Biochemistry & Pharmacology: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-0501
+44-20-4587-4809
ISSN: 2167-0501
+44-20-4587-4809
Talha Jawaid
Accepted Abstracts: Biochem & Pharmacol
Herbal medicines are mixtures of more than one active ingredient. The multitude of pharmacologically active compounds obviously increases the likelihood of interactions taking place. Hence, the likelihood of herb-drug interactions is theoretically higher than drug-drug interactions, if only because synthetic drugs usually contain single chemical entities. Case reports and clinical studies have highlighted the existence of a number of clinically important interactions, although cause-and-effect relationships have not always been established. Herbs and drugs may interact either pharmacokinetically or pharmacodynamically. Through induction of cytochrome P-450 enzymes and/or P-glycoprotein, some herbal products (e.g. St. John?s wort) have been shown to lower the plasma concentration (and/or the pharmacological effect) of a number of conventional drugs, including cyclosporine, indinavir, irinotecan, nevirapine, oral contraceptives and digoxin. The majority of such interactions involve medicines that require regular monitoring of blood levels. To date, there is less evidence relating to the pharmacodynamic interaction. However, for many of the interactions discussed here, the understanding of the mechanisms involved is incomplete. Taking herbal agents may represent a potential risk to patients under conventional pharmacotherapy. Due to the growing use of herbals and other dietary supplements healthcare providers and consumers need to know whether problems might arise from using these preparations in combination with conventional drugs. The use of herbal products has dramatically increased over the past decade, driving physicians to become educated in regards to potential herbal complications and drug interactions. From 1990 to 1997, the herbal product market increased by 48%, with 42% of the population using alternative treatments and spending an estimated $27 billion on them. Herbal products are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and often make alluring but unsubstantiated claims. Herbal medicine appeals to consumers who believe that natural herbal products are preferable to synthetic pharmaceuticals.