St. John's wort and oral contraceptives: reasons for concern?
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is one of the best-selling herbal remedies in the United States. It has been implicated as an inducer of the P450 enzyme system, and as such, may cause increased metabolism of certain drugs, including oral contraceptives. Women using oral contraceptives have been warned against using St. John's wort. To date, there are some case reports but little clinical data demonstrating risk of contraceptive failure if they do. This article reviews available data and discusses theoretical reasons for concern about possible drug-herb interactions.
Murphy
Patricia Aikins
PA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D028321:Plant Preparations