The patient had undergone thousands of dollars of MRIs and CAT scans of his lower abdomen and pelvis, which had not revealed the reason for the bleeding, and the test was the next diagnostic step. Grossberg asked if the patient had changed anything — perhaps had started taking a new medication. No new medicine. Then the patient's wife pulled from her purse a vial containing a supplement she had purchased from the health food store to enhance memory.
Both husband and wife had started taking the herbal memory enhancer, which largely contained ginkgo biloba. He had no awareness of this. I told him to stop taking the herb and get rechecked before having cystoscopy.
The bleeding stopped, and he didn't need the test. Grossberg ticks off other common herbs that people take without realizing their side effects or how they might interact with medications.
John's wort sometimes is taken for anxiety and depression. Those who also are taking antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications, such as Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil, should beware.
Mixing St. John's wort with these medicines can cause serotonin syndrome -- with symptoms that may include agitation, rapid heart beat, flushing and heavy sweating -- that may be fatal. If you are epileptic or prone to seizures, avoid ginkgo.
Large amounts of ginkgotoxin can cause seizures. Ginkgotoxin is found in ginkgo seeds and, to a lesser extent, ginkgo leaves. If you are older, have a bleeding disorder or are pregnant, don't take ginkgo. The supplement might increase your risk of bleeding.
If you're planning to have surgery, stop taking ginkgo two weeks beforehand. Ginkgo might interfere with the management of diabetes. If you take ginkgo and have diabetes, closely monitor your blood sugar levels. Some research has shown that rodents given ginkgo had an increased risk of developing liver and thyroid cancers. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health.
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Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. It helps treat disorders associated with a decrease in serotonin signalling. For example, since serotonin plays an important role in emotional regulation and helps improve your mood, SSRIs such as Zoloft can help treat some forms of depression.
Since many compounds -- including vitamins and other compounds found in dietary supplements -- also affect the levels of serotonin in your brain, combining Zoloft with some herbs can prove harmful. One herb that boosts your serotonin levels is St. John's wort. Ginkgo biloba might also help treat depression in some cases -- taking the herb helps reduce depression in Alzheimer patients, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Taking St. John's wort or ginkgo biloba along with Zoloft might raise the levels of serotonin in your brain to a dangerous level, causing serotonin syndrome. Serotonin signalling resulting from interactions between Zoloft and herbal supplements causes a number of symptoms and can even prove fatal.
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