A number of herbal remedies may have unintentional adverse effects due to interactions with analgesic drugs.
Analgesic Drug |
Herbal Remedy/Effect |
Effect |
---|---|---|
NSAID (aspirin) |
antiplatelet |
bleeding |
NSAID (aspirin) |
coumarin |
bleeding |
aspirin |
tamarind (Tamarindus indica) |
bleeding |
acetaminophen |
salicylate containing (willow, meadowsweet) |
nephrotoxicity |
acetaminophen |
Echinacea, kava |
hepatotoxicity |
opiate |
sedative |
increased sedation |
opiate |
ginseng |
reduced analgesia |
Herbs with antiplatelet effect:
(1) ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L)
(2) garlic (Allium sativum)
(3) ginger (Gingiber officinale)
(4) bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
(5) dong quai (Angelica sinensis)
(6) feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
(7) ginseng
(8) tumeric (Curcuma longa)
(9) meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
(10) willow (Salix sp)
Herbs with coumarin:
(1) chamomile (Matricaria recutita, Chamaemelum mobile)
(2) motherworth (Leonurs cardiaca)
(3) horse chestnut (Aesculus hipposcastanum)
(4) fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graeum)
(5) red clover (Trifolium pratense)
Tamarind may increase bioavailability of aspirin, increasing its effect.
Specialty: Pharmacology, clinical