Commonly find out in a variety of medicines , from those used to handle HIV to fungal infections , St John ’s wort is very useful , butit has been foundto interfere with a particular emergency brake contraceptive pill dictate by doctors commonly taken after unprotected sex , or when usual contraceptives go .
The contraceptive in question is a drug known as levonorgestrel , an emergency anovulant that can be take within three days after unprotected gender for prevent unwanted pregnancy . But nowresearchers have foundthat ingredient in other unrelated drug , such as St John ’s wort , can interact with levonorgestrel and make it importantly less efficacious .
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA)has issued an information sheetfor those who may be affected by the new determination . They recommend that anyone taking any drugs that contain St John ’s wort as an ingredient to order your doctor if you ’ve been using them within the last four week . These drugs include those dictate for epilepsy , T.B. , HIV , fungal infections , or other herbal curative that might hold in excerption of the plant life .
St John ’s wort ( Hypericum perforatum ) is a plant found across much of Europe , Asia , and North America , and contains an alive compound called hypericin . The industrial plant is commonly used as a herbal remedy to regale natural depression , anda Cochrane reviewthat assessed 29 randomized ensure trials of the plant ground that it was good than a placebo at treating major depression , being as effective as standard antidepressant drug , and designate few side result .
The MHRA recommend that if a woman is call for any of the drugs implicated , and also ask emergency contraception , then they should consider other types , such as the coil . This is a cop intrauterine twist inserted into the womb , and is not live to interpose with other medications . instead , look at that St John ’s wort makes levonorgestrel less effective , they have also suggested that mass can double their dose , which should be taken at the same time .
“ Our new patient information sheet provides selective information on what type of medicines could interfere with how the emergency preventative whole works , ” explicate Dr Sarah Branch , the deputy sheriff director of MHRA ’s Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines Division , to BBC News . “ It tell women what footstep they postulate to take to guarantee they receive the correct dose . The sooner that pinch contraception is conduct after unprotected intercourse , the honest it works . ”
