Drug Interactions with Saint Johns Wort
Although it has been proven that Saint Johns Wort is an effective medication to treat mild depression, it is sensible to inform your doctor about its intake as the herb has interactions with various drugs.
Some of these interactions can be dangerous. It can affect the way the human body may break down or process certain drugs. It may slow down or speed up the breakdown of these drugs. This will help your physician to prescribe the right medication in safe dosage to ensure that you get both the complimentary and conventional therapy to treat your ailment.
Saint Johns Wort can have an interaction with the following drugs.
- Drugs used to treat HIV specifically Indinavir and maybe a few other similar drugs.
- Drugs used to treat cancer specifically Irinotecan and maybe a few other similar drugs.
- Cyclosporine, a very essential drug used to prevent the body from rejecting organ transplants
- Digoxin, a drug which is used to make the heart muscle stronger.
- Anticoagulants specifically Warfarin and perhaps a few other anticoagulants.
- Other antidepressants
- Pills used for birth control.
The interactions of Saint Johns Wort with the above mentioned groups of drugs as well as with other anti depressants can lead to dangerous consequences. It can also react with certain drugs and lead to the serotonin syndrome which can have toxic and even fatal effects in the Central Nervous System. Hence it is absolutely essential not to take Saint Johns Wort along with other commonly prescribed anti depressants like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors- SSRI and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors- MAOI. St. Johns Wort and serotonin has a synergistic effect. Hence if you take any other anti depressant please consultant a physician or naturopath.
