Interactions between herbal remedies and medicinal drugs--considerations about Cuba.

The use of herbal products to treat a wide range of conditions is rapidly leading to increased intake of phytochemicals. This is one of the main reasons for reinforcing the surveillance of the safety, efficacy and quality control of traditional and complementary medicines. Herbal preparations can interact with a drug at pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and pharmacogenetic levels. In this article interactions between herbal products and conventional medicines are reviewed. Reports about side effects of traditional medicines and main interactions between herbal medicines and conventional drugs in Cuba are also included. Herbal products are currently not subject to the rigorous testing indispensable for conventional drugs. However, if potential drug interactions are to be predicted, it is essential that the ability of herbal products to interfere with drug-metabolizing enzyme systems is fully established.