TUESDAY, March 24 (HealthDay News) — People taking the immunosuppressant cyclosporine should avoid consuming licorice because it may weaken the drug’s effectiveness and possibly lead to deadly consequences, new research suggests.
Chemists in Taiwan report that lab rats taking cyclosporine — commonly used to help prevent organ rejection in transplant patients — who were feed licorice or its main active ingredient, glycyrrhizin, did not absorb the medication well. For a transplant patient on cyclosporine, lowered levels of the medication could lead to rejection of the new organ, followed by illness and even death, said the researchers, who were to present their findings Tuesday at the American Chemical Society’s annual meeting in Salt Lake City.
“I would suggest that transplant patients avoid taking licorice,” researcher Pei-Dawn Lee Chao, a chemist at China Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan, said in an American Chemical Society news release.
The researchers, who are trying to determine why licorice interfered with the drug’s absorption, said they didn’t know how much licorice might cause a toxic reaction in humans.
Cyclosporine is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile myositis and various skin conditions, and it is known to interact poorly with some medicines, foods and herbs. St. John’s wort, onions and ginger, for example, can also lower cyclosporine levels in the blood, while grapefruit juice can sending cyclosporine levels soaring.
Licorice has been reported to possibly interfere with high blood pressure medications, aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, insulin and oral contraceptives. The herb has been popular in folk medicine for centuries and is used by some combat stomach ulcers, bronchitis and sore throat. Because of its sweetness, glycyrrhizin is sometimes used in candy, teas and other foods.
More information
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has more about licorice.
— Kevin McKeever
SOURCE: American Chemical Society, news release, March 24, 2009
Last Updated: March 24, 2009
Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Comments (1)
Hi there,
I am a nutritionist but occasionally do research for a free, online software program (My Med Schedule). They are working on a few articles like these, to help patients stay on a healthy path. Of course, this is extremely important for transplant patients. I am always concerned by the amount of out of date information that is being provided to patients.
This article is interesting. It may be important to point out though, that licorice, unless being supplemented, is not typically used in “licorice” flavored foods. In fact, fennel or anise bulb is (or artificial flavoring)– which does not have the same effects as the real thing.
Regardless, this is interesting information that they should link to on their site. The program creates cool medication schedule regimens, for people, like O.T. patients, that are typically on a lot of medications.
I am proud of the site (MyMedSchedule.com) because it is free, and so helpful!
Currently, it is being used by a number of Visiting Nurses, (in addition to hospitals, doctors, etc). Patients can sign up, log in (HIPPA compliant), click the medication they are using.. and then print out their very own regimen, and tape it to the fridge… put it in their pocket… even receive text reminders!!
Check it out, I do not think you will be disappointed.
The information provided here is awesome.
Thanks,
Lauren