July 12, 2004 – People with heart disease who combine warfarin and ginseng should tell their doctor. Indeed, a study1 small scale shows that the popular herbal medicine reduces the blood thinning effect of warfarin, also sold as Coumadin.
Researchers at the University of Chicago’s Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research made the discovery after conducting a four-week clinical study with 20 healthy people. During the first week, all participants took warfarin. Then, during the second week, 12 people took ginseng capsules while the other 8 took a placebo.
The results of the blood tests revealed a lower level of warfarin in the blood of those who had taken ginseng, compared to the other participants. According to the researchers, the drug would thus lose some ability to prevent the formation of blood clots.
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
According to CBC
1. Yuan CS et al, Brief Communication: American Ginseng Reduces Warfarin’s Effect in Healthy Patients. A Randomized, Controlled Trial, Annals of Internal Medicine, Flight. 141, July 2004, 23-27.
