The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7198 p694-696
18 May 2002

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European Society of Clinical Pharmacy summary

Antiretroviral-herbal interactions

Asking patients with HIV if they are taking herbal medicines is important, say Spanish researchers. Of 1,265 patients with HIV, 11 per cent were taking both antiretroviral and herbal medicines. The most common herbal drugs were royal jelly, valerian, echinacea, ginseng and St John's wort. The researchers point out that St John's wort interacts with protease inhibitors (enhanced effect) and that echinacea is contraindicated in HIV because of its effect on the immune system.