Patients on psychotropic medications and herbal supplement combinations: clinical considerations.

Populations using herbs and herbal preparations are widespread and growing. As many herbal ingredients exert actions on psychotropic drug targets, psychiatrists should be well informed and aware of potential drug-drug interactions in clinical practice. Reliable and clinically useful information in this area, however, is fragmented, if not deficient. This paper reviewed the clinical aspects of herb-drug interactions, focusing in particular on the monoamine oxidase enzyme and P450 cytochrome enzyme-inhibitory properties of herbs and their potential interference with psychotropic drug actions and clinical judgement.