Is Terry Naturally Anxiocalm Safe With Amlodipine?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses if Terry Naturally Anxiocalm is safe with amlodipine.
Hi! I currently am on Amlodipine for hypertension and have been taking Terry Naturally Anxiocalm for anxiety. The main ingredient is narrow-leafed Coneflower 40 mg (Echinacea angustifolia) root extract. (EP107 trademark) standardized for echinacoside and a unique, proprietary alkamide profile. Other ingredients I think are fillers. Are there any interactions to worry about? Thank you for any advice.
Jan 25, 2023- Echinacea in Terry Naturally Anxiocalm may affect how your body processes amlodipine, potentially making it more or less effective, though studies show conflicting results about how significant this effect is.
- It is important to monitor your blood pressure if you combine Terry Naturally Anxiocalm with amlodipine and inform your doctor about all supplements and medications you are taking.
Answer
Thanks for reaching out! I'm more than happy to help answer this for you.
Terry Naturally Anxiocalm contains a patented form of echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) extract, known as EP107. While this extract is standardized to contain specific components of echinacea, I'll answer this question through the lens of the safety of echinacea as a whole with blood pressure medications, like amlodipine.
Echinacea With Amlodipine
While echinacea isn't particularly known for its blood pressure-lowering effects, studies do suggest that it may interact with certain blood pressure medications based on how they are metabolized in the body.
In this regard, there is a potential interaction between echinacea and amlodipine, but it is unknown just how clinically significant it is.
There have been a number of conflicting studies published showing that echinacea can affect a major metabolizing enzyme in the body, CYP3A4. Amlodipine is metabolized by this enzyme.
Some studies, such as one published in the journal 'Pharmacotherapy', report that echinacea can induce CYP3A4, increasing its activity, and thus, metabolizing drugs more quickly. Other conflicting studies report it can inhibit it, slowing the metabolism of drugs.
However, most studies, including one published in the journal 'Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics' report no effects at all on the enzyme.
All of this leaves the situation with some ambiguity. It seems, based on the data available, that the reason for these different effects may be due to the type of echinacea used, if it's mixed with other herbs/medication, and specific differences among individuals.
The takeaway for me is echinacea may affect how your body processes certain medications and sometimes it can make medication more or less effective.
So, circling back around to amlodipine, echinacea may make it more or less effective. Studies suggest that change in effectiveness would likely be relatively minor, but it is important to monitor your blood pressure if you combine echinacea supplements (including Terry Naturally Anxiocalm) with amlodipine. Certainly, let your doctor know of all the medications you are taking.
Just as a reference here too, other blood pressure medications that are metabolized by CYP3A4, and therefore may be affected by echinacea, include:
Final Words
I hope you found this helpful! Write back anytime.
References & sources
- In vivo assessment of botanical supplementation on human cytochrome P450 phenotypes: Citrus aurantium, Echinacea purpurea, milk thistle, and saw palmetto — PubMed
- Echinacea purpurea significantly induces cytochrome P450 3A activity but does not alter lopinavir-ritonavir exposure in healthy subjects — PubMed
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Standardized
- A supplement or extract that has been processed to contain consistent amounts of specific active ingredients.
- Metabolized
- The process by which your body breaks down and processes drugs or other substances.
- CYP3A4
- An enzyme in your body that breaks down many medications, including certain blood pressure drugs.
- Induce
- To cause an enzyme to become more active, which speeds up how quickly drugs are broken down in the body.
- Inhibit
- To slow down or reduce the activity of an enzyme, which can cause drugs to break down more slowly in the body.
- Clinically significant
- A change or effect that is large enough to matter for a person's health or treatment outcomes.
- Echinacea
- A herbal supplement made from a flowering plant, commonly used to support immune health.
- Amlodipine
- A prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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