What to Know About Eucommia

Eucommia is an herb that comes from the Chinese rubber tree (Eucommia ulmoides). The plant contains various chemical compounds, including lignins, phenolics, flavonoids, and more.

Eucommia has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to support the endocrine system, improve kidney health, and strengthen bones and muscles. It is also said to prevent osteoporosis and enhance heart health.

While alternative medicine practitioners turn to eucommia to increase vitality and promote longevity, in the West, it is mostly known as a supplement to lower blood pressure. While marketed for use in several conditions, most research has been done in animals and is preliminary. There is not enough evidence that eucommia is beneficial in humans.

This article reviews eucommia, its side effects, and precautions to take if adding it to your supplement regimen.

Uses of Eucommia

Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian, pharmacist, or healthcare provider. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease.

The herb, also known as du zhong, is a rich source of antioxidants, lignans, and isoflavonoids—naturally occurring chemicals with hormone-like effects. Eucommia has been used and may be marketed for various uses, including sexual dysfunction, cancer, metabolic syndrome, neurological diseases, and more. However, most research is limited to animal testing and small clinical trials.

One clinical trial evaluated the effect of eucommia on high blood pressure. Most of the remaining research has been done on animals.

Since there is not enough research on eucommia, there are no current recommendations for using eucommia. Research on using eucommia for high blood pressure is included here as it was the only clinical trial found on eucommia in humans.

High Blood Pressure

A small study suggested that eucommina may help lower high blood pressure (hypertension).

For the study, 30 healthy adults took 1 gram (g) of eucommia three times daily for two weeks. At the study's end, the herb was shown to lower blood pressure by an average of 7.5/3.9 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) compared with the control group.

Another study included 24 healthy adults randomized to take 500 milligrams of eucommia extract three times daily for eight weeks. No toxicity or difference in blood pressure was found between the group taking eucommia and the control group in the study.

Additional research on humans is needed to validate these findings.

A meta-analysis of TCM for high blood pressure found that the addition of eucommia combined with traditional medicine was safe, effective, and superior compared to traditional medicine alone.

What Are the Side Effects of Eucommia?

Eucommia has been used in TCM for centuries with limited reports of side effects. One therapeutic trial of eucommia documented a few possible side effects, including:

• Moderately severe headache
• Dizziness
• Edema,
• Onset of a cold

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) warns that herbal products, in general, may be contaminated with toxic compounds, heavy metals, pesticides, or microorganisms. Manufacturing errors, in which one herb is mistakenly replaced with another, have also occurred. Therefore, it is important to be diligent when selecting products.

To ensure quality and safety, opt for supplements independently tested by a certifying body like the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF International, or ConsumerLab. The certification confirms that the supplement contains the ingredients and ingredient amounts listed on the product label.

Precautions

There are no data on the safety and efficacy of eucommia use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it is best to avoid supplementing.

You should also avoid eucommia if you are sensitive to any of the components found in the product.

Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements to determine whether it is safe for you.

Dosage: How Much Eucommia Should I Take?

Always speak with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs. 

There is no standard recommended dose of eucommia. In research studies, doses of up to 3 gram of eucommia daily were safe and well tolerated for up to two weeks. However, always follow the directions on the supplement label and your healthcare provider's recommendation.

What Happens If I Take Too Much Eucommia?

There is not much information available about the side effects of eucommia or the potential effects of taking too much. As a general rule of thumb, never take more than what is stated in the directions on the supplement label. Consult your healthcare provider if you're unsure how much you should take.

Interactions

Little is known about the safety of long-term or regular use of eucommia. There are no documented drug interactions.

However, people taking the following medications should consult their healthcare provider before using eucommia due to the theoretical potential for interactions:

• Diabetes medications
• High blood pressure medications
• Anticoagulants
• Antiplatelets
• Thrombolytics

How to Store Eucommia

Store supplements at room temperature and away from light, such as in a kitchen cabinet, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Supplements and medications should always be stored out of reach for children.

Sources of Eucommia and What to Look For

Dietary supplements containing eucommia extract are sold in some natural-foods stores and shops specializing in herbal products, as well as online.

In addition to capsules, eucommia is sold in extract, tea, and dry forms.

These products may contain extracts from the leaf, stem, bark, and flower of the plant. You may want to seek out options that are predominantly or solely made from the bark, as most of the research done on this herb focuses on that component.

Eucommia also comes as a tea made from the leaves and bark of the eucommia tree. Eucommia tea is said to taste slightly bitter and slightly sweet, and it is commonly served with milk and sugar. Steep loose herbs or teabags in hot water for two to four minutes.

Always look for products that have been third-party tested.

Summary

Eucommia is an herbal product that has been used for centuries in TCM, but there is little scientific evidence to support its use in the treatment or prevention of any disease. While preliminary research shows that eucommia may help lower blood pressure in humans, more clinical trials are needed before it can be recommended.

Always discuss your supplement regimen with your healthcare provider.