Chinese Herbs and Birth Control Pills

[Guest guest]

One of my patients asked me about interactions of chinese herbs and

birth control pills. I do not remember any training that spoke to this

issue, nor have I seen any literature addressing this issue. An

internet search brought up a study on St. John's Wort interfering with

birth control pills (European Study). Does anyone have any words of

wisdom on this topic?

 

Thanks,

 

Dallas Cox, LAc

dallasacupuncture

[Guest guest]

Hi Dallas,

 

A couple of years ago, it was revealed that St. John's Wort binds to some of the

same receptor sites in the liver as many pharmaceutical medications - thereby

inhibiting their ability to effectively do what they are supposed to do. Birth

control pills are in this category.

 

 

 

 

dallasacupuncture <dallasacupuncture wrote:

One of my patients asked me about interactions of chinese herbs and

birth control pills. I do not remember any training that spoke to this

issue, nor have I seen any literature addressing this issue. An

internet search brought up a study on St. John's Wort interfering with

birth control pills (European Study). Does anyone have any words of

wisdom on this topic?

 

Thanks,

 

Dallas Cox, LAc

dallasacupuncture

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various professional services, including board

approved continuing education classes, an annual conference and a free

discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

However, this is a single herb, used in large doses that does this.

Not pattern-based prescriptions. Also, this is theoretical and

hasn't been clinically confirmed.

 

 

 

On May 11, 2005, at 3:37 PM, wrote:

 

> Hi Dallas,

>

> A couple of years ago, it was revealed that St. John's Wort binds

> to some of the same receptor sites in the liver as many

> pharmaceutical medications - thereby inhibiting their ability to

> effectively do what they are supposed to do. Birth control pills

> are in this category.

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

On May 11, 2005, at 6:37 PM, wrote:

> A couple of years ago, it was revealed that St. John's Wort binds

> to some of the same receptor sites in the liver as many

> pharmaceutical medications - thereby inhibiting their ability to

> effectively do what they are supposed to do.

 

Well not quite. St. John's Wort, ethanol, and a litany of other

herbs and foods bind to a receptor in the liver to express the P450

cytochromes (most well known CYP3A). These cytochromes are used for

phase I or II detox thereby metabolizing the drugs and reducing their

efficacy.

There is no reason to believe that CHM herbs wouldn't cause a similar

expression of P450 cytochromes and reduce the amount of circulating

BCP hormones.

 

--george

>

> dallasacupuncture <dallasacupuncture wrote:

> One of my patients asked me about interactions of chinese herbs and

> birth control pills. I do not remember any training that spoke to

> this

> issue, nor have I seen any literature addressing this issue. An

> internet search brought up a study on St. John's Wort interfering with

> birth control pills (European Study). Does anyone have any words of

> wisdom on this topic?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Dallas Cox, LAc

> dallasacupuncture

Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various professional services,

> including board approved continuing education classes, an annual

> conference and a free discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>>Well not quite. St. John's Wort, ethanol, and a litany of other

herbs and foods bind to a receptor in the liver to express the P450

cytochromes (most well known CYP3A). These cytochromes are used for

phase I or II detox thereby metabolizing the drugs and reducing their

efficacy.

 

 

Cytochrome P450 relates to Phase I detoxification. Phase II involves linking the

metabolites of that process with other molecules to carry them thru the

intestines and out, AFAIK.

 

I would like to see evidence that other herbs upregulate the CYP3A process like

St. John's Wort does.

 

Ann

 

 

There is no reason to believe that CHM herbs wouldn't cause a similar

expression of P450 cytochromes and reduce the amount of circulating

BCP hormones.

 

--george