Q4. How might concomitant administration of St. John’s wort affect the efficacy of drugs this patient is taking, such as oral contraceptives? Discuss another example of a possible drug interaction that might occur with St. John’s wort.

St. John’s wort is a herbal medicine used in the management of anxiety and depressive disorders. The use of St John’s wort herbal products alongside estrogen combined or progestogen-only hormonal contraceptives has been shown to decrease the effect of the contraceptives (Valmiro et al., 2021). This is because St John’s wort interacts with hormonal contraceptives, increasing the metabolism of the active ingredients, reducing the pill’s effectiveness, and increasing the risk of unplanned pregnancy. Therefore, oral contraceptive pills should not be taken with St John’s wort and related products. St. John’s wort also interacts with fluoxetine oral (Prozac), increasing the production of serotonin with a risk of increased blood pressure.

Q5. What is echinacea used for, and how is it taken?

Echinacea is a herbal supplement usually taken as a dietary supplement that has been used as an alternative drug for the treatment of infections such as the common cold. According to Catanzaro et al. (2018), echinacea is an herbal immune stimulant that helps strengthen the human immune system to offer more protection against infections. How echinacea is taken depends on how it has been prepared and recommended by a physician. The herbal supplement can be taken orally or topically applied.

Q6. Is it safe for this mother to give her child echinacea?

Echinacea is safe for children. However, care must be taken as some children may be allergic to the herbal supplement, which may result in unwanted and unexpected allergic reactions and health issues. The mother needs to first check whether the child has any allergies to echinacea products.

References

Buchy, P., Ascioglu, S., Buisson, Y., Datta, S., Nissen, M., Tambyah, P. A., & Vong, S. (2020). Impact of vaccines on antimicrobial resistance. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 90, 188-196.