Printed labels should be added to the herbal supplement St John's Wort so that people are aware it may interfere with other medicines.
This is according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which points out that some may be unaware that St John's Wort clashes with the contraceptive pill, some blood-thinning drugs and heart disease medication, the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) reports.
David Schardt, CSPI senior nutritionist, said warnings need to be added to all peelable labels for St John's Wort.
"Consumers need to know that St John's Wort and many commonly prescribed drugs simply don't mix," he added.
The organisaton suggests a black box on packaging listing the drugs with which the herbal supplement can clash.
St John's Wort is commonly used to treat depression, usually at a dose of 300mg of 0.3 per cent extract three times a day, EmedTV states.
Denny Bros Ltd, 14 November 2011
