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Ginkgo Biloba And Drug Interactions |
The ginkgo biloba tree has been around for more than 200 million years. And it has been used for all sorts of health issues in China beginning 5000 years ago. By the 1600’s, ginkgo biloba was thought to have died out but a German botanist found that in the pagoda gardens cared for by the Buddhist monks in China, it was still very much alive. At present, the plant can be found all over the world including Europe where it is used a great deal for its various healing properties.
If a person takes certain medications in combination with ginkgo biloba, the affects of could be either positive or negative. Therefore it is important to proceed with caution and consult a doctor to avoid ginkgo drug interaction issues. Ginkgo biloba drug interactions may positively affect a person when combined with cyclosporine drugs. This interaction guards the cell membrane from damage. A drug like papaverine, that is used to cure erectile dysfunctions, will also benefit from the ginkgo drug interaction. It improves the success rate of the drug because the ginkgo biloba has similar properties. Another possible positive affect of the combination of drugs and ginkgo biloba is the increase in the affects of the anti depressant drug, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) in patients. This affect may go either way though so one has to be careful.
There are other drugs that work badly with ginkgo biloba. In these rare instances, you must be careful and follow your doctor’s advice. One such area is the drug interaction with ginkgo biloba that may decrease the affect of drugs such as carbamazepine or valproic acid. These drugs are anticonvulsants taken by patients to help with seizures.
Ginkgo drug interactions have an impact on anyone who is using anti-coagulant medications. Ginkgo has blood thinning or anticoagulant properties. If you are taking drugs such as clopidogrel, heparin, ticlopidine, warfarin or dipyridamole you should avoid ginkgo biloba supplements.
People who are suffering with high blood pressure could be affected by the ginkgo biloba and drug interaction especially if they are using thiazide during treatment. Then there is trazodone, another antidepressant, in this instance, the drug and ginkgo biloba interaction may cause a coma. If you take only recommended amounts of ginkgo biloba and avoid the plant extract when there could be a negative interaction with other drugs, you should be fine.
If you have any concerns or questions about the safety of taking ginkgo biloba supplements while you are taking other medication, then you should discuss the issue with your physician who will be able to advise you based on your particular medical situation.
Sarah Thomas is an established freelance writer. You can find more of her writing at ginkgobilobasource.com and herbalwire.com. |
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