Tip of the day: Be aware of herb-drug interactions

Did you know that St. John's wort can make your birth-control pills and many other drugs ineffective? The supplement causes the liver and intestines to produce higher levels of an enzyme that processes many drugs, causing them to move through your system more quickly. As a result, less of the drug may reach the bloodstream. Goldenseal, which is often packaged with echinacea to treat colds and gastrointestinal problems, can have the opposite effect. It enhances certain drugs, such as antidepressants and beta blockers, which can lead to toxic blood levels.

Read more about risky herb-drug interactions, and take a look at our Interaction Checker (subscribers only) to find out which natural medicines interact with your prescription drugs.

Comments

[Rita]

Savvy consumers watch out for two in one drugs. I’ve seen ads on TV for Caduet. It has two ingredients. One is Amlodipine and the other is Atorvastatin. With my RxDrugCard I can get 30 tablets of Amlodipine for $9 and 30 tablets of Simvastatin for $9. I’ll bet they are charging more than $18 for this new drug! The unthinking public is going to pressure their doctors into giving them something just because it’s new, when something old or generic would do the job for cheaper.

[James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.]

Thanks,
That's very useful info.
Always tell your doctor about any herbs, supplements you are taking. Your body cannot tell the difference if it is prescribed or otc.