May 2007

Ginseng, ginkgo biloba show no interference
with drug absorption

Ginseng and ginkgo biloba supplements, taken at recommended doses, do not interfere with prescription or ovoer-the-counter drugs, according to a recent study.

University of Kansas Medical Center scientist Dr. Gregory Reed spoke at Experimental Biology 2007 on May 1 about a study that found daily use of these supplements at the recommended doses, or the combination of both, are unlikely to alter the pharmacokinetics of the majority of prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

The study followed recent findings that the widely-used herbal supplement St. John’s Wort could dramatically affect the absorption and metabolism of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, which raised concerns that other popular herbal supplements might cause similar changes, thus significantly altering drugs’ therapeutic or toxic effects.

Reed’s presentation was part of the scientific program of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Studies in Reed’s laboratory continue to examine the effects of Saint John’s Wort on pharmacokinetics of prescription and nonprescription drugs, as well as the role of an individual’s genetic makeup in determining the magnitude of herbal supplement’s effects. The research was supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health.

Source: ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com

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