Ginkgo Biloba Drug Interactions

Ginkgo biloba may cause significant interactions with many medications (too many to list). In fact, compared to most other herbal supplements (or even most medications), ginkgo biloba seems to be more prone to causing these interactions. Ginkgo biloba drug interactions may affect the way liver enzymes metabolize other drugs. This supplement may also cause negative interactions when combined with "blood-thinning" medications or diabetes medications.

 

An Introduction to Ginkgo Biloba Drug Interactions

Even though ginkgo biloba (ginkgo) is a natural product, it can potentially interact with several medications. In fact, ginkgo biloba may cause significant interactions with many medications, too many to list. Most ginkgo biloba drug interactions fall into the following categories:
 
  • Interactions that affect the way liver enzymes metabolize other drugs
  • Interactions that increase the risk of bleeding
  • Interactions with diabetes medications.
     
Ginkgo Biloba Interactions and Liver Enzymes
Many medications are metabolized (broken down) by enzymes in the liver. There are several different types of these enzymes. Research suggests that ginkgo biloba can affect the activity of some of these enzymes. This means that ginkgo biloba could increase or decrease the level of many other medications in the blood, making some medications less effective (or more toxic). If you take any medication, check with your healthcare provider before taking ginkgo biloba. This is especially important for certain drugs, such as heart medications, seizure medications, or birth control pills, as these interactions could lead to serious consequences.
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;