ginkgo biloba
4 interactions related to ginkgo biloba
phenytoin + ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba can induce CYP2C19, an enzyme involved in clearing phenytoin, which may lower phenytoin blood levels and raise the risk of breakthrough seizures. A published fatal case report described subtherapeutic phenytoin and valproate levels in a patient who had been self-administering ginkgo. Ginkgo also carries its own seizure-related signal. If you take phenytoin, avoid ginkgo and review any supplement changes with your doctor or pharmacist.
warfarin + ginkgo
Warfarin and ginkgo act on clotting through different pathways, raising a plausible but not firmly proven bleeding concern.
ibuprofen + ginkgo
Ibuprofen reduces platelet aggregation through COX-1 inhibition, and Ginkgo biloba has antiplatelet activity through ginkgolide B's antagonism of platelet-activating factor. Used together they can compound the effect on platelets and raise bleeding risk; a fatal intracerebral hemorrhage has been reported in a long-term ginkgo user who started regular ibuprofen.
ginkgo + phosphatidylserine
Pairing a standardized ginkgo biloba extract with phosphatidylserine appears to improve absorption of ginkgo's active fraction. In one small placebo-controlled crossover trial, the ginkgo-phosphatidylserine complex produced modest improvements in memory performance and speed in healthy young adults, where the same dose of ginkgo alone did not.