⚠ Active warning — SupplementIndex Safety Review: Phytolaccatoxin. GI hemorrhage, seizures.
📰Read the full Pokeweed evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.⚠ DANGEROUS — see overview [1]
ℹ️ Not obtained from food. Not applicable — this substance is not a dietary nutrient and should not be consumed as food.
🔬 Lab interpreter
ℹ️ No validated blood test. There is no established laboratory test to assess status or guide dosing for this ingredient. Clinical response and symptoms are the practical guide.
⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Pokeweed causes hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, hemolysis, and immunotoxicity. One of the MOST COMMON plant poisonings in the US. All parts toxic (roots worst). Young shoots edible ONLY after extensive boiling (3 water changes). Marketed as 'immune stimulant' supplement — the 'stimulant' is actually a toxic mitogen [1].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
AVOID [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
ABSOLUTELY NOT [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Consult specialist
Dose adjustment may be needed in renal impairment.
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose
How to take
🍽 Timing: DO NOT USE [1].
💊 With food: N/A [1].
🚫 Avoid: COMPLETELY [1].
2 Which form?
| Form | Bioavailability | Vegan | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ['See overview', 'restricted/banned', 'See overview [1].'] | Standard | Check label |
3 Common questions
DANGER ▼
Pokeweed causes hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, hemolysis, and immunotoxicity. One of the MOST COMMON plant poisonings in the US. All parts toxic (roots worst). Young shoots edible ONLY after extensive boiling (3 water changes). Marketed as 'immune stimulant' supplement — the 'stimulant' is actually a toxic mitogen [1].
4 Clinical evidence
Strong
See overview [1]. HIGH
Moderate
See overview [1]. MODERATE
Insufficient
See overview [1]. LOW
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events
Absolute contraindications
✕ Should not be ingested — phytolaccatoxin causes severe vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and, in quantity, fatal poisoning
✕ All uses, especially the root and mature plant
✕ Children
Relative
⚠ Even handling can cause skin/blood absorption in sensitive people
🚩 Red flags
● DANGEROUS — see overview [1]
6 Interactions
Drug interactions
See overview Lethal/major
Action: DO NOT USE [1].
7 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Pokeweed — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Sep 01]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/pokeweed/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Pokeweed — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/pokeweed/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: March 2027
References: 1 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Pokeweed — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/pokeweed/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG