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White Willow Bark Side Effects & Safety

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Full disclaimer

Safety Profile

Overall safety rating: Safe with Caution

Potential Side Effects

  • GI discomfort (nausea, stomach pain) — less common than with aspirin
  • Allergic reaction in aspirin-sensitive individuals — CONTRAINDICATED in aspirin allergy
  • Not recommended for children under 16 due to theoretical Reye's syndrome risk
  • May cause dizziness or drowsiness (rare)

Drug & Supplement Interactions

  • Aspirin and NSAIDs — do not combine; additive effects increase bleeding and GI risk
  • Anticoagulants (warfarin) — salicylates may increase bleeding risk; monitor INR
  • Methotrexate — salicylates can reduce renal clearance of methotrexate, increasing toxicity risk
  • Phenytoin, valproic acid — salicylates may displace these from protein binding, increasing free drug levels

Maximum Dose

Do not exceed: 240mg salicin daily is the maximum studied dose; do not exceed without medical supervision

Full White Willow Bark Guide

References

  1. (). Treatment of low back pain exacerbations with willow bark extract: a randomized double-blind study. American Journal of Medicine. DOI
  2. (). Efficacy and tolerability of a standardized willow bark extract in patients with osteoarthritis: randomized placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research. DOI
  3. (). A systematic review on the effectiveness of willow bark for musculoskeletal pain. Phytotherapy Research. DOI