Evening Primrose Oil Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Evening Primrose Oil, including details on health benefits, side-effects, pregnancy, inducing labor, homeopathy.

Drug-herb interactions with herbal medicines for menopause.

Huntley A

Research Fellow, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth.

Herbal medicine is one of most popular choices of complementary therapies for women, particularly as an alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms. The most commonly used herbal medicines for the menopause is probably black cohosh (Actaea/Cimcifuga racemosa); other preparations used include red clover (Trifolium pratense), dong quai (Angelica sinesis) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis). Some of these herbal medicines have a very good safety profile with little or no suggestion of interaction with conventional drugs. For others, there are many and significant drug-herb interactions. This article outlines the major known and theoretical drug-herb interactions of herbal medicines thought to be of benefit for menopausal symptoms, as well as discussing the implications for the medical profession.

Published 25 January 2005 in J Br Menopause Soc, 10(4): 162-5.
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