Turmeric and Medication Interactions
"On the Interaction between Turmeric and Drugs"
Turmeric, used in medicine, has always been valued by everyone. However, it may interfere with various drugs, which cannot be ignored.
The pharmacology of turmeric, the ingredients contained in turmeric, may be involved in the behavior of specific drugs in the body. First, turmeric has anti-coagulation effect. If it is used with anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, it may increase the risk of bleeding. Covering the fact that such drugs are originally used to block blood clots, the anticoagulation effect of turmeric is superimposed, which is easy to imbalance the coagulation mechanism. Such as warfarin, a commonly used anticoagulant in clinical practice, used in combination with turmeric, or prolonged coagulation time, causing bleeding symptoms, such as epistaxis, bleeding gums, and even visceral bleeding, endangering life.
Second, turmeric has an effect on the enzyme system of the liver. The enzymes of the liver are related to drug metabolism. Turmeric may speed up or slow down the metabolism of certain drugs. Such as statins, lipid-lowering drugs are metabolized by liver enzymes. If turmeric affects this enzyme, or causes the concentration of statins to change in the body. If the concentration is too high, it is easy to cause adverse reactions such as muscle pain and liver damage; if the concentration is too low, the drug effect is not reached, and it is difficult to control the blood lipid at the ideal level.
Furthermore, turmeric also has an effect on the gastrointestinal tract. It may affect the peristalsis and absorption of the gastrointestinal tract. If taken with drugs that depend on specific conditions for gastrointestinal absorption, the absorption may be blocked. Such as antibiotics, they need to be absorbed in a specific gastrointestinal environment. The effect of turmeric may change the gastrointestinal environment, resulting in poor absorption of antibiotics and weakened efficacy.
Doctors should carefully review the drugs taken by the patient and whether to use turmeric. Patients should also inform the doctor of the herbs and health products they use. If they contain turmeric, they should pay special attention. In this way, they can avoid the harm of the interaction between turmeric and drugs, ensure the safety and effectiveness of the medication, and make the medicine do its best to heal the disease and protect the well-being.
