A traditional Indian herbal, long believed to lower cholesterol levels, may interfere with nearly 60 per cent of prescription drugs, including the popular anti-cholesterol drugs statins, according to recent research.In a preliminary study, researchers at the University of Kansas, US, found that guggulsterone, the active ingredient in the herbal remedy gugulipid, caused changes in the cells that induce the body to break down many drugs, including cancer and AIDS medications. To investigate whether it was safe to take guggulsterone with prescription medicines, scientists led by Dr. Jeff Staudinger examined the effects of guggulsterone on liver cells. Staudinger suggested that guggulsterone interacts with drugs by binding to a protein called pregnane X receptor (PXR). This then induces the body to “turn on” a gene that encodes another protein that breaks down many different types of drugs, thereby reducing their levels in the body. Staudinger added that some anticancer drugs, such as cyclophosphamide, need to be broken down by PXR to become active. Guggulsterone may interfere by increasing that process and raising levels of the drugs in the body. Moreover, guggulsterone appears to also turn some other drugs, such as acetaminophen, into toxic compounds. However, Staudinger noted that guggulsterone has been used for years, and is probably safe for those not taking prescription medications. “Our data suggested that gugulipid therapy should be used cautiously in patients taking prescription medications,” he concluded, adding that there was a need for additional studies of guggulsterones. This study was published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
