Horsetail Drug Interaction Question

Answer

Thanks so much for reaching out! I'm always more than happy to help with drug-herbal interaction questions. Horsetail, of which there are several species (e.g., Equisetum arvense), is not known to interact with the drugs you mentioned in your question, which are:

• Lipitor (atorvastatin)
• Baclofen
• Lisinopril
• Ibuprofen
• Multivitamins

I always like to give the caveat that it can be incredibly difficult to definitively know what drugs could potentially interact with a particular herbal medication simply due to the lack of information available. Therefore, it is important to talk to your doctor before combining the drugs you take with anything available over the counter.

Having said that, based on what is known about the effects of horsetail, we wouldn't expect an interaction with your drugs.

What Does Horsetail Interact With?

Horsetail may interact with several different classes of drugs, including:

• Diuretics
• Antidiabetics
• Antivirals

Horsetail is thought to have diuretic properties as some studies have shown it can even produce a diuretic effect on par with a prescription medication known as hydrochlorothiazide, at least in the short term. Therefore, combining it with other diuretics could cause additive effects.

Same with drugs that lower blood sugar. Horsetail has been linked with improving blood sugar levels, so taking it with drugs for diabetes could potentially drop sugar too low.

Lastly, there have been case reports of horsetail reducing the effectiveness of some antivirals commonly used to treat HIV.

This isn't intended to be a complete list of horsetail interactions, so please be sure to talk to your doctor before making any changes to your medication regimen. You can also always contact us regarding specific drug-herbal interaction questions.

What Is Horsetail?

Horsetail, also known as equisetum, is a type of perennial herb that belongs to the Equisetaceae family. It is native to much of the Northern Hemisphere and has distinctive, jointed stems that resemble the tail of a horse, hence the common name.

Some species of horsetail are used medicinally and have been traditionally used to treat a range of ailments, including kidney and bladder problems, wounds, and hair loss.

It is most commonly used in traditional medicine as an oral diuretic (i.e., water pill) for the treatment of edema.

It is important to note that some species of horsetail (e.g., Equisetum palustre) may be toxic and should not be consumed. Additionally, some types of horsetail contain thiaminase, which can cause thiamine deficiency with prolonged use.

Final Words

Thanks again for using us. We are working on a 'drug-herbal' interaction checker for this website soon, so please continue to check back!

Contact us again anytime!