Over the past decade pharmacies have attempted to educate the public on the dangers of prescription drug interactions. The interaction of prescription drugs can be extremely dangerous to health. Many people are becoming more aware of this fact and are averting potential health risks.
What most people fail to realize is that herbs and herbal remedies are where many of the prescriptions drugs originated. They have effects on the body some of which are profound. They also interact with non-prescription and prescription drugs and the interactions need to be investigated prior to beginning a course of herbs.
Food Drug Interaction
Many foods can interact with medication and should be kept in mind for their healing properties. Although the reactions can be moderate over time, the build-up of certain foods can have an effect on the medications being taken.
Garlic is both a food and an herbal remedy. While garlic seems to be a wonder food there is also reason for some people to treat it with caution. The properties of garlic include:
- anti-thrombic
- anticoagulant
- hypotensor
- raises HDL
- vassodilator
Garlic interacts and can increase the efficacy of:
- Warfarin (also known as coumadin)
- Ticlopidine
Consumption of garlic in quantity or supplementing with garlic capsules is not recommended for people taking these medications.
Onions are part of the allium family and they share actions with garlic. They should also be avoided in quantity while taking anticoagulants cholesterol medications.
Aloe vera is spoken of with great respect in herbal medicine. It has many incredible benefits but it is also a substance to be used with caution. Aloe interacts with:
- corticosteroids
- aerobid
- aristocort
- azmacort
- beclomethasone
- cortef
- deltasone
- flonase
- nasacort
- nasalide
- prednisone
- pulmicort
- tobradex
- vancenase
- glyburide
- diabeta
- glibenclamide
- glyburide
- micronase
- Pres Tab
The above are only a few of the drug interactions of aloe. The main action of aloe is as an abortifacient. If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant do not take aloe in any form. Check the ingredients list on beauty products as well.
Cayenne is an analgesic and stimulant. It is known to interact with:
- ASPIRIN®
- Alka Seltzer
- anacin
- ASA
- darvan
- empirin with codeine
- percodan
- roxiprin
- soma compound
- soma compound with codeine
Ginger is a vasodilator and circulatory stimulant not recommended with:
- anasthetic
- heparin
- Warfarin
- chemotherapy
- ticlopidine
Herb Drug Interactions
The list of herb drug interactions is extremely long. The most common herbs which interact with drugs are:
- Echinacea, which improves immune response and therefore not recommended for use with chemotherapy and econazole.
- Dandelion, which is a liver support and powerful diuretic and is therefore not recommended with thiazide diuretics under any trade name, loop diuretics and spironolactone.
- Angelica (Dong quai), which is a circulatory stimulator and hormone regulator and is not recommended with heparin, Warfarin and ticlopidine.
- Ginkgo biloba, which is a vasodilator and circulatory stimulant and is not recommended with thiazide diuretics, warfarin, heparin, cyclosporine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, paroxetine and ticlopidine.
- St John's Wort, which is an anti-depressant and cardio tonic and is not recommended with tricyclic antidepressants, trazodone, venlafaxine, fluvoxamine, phenelzine and efazodone.
The list of herb drug interactions is long. Caution should be taken when combining herbs with vitamins and non-prescription drugs. For anyone wishing to combine herbs with prescription drugs, a qualified herbalist should be consulted as well as a doctor.
References:
Bartram Thomas FNIMH, Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, Marlow & Company New York
Schuyler W. Lininger Jr. DC, Gaby Alan R MD, Austin Steve ND, Batz Forrest PharmD, Yarnell Eric ND, Brown Donald J ND, Constantine George RPh, PhD, A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions,Healthnotes Prima Publishing California
Joy Borthwick - Joy has been a Chartered Herbalist since 2001 and obtained her Herbal Consulting degree in 2005 from Dominion Herbal College. She has been ...
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