NOTE: Taking sassafras in any oral form is discouraged strongly. The sale of products that contain significant amounts of safrole (a major chemical in sassafras) is prohibited by law in both Canada and the United States.

Approximately 10% of any sassafras product is composed of volatile oils (also called essential oils) which usually evaporate quickly at room temperature and possess a characteristic spicy smell and somewhat sour taste. In turn, the volatile oil of sassafras contains 80% or more of a chemical known as safrole. In the 1960s and 1970s, animal studies showed that safrole caused permanent damage to liver tissue, which resulted in liver cancer for a high percentage of the tested animals. Safrole is also believed to produce nerve damage. Cases of accelerated heart rate, hallucinations, paralysis, and other severe adverse effects have also been reported in humans who ingested sassafras or safrole.

In 1960, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of sassafras oil and safrole in foods and drugs based on the animal studies and human case reports. Several years later, the sale of sassafras oil, roots, or tea was prohibited by law. Subsequently, both Canada and the United States have passed laws against the sale of any consumable products (such as beverages, foods, cosmetics, and health products) that contain more than very small amounts of safrole.

When it is applied to the skin, sassafras oil may relieve the pain and inflammation of insect bites. It may have some anti-infective properties, which might also help to prevent infection of bites and minor skin rashes. In the past, it has been used to kill lice. Other topical products are more effective than sassafras oil; however, and the high risk of accidental ingestion makes sassafras oil unsafe to keep?especially in areas where small children or pets may be attracted by its pleasant smell.