HomeAbout UsSubscribeResources & ContentArchives Info for Authors Reprints & Back IssuesContact UsAdvertising

Alternative Therapies Archives


  Click here to login or subscribe

September, 2009 - VOL. 15, NO. 5  September, 2009
Factors Associated With Potential Medication-Herb/Natural Product Interactions in a Rural Community
Susan J. Blalock, PhD;  Leigh F. Callahan, PhD;  Philip J. Gregory, PharmD;  Joanne M. Jordan, MD, MPH;  Linda L. Norton, PharmD;  Rajul A. Patel, PharmD, PhD
Objective: To examine the use of both herbs/natural products and conventional medications in a rural community, examine the prevalence of potential interactions between herbs/natural products and conventional medications, and identify factors associated with exposure to such interactions. Design: Population-based epidemiological study. Setting: Data for this paper were collected between 1999 and 2004 as part of the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project. Participants: Limited to civilian, noninstitutionalized, white or African American residents, age 45 years or older, of Johnston County, North Carolina. Data used in this paper are from 2523 individuals who completed face-to-face interviews. Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of herb/natural product use and exposure to potential interactions between these products and conventional medications. Results: Nineteen percent (n=488) of participants used at least 1 herb/natural product. Among those who used both conventional medications and herbs/natural products, more than 1 in 5 (97 [21.9%]) were using a combination of products associated with a potential interaction. Odds of exposure to a potential interaction were lower among people who had health insurance and increased with the number of products used. Conclusions: Many people are exposed to potential interactions between herbs/natural products and conventional medications. Research is needed to better understand the effect such interactions may have on patient care.
read entire article...
All contents © Copyright -2026 Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. All rights reserved. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine is a registered trademark.
All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions.





ATHM ONLINE ARTICLES
Most RecentMost Cited
  • Confirmation of the Efficacy of ERr 731 in Perimenopausal Women With Menopausal Symptoms
  • The Use of Botanicals During Pregnancy and Lactation
  • Frank Lipman, MD: Where Eastern Medicine Meets Western Medicine
  • A Possible Central Mechanism in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Part 3: The Role of Excitotoxin Food Additives and the . . .
  • Efficacy of Black Cohosh–containing Preparations on Menopausal Symptoms
  • Traditional Herbal Medicines (Kampo) in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving Concomitant Methotrexate
  • Antioxidants and Antiinflammatory Dietary Supplements for Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Narrative Review: The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health