Herb-drug interactions: Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic aspects in diabetes

Raghavendra Pai; Sanil Kumar R; Sanil Kumar

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is interwoven with various pathological pathways and causes. Diabetes and associated complications are not conquered with a solitary performance of the current allopathic medicine. Plant based medicine is being used from years to achieve utmost therapeutic efficacy in various ailments including diabetes. Because of their safety profile, the herbal medicine gained importance in the management of chronic diseases. The combination therapy of allopathy and herbal therapy is a beneficial approach in the management of diabetes. But, this is a double edged sword; few herbs can modify the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the hypoglycaemic agents and can affect the therapeutic outcome. So, it is important to account the herb-drug interactions, especially in diabetes. This work reviews the literature about the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters of herb-drug interaction reported in diabetes therapy that can guide health professionals to ameliorate the health of diabetics