Cashew Interactions Overview

Check For Interactions With Cashew

Cashew

Also known as
  • Anacardium occidentale
  • Acajou oil
  • Anacarde
  • Anacardier
  • Anacardo
  • Cajou
  • Cajuil
  • Cashew Oil
  • East Indian Almond
  • Kaju
  • Marañon
  • Noix d'Anacarde
  • Noix-Cajou
  • Noix de Cajou
  • Oleum Anacardiae
  • Pomme-Cajou
Cashew Cashews are a type of tree nut native to Central and South America. Cashew nuts are commonly eaten as food and are a good source of nutrients, including protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. They are particularly rich in antioxidants. Some research suggests that consuming nuts like cashews may help to reduce the risk of heart disease, but unlike many tree nuts, cashews have a high amount of a type of saturated fat, known as stearic acid. Due to this, cashew products are not approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to make the health claim that they can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
There are 84 drugs known to interact with Cashew

Additional Details

Is Cashew Safe? Are There Any Warnings?

Cashew is considered safe when used in commonly found food amounts. It has been given Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for use in foods in the US. However, when used in medicinal amounts, cashew may cause mild adverse effects such as constipation, bloating, weight gain, fatigue, and allergic responses in some individuals. Large intakes of cashew nuts may lead to oxalate nephropathy in rare cases. It is also important to note that there is insufficient information regarding the safety of medicinal amounts of cashew during pregnancy and lactation, so it is best to avoid using it in these situations.

How Is Cashew Thought to Work? What Is the Mechanism of Action?

Cashew nuts contain monounsaturated fatty acids that are believed to contribute to their health benefits. Cashew has several mechanisms of action that may explain its effects:

1. Antibacterial effects: Cashew nut extract has shown effectiveness against various bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in laboratory studies.

2. Anti-inflammatory effects: Cashew nuts have been found to attenuate inflammation-induced changes in mouse models, reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines and neutrophil infiltration.

3. Antioxidant effects: Cashew nuts have antioxidant properties, which help reduce oxidative stress caused by inflammation.

4. Glycemic effects: Consumption of cashew nut seed flour has been shown to modestly improve glycated hemoglobin levels in children with moderate malnutrition.

5. Hepatic effects: Consumption of roasted cashew nuts has been found to increase liver fat in a rat model of dyslipidemia.

6. Lipid effects: Cashew has potential for lowering LDL cholesterol, but evidence in humans is mixed. In dyslipidemic rats, consumption of roasted cashew nuts increases total cholesterol levels but decreases triglyceride levels and increases HDL cholesterol levels.

7. Weight loss effects: In a rat model of dyslipidemia, consumption of roasted cashew nuts reduces visceral fat and increases fecal fat excretion. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind cashew's effects.

Pharmacokinetics

When consumed, cashew increases levels of oleic acid in the plasma. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid found in cashew nuts.

Interaction Overview

Cashew has a moderate interaction with antidiabetes drugs. Eating a diet high in cashew might increase fasting blood glucose levels. Therefore, caution should be exercised when combining cashew with antidiabetes drugs, as it could potentially reduce the effects of these medications. Dosing adjustments for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents may be necessary. There are no known interactions with supplements or other conditions.

Common Side Effects to Watch For

Common side effects of cashew include constipation, bloating, weight gain, fatigue, and allergic responses in some individuals. However, these side effects are rare.

Are Supplements Standardized?

There is insufficient information available regarding the standardization of cashew supplements.

Drugs that interact with Cashew

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Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

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