Echinacea and drug interactions

[Guest guest]

From: Krystyna Krzyzak

In the British Medical Journal's series on complementary medicine last

year, the review of herbal medicine carried a table of potential

interactions between a number of herbs and conventional drugs. Echinacea

(and zinc), as immunostimulants), were cited as having potentially

antagonistic effects against immunosuppressants such as corticosteroids.

Echinacea was also cited as causing potential hepatotoxicity if used for

longer than 8 weeks with anabolic steroids.

BMJ is free online (www.bmj.com). This particular feature was written by

Vickers and Zollman, October 16, 1999.

Cheers,

Krystyna