Posted by Larry Hoover on August 14, 2007, at 10:47:48
In reply to Re: St. John's Wart vs. Statins, posted by DonnaT on August 14, 2007, at 10:10:16
> What I'm asking is . . . IS SJW contraindicative to statins to the point that they absolutely SHOULD NOT be taken together? And, IS THERE any other supplement, vitamin, or herb that provides the same benefits as St. John's Wort???
Simvastatin, the statin found in this combination med, is a substrate of the cytochrome 3A4 enzyme. Drugs that inhibit this enzyme can lead to toxic elevation of simvastatin. Grapefruit juice, as an example. SJW, in contrast, increases the function of 3A4. The interaction is in the opposite direction. If you take SJW with simvastatin, the result is decreased effectiveness of the statin. You might have to increase the dose, and/or the frequency of dosing, to maintain full efficacy. The only unknown is how strong the effect is, in your body. If your cholesterol numbers are good, right now, then IMHO you have nothing whatsoever to worry about.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:775740
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070808/msgs/776188.html