Potential Herb-Drug Interactions in Older People
Julie Dergal, MSc
Kunin-Lunenfeld Applied Research Unit,
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care,
Toronto, ON.
Paula A. Rochon, MD, MPH, FRCPC
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care,
Assistant Professor of Medicine,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.
Introduction
The use of herbal medicines has recently gained a great deal of acceptance in North America. In 1996 in the United States, an estimated two billion dollars was spent on herbs, tablets, extracts, capsules, and teas, in health food stores.1 In 1997, Eisenberg conducted a telephone survey of 2055 people and found that 12% used herbal medicines, a 4-fold increase from 1991.2 Despite the widespread use of herbal medicines in North America, little research has examined the safety of these alternative medicines, particularly when taken in conjunction with conventional medicines. A common misconception about alternative medicines is that they are "natural" and are, therefore, safe. However, herbal medicines are marketed as dietary supplements and, as such, are not subject to the rigorous standards established for conventional drug therapies. This means that the quality and content of herbal medicines are largely unregulated and uncontrolled.
