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Possible Interactions with: Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle; Silybum marianum; St. Mary's Thistle

If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use milk thistle without first talking to your healthcare provider.

  • Antipsychotics -- includes butyrophenones (such as haloperidol) and phenothiazines (such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, and promethazine)
  • Phenytoin -- a medication used for seizures
  • Halothane -- a medication used during general anesthesia

Milk thistle may interfere with the following medications, because both milk thistle and these medications are broken down by the same liver enzymes:

  • Allergy drugs -- such as fexofenadine (Allegra)
  • Drugs for high cholesterol -- such as lovastatin (Mevacor, Altocor)
  • Anti-anxiety drugs -- including alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan)
  • Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs (blood thinners) -- including clopidogrel (Plavix) and warfarin (Coumadin)
  • Some cancer drugs
 

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          Review Date: 6/13/2007  

          Reviewed By: Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D., private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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