Back to October 2004: Complementary and Holistic Treatments
Cautions with St. John's Wort, others?
- Question from Susie: Are there any cautions that should be considered with St. John's Wort or any of the other complementary medications?
- Answer —Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. : We need to be very respectful of the body and the way it handles drugs. In addition, interactions with complementary therapies have been shown. For example, St. John's Wort, to use the example Dr. Benor gave, has been shown to decrease the effectiveness of irinotecan, a new chemotherapy agent.
In addition, ginko biloba is a blood thinner and may be ill-advised in some patients going to surgery or with a bleeding tendency. Don't hesitate to talk with your treating oncologist and surgeon about what you are taking, both prescription and non-prescription drugs, so that you can receive the best treatment from all of your providers.