Herbal Product Use and Drug-Herbal Product Interactions in Patients with Chronic Diseases

Authors : Eyüp Can Polat, Sefa Gözcü

Pages : 145-156

Doi:10.55262/fabadeczacilik.1564728

View : 30 | Download : 23

Publication Date : 2025-03-25

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Herbal products are frequently used to prevent and treat diseases in the community. Although they are considered safe because they are natural, the simultaneous use of herbal products with medications may cause drug-related problems and negatively affect therapeutic outcomes. Our study aimed to determine the herbal product use rates of patients with chronic diseases and the interactions of the herbal products used with drugs. This study is a cross-sectional survey conducted in a community pharmacy. The surveys included questions about patients’ demographics, existing diseases, use of medicines, and herbal products. Drug-herbal product interactions were examined through drug databases, monographs and printed books. 93 of 148 patients included in the study were using herbal products. Most of the patients in the study were diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes. The use of herbal products was found to be positively correlated with undergraduate educational status, asthma, COPD, diabetes, and anxiety (p<0.05). The herbal product that was most used and had the most drug interactions was garlic. The majority of drug-herbal product interactions were determined by the \\\"drugs.com\\\" interaction checking tool and the WHO monographs. Based on our findings, clinical pharmacists should organize training programs on drug-herbal product interactions for pharmacists working in community pharmacies, and the knowledge level of these pharmacists should be improved. Providing counseling services to patients on the use of herbal products in community pharmacies can help ensure the rational use of these products and reduce the frequency of drug-herbal product interactions.
Keywords : ilaç-bitkisel ürün etkileşimi, klinik eczacılık, kronik hastalık