BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuSassafras oil overdoseSassafras oil comes from the root bark of the sassafras tree. Sassafras oil overdose occurs when someone swallows more than the normal or recommended amount of this substance. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Safrole is the poisonous ingredient in sassafras oil. It is a clear or slightly yellow oily liquid. It can be dangerous in large amounts. Where Found Sassafras oil is banned in foods and medicines in the United States and Canada, except for very small amounts of safrole. Safrole can cause cancer.In some parts of the world, sassafras oil is used in aromatherapy. Symptoms Below are symptoms of a sassafras oil overdose in different parts of the body.STOMACH AND INTESTINESAbdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomitingNausea and vomitingNausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...Read Article Now Book Mark Article HEART AND BLOODLow blood pressure Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pounding heartbeat (palpitations) PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rapid heartbeatRapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGSRapid breathing Shallow breathingShallow breathingA normal breathing rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. For an infant, a normal rate is 30 to 60 breaths per minute. Tachypnea ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMDizziness DizzinessDizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hallucinations HallucinationsHallucinations involve sensing things such as visions, sounds, or smells that seem real but are not. These things are created by the mind.Read Article Now Book Mark Article UnconsciousnessUnconsciousnessUnconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Doctors often call this a coma or being in a comatose state. Other c...Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKINBurns (if the oil is on the skin) BurnsBurns commonly occur by direct or indirect contact with heat, electric current, radiation, or chemical agents. Burns can lead to cell death, which c...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Vital signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effect of the poison and treat symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)VentilatorA ventilator is a machine that breathes for you or helps you breathe. It is also called a breathing machine or respirator. The ventilator: Is attac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on the amount of sassafras oil swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance is for recovery.Sassafras oil is very toxic. If damage to the liver or kidneys occurs, it may take several months to heal. Sassafras oil can also cause cancer if someone uses it for a long time.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Lauraceae. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:484-486.National Center for Biotechnology Information website. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 5144, Safrole. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Safrole. Accessed November 24, 2023.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/2/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. 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Sassafras oil overdoseSassafras oil comes from the root bark of the sassafras tree. Sassafras oil overdose occurs when someone swallows more than the normal or recommended amount of this substance. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Safrole is the poisonous ingredient in sassafras oil. It is a clear or slightly yellow oily liquid. It can be dangerous in large amounts. Where Found Sassafras oil is banned in foods and medicines in the United States and Canada, except for very small amounts of safrole. Safrole can cause cancer.In some parts of the world, sassafras oil is used in aromatherapy. Symptoms Below are symptoms of a sassafras oil overdose in different parts of the body.STOMACH AND INTESTINESAbdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomitingNausea and vomitingNausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...Read Article Now Book Mark Article HEART AND BLOODLow blood pressure Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pounding heartbeat (palpitations) PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rapid heartbeatRapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGSRapid breathing Shallow breathingShallow breathingA normal breathing rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. For an infant, a normal rate is 30 to 60 breaths per minute. Tachypnea ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMDizziness DizzinessDizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hallucinations HallucinationsHallucinations involve sensing things such as visions, sounds, or smells that seem real but are not. These things are created by the mind.Read Article Now Book Mark Article UnconsciousnessUnconsciousnessUnconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Doctors often call this a coma or being in a comatose state. Other c...Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKINBurns (if the oil is on the skin) BurnsBurns commonly occur by direct or indirect contact with heat, electric current, radiation, or chemical agents. Burns can lead to cell death, which c...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Vital signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effect of the poison and treat symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)VentilatorA ventilator is a machine that breathes for you or helps you breathe. It is also called a breathing machine or respirator. The ventilator: Is attac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on the amount of sassafras oil swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance is for recovery.Sassafras oil is very toxic. If damage to the liver or kidneys occurs, it may take several months to heal. Sassafras oil can also cause cancer if someone uses it for a long time.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Lauraceae. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:484-486.National Center for Biotechnology Information website. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 5144, Safrole. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Safrole. Accessed November 24, 2023.