Pill-bearing spurge,

Action Combo of P-adrenergic bronchodilator quaternary anticholinogic Dose 2 inhal qid neb 3 mL q6h Caution [C, +] Contra Peanut/soybean allergy Disp Met-dose inhaler soln for neb (DuoNeb) SE Palpitations, tach, nervousness, GI upset, dizziness, blurred vision Interactions T Effects Wf anticholinergics, including ophthalmic meds effects W/ herb jaborandi tree, pill-bearing spurge EMS See Albuterol may cause transient blurred vision/irritation... 

Euphorbia, Pill-bearing spurge snake-weed cat s hair Queensland asthma weed flowery -headed spurge. Dried herb of Euphorbia hirta L. or E. pilulifera L., Euphor-biaceae. Habit. Queensland (Australia), India, widely distributed in tropical countries. Constit. Several resins, an unstable glucoside. 

Traditional use and an animal study indicate that pill-bearing spurge is a diuretic (Johnson et al. 1999). 

No information on the safety of pill-bearing spurge in pregnancy or lactation was identified in the scientific or traditional literature. Although this review did not identify any concerns for use while pregnant or nursing, safety has not been conclusively established. 

In rats orally administered single doses of 50 or 100 mg/ kg of water or ethanol extracts of pill-bearing spurge daily, a time-dependent increase in urine output was observed. The water extract increased the urine excretion of sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate. In contrast, the ethanol extract increased the excretion of bicarbonate, decreased the loss of potassium, and had little effect on renal removal of sodium. The activity of pill-bearing spurge was noted as similar to the drug acetazolamide (Johnson et al. 1999). 

An ethnobotanical study indicated that pill-bearing spurge is used in Trinidad and Tobago to treat infertility (Lans 2007). 

No information on the safety of pill-bearing spurge during lactation was identified. 

No adverse effects were observed in chickens orally administered 2 g/kg of an aqueous extract of pill-bearing spurge. Parameters observed included liver enzyme levels and microscopic evaluation of livers and kidneys (Hashemi et al. 2008). 

In rats orally administered 10 g/kg of pill-bearing spurge aqueous extract daily for 14 days, leukocytosis, macrocytic hypochromic anemia, reduction in packed cell volume, and an elevation of liver enzyme levels (ALT and AST) were observed. By the end of the study, 20% of the animats in the pill-bearing spurge group had died (Adedapo et al. 2004). 

Common/vernacular names Snakeweed and pill-bearing spurge. 

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