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URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/978.html

Slippery Elm

What is it?

Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) is a tree that is native to North America. Its inner bark feels slippery when chewed and may be effective for soothing sore throat.

Only the inner bark of slippery elm, not the whole bark, is used as medicine. The inner bark contains chemicals that can increase mucous secretion, which might be helpful for stomach and intestinal problems.

People use slippery elm for sore throat, constipation, stomach ulcers, skin disorders, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

How effective is it?

There is interest in using slippery elm for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Is it safe?

When taken by mouth: Slippery elm is possibly safe for most people.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if slippery elm is safe when applied to the skin. In some people, slippery elm can cause allergic reactions and skin irritation when applied to the skin.

Special precautions & warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Folklore says that slippery elm bark can cause a miscarriage when it's inserted into the cervix during pregnancy. Over the years, slippery elm got the reputation for causing an abortion even when taken by mouth. Although there's no reliable information to confirm this claim, stay on the safe side and avoid slippery elm if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Are there interactions with medications?

Moderate
Be cautious with this combination.
Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs)
Slippery elm contains a type of soft fiber called mucilage. Mucilage can decrease how much medicine the body absorbs. Taking slippery elm at the same time you take medications by mouth can decrease the effectiveness of your medication. To prevent this interaction, take slippery elm at least one hour after medications you take by mouth.

Are there interactions with herbs and supplements?

There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.

Are there interactions with foods?

There are no known interactions with foods.

How is it typically used?

There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of slippery elm might be. 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 a healthcare professional before using.

Other names

Indian Elm, Moose Elm, Olmo Americano, Orme, Orme Gras, Orme Rouge, Orme Roux, Red Elm, Sweet Elm, Ulmus fulva, Ulmus rubra.

Methodology

To learn more about how this article was written, please see the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database methodology.

References

  1. Zalapa JE, Brunet J, Guries RP. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for red elm (Ulmus rubra Muhl.) and cross-species amplification with Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila L.). Mol Ecol Resour. 2008 Jan;8:109-12. View abstract.
  2. Monji AB, Zolfonoun E, Ahmadi SJ. Application of water extract of slippery elm tree leaves as a natural reagent for selective spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of molybdenum(VI) in environmental water samples. Tox Environ Chem. 2009;91:1229-1235.
  3. Czarnecki D, Nixon R, Bekhor P, and et al. Delayed prolonged contact urticaria from the elm tree. Contact Dermatitis 1993;28:196-197.
  4. Zick, S. M., Sen, A., Feng, Y., Green, J., Olatunde, S., and Boon, H. Trial of Essiac to ascertain its effect in women with breast cancer (TEA-BC). J Altern Complement Med 2006;12:971-980. View abstract.
  5. Hawrelak, J. A. and Myers, S. P. Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16:1065-1071. View abstract.
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Last reviewed - 08/11/2021