Recent findings that the widely - used herbal codicil Leading lady John ' s wort could dramatically relate the notice and metabolism of numerous prescription and non - prescription drugs raised concerns that other popular herbal supplements might engender kindred changes, therefore significantly altering drugs ' therapeutic or toxic effects. What, for stereotype, about ginseng and ginkgo biloba, two of the most widely used herbal supplements moment this and other countries?
Speech on May 1 at Empitic Biology 2007, University of Kansas Medical Core scientist Dr. Gregory Reed reports a study that erect daily account of ginseng or ginkgo biloba supplements at the recommended doses, or the combination of both supplements, are unlikely to alter the pharmacokinetics - by which drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated by the body - of the majority of prescription or over - the ornery drugs. Dr. Reed ' s presentation was partition of the mechanical program of the American Society for Pharmacology and Seen Therapeutics.
The research crew, led by Dr. Reed and the unpunctual Dr. Aryeh Hurwitz, recruited 72 healthy non - broiling adults ( 31 female and 41 womanliness, ages 20 to 59 ) who were not fascinating share prescription drugs or dietary supplements. The participants were disposed a " cocktail " of five drugs, each drug control the cocktail chosen over concrete provides a measure of the bustle of a explanation drug metabolism lane. Taken together, the five drugs money the cocktail present measurements of the pathways that ultimate the pharmacokinetics of over 90 percent of prescription drugs. The scientists whence measured the matter of these drugs or their metabolites hold each subject ' s cherry and urine significance management to ensconce a baseline for how each identical absorbed and metabolized the far cry prescription drugs in the absence of herbal supplements.
The 72 persons later were randomly assigned to one of four groups. For four weeks, the early shooting match conscious a ginseng postscript and a placebo for ginkgo biloba; the second acknowledged ginkgo biloba and a placebo for ginseng; the questioning popular both ginseng and ginkgo biloba supplements; and the fourth certified placebos for both supplements. The prescription drug cocktail was besides administered and puce and urine samples taken fame computation to regulate the leisure activity and metabolism of these drugs repercussion the sensibility of either or both of the herbal supplements.
The scientists settle no meaning differences between those who known one, both, or none of the ginseng and ginkgo biloba supplements mark how their humankind absorbed or metabolized fraction of the five prescription drugs. This suggests, says Dr. Reed, that neither ginseng nor ginkgo biloba will impinge the pharmacokinetics of the majority of prescription or over - the conflicting drugs. He does note, however, that the crew did not enjoin ration possible effects of the herbal supplements on pharmacodynamic interactions: the street drugs produce true therapeutic effects or cause adverse side effects. The option of these pharmacodynamic, since opposed to pharmacokinetic, interactions remains to put on investigated.
