by Eileen Swee Lian Goh

Created on: February 09, 2009   Last Updated: March 03, 2009

The healing power of herbs have been known since ancient times - many tinctures, for instance, are prepared from herbs such as cardamom, belladonna and jimson weed. Today, there is renewed interest in herbal remedies, giving rise to the increased risk of drug interactions between prescription medications and over-the-counter herbal preparations.

Herbal remedies can be divided into:-

1. Preparations Affecting the Bleeding/Clotting Time.

These prolong bleeding and increase the anti-coagulant effects of drugs such as aspirin, Coumadin (warfarin), Ticlid, Plavix and Persantine. Common examples are:

a) Gingko Biloba, an anti-oxidant, used for improving memory or cognition and blood circulation.

b) Garlic, used for reducing cholesterol. Garlic also enhances the actions of anti-diabetic medications, leading to an unwanted drop in the level of blood sugar.

c) Ginseng, used to combat stress, boost stamina, improve sexual function and lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Ginseng is a stimulant; its side-effects such as headaches, tremulousness, insomnia, palpitations and raised blood pressure are worsened by anti-asthma drugs such as corticosteroids as well as oestrogen-containing oral contraceptives. Ginseng also interferes with the actions and monitoring of the heart medication, digoxin.

d) Ginger, used to relieve indigestion, nausea, vomiting, joint pains or arthritis, menstrual cramps and common cold symptoms.

e) Feverfew, used in migraine treatment. Feverfew also increases the heart rate and raises blood pressure, countering the actions of anti-hypertensives as well as pain-killers such as aspirin and Ponstan (mefenamic acid).

f) Dong quai, used to treat "hot flushes" and other symptoms of menopause. Dong quai also interacts with sulfonamide- and quinolone-based antibiotics.

2. Preparations Affecting the Heart and Blood Vessels.

a) Ephedra ("ma huang"). The active ingredient in Ephedra is ephedrine, which is used as a decongestant in colds, to suppress appetite in "herbal fen-phen" preparations and as a stimulant to enhance athletic performance and aid body building as well as improve sexual function ("herbal Prozac").

Ephedra enhances the effects of caffeine as well as other decongestants and stimulants, and counters the actions of anti-hypertensive and sleep-inducing medications as well as drugs used to treat glaucoma and overactive thyroid glands.

b) Hawthorn. Used to lower blood cholesterol levels, Hawthorn enhances the actions of digoxin, causing an unwanted drop in heart

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