Passionflower, herbals and Cocaine interactions

[twoface]

Hello all

I spent the last few hours researching on the internet, but still have no conclusive answer about interactions between a few herbals and cocaine.

Theres an anti-anxiety herbal med that contains the following ingredients:

Passiflora incarnata L. 100mg
Crataegus oxyacantha L. 30mg
Salix alba L. 100mg

I know that Passiflora incarnate (Passionflower) may potentiate or act as an reversible MAO inhibitor in certain dosages.

Also, Crategus oxycantha is a known vasodilator and negative chronotropism and dromotropism on the cardiac fibers.

That being said, what exactly would happen if one took this med prior or after cocaine consumption? Also, how long this herbal med effects should last?

I hope someone can help me clarify this.

Thanks a lot!!

 

[mgrady3]

http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/maois/maois_info3.shtml

cocaine is listed as a drug to avoid when taking MAOIs: "MAOIs can and will dramatically increase the effects of some of these drugs to the point of becoming dangerous."

to what extent does passionflower extract actually act as an MAOI - that i've never seen and hard info on it and would actually be interested in seeing; if someone manages dig up some hard info on it send it my way.

If you know you are going to be using cocaine then I would nix anything that might function as an maoi - its just not worth the risk.

I know nothing about Crataegus oxyacantha so I can't comment on its action.

 

[effie]

I don't know much about Passiflora incarnata or Crataegus oxyacantha but as mcgrady said you need to be really careful with MAOIs and anything that increases the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain (inc dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin).

In terms of Crateagus oxycantha's vasodilating and negatively chronotropic action - again you'd want to know how significant the effects are, but I do potentially see a problem taking it with a vasoconstrictor and positively chronotropic agent like cocaine. It depends on the balance of effects but in theory if you ended up with net vasoconstriction and net negative chronotropism you could get a dangerously reduced cardiac output. This is pure speculation and it only one possible outcome of combining the two but in theory at least there is a potential for a problem.

It frustrates me how herbal supplements can be sold without the same regulations or warnings as medicines..

 

[twoface]

Thanks for replying.

Well I believe that these herbals effects are very subtle and subjective, therefore you don't need a prescription for it.

 

[mgrady3]

Its not the fact they are OTC that is the problem but as Effie said its the fact that they are sold essentially unregulated.
There's no requirement for the passionflower extract you buy to even mention that it acts as an MAOI so naively someone could buy it thinking it will help them relax (its often an ingredient in nighttime sleepy tea blends) without knowing that it could have adverse interactions with their medications or drugs.

Folks tend to assume that since you can buy it at the store it has to be safe right? just like booze and cigarettes

 

[twoface]

Yes I know. But I think they really regulate this depending on its potential to abuse, which in this case, is none.

Im using it temporarily until I renew my xanax prescriptions. It was really stupid to forget doing it, know I'm paying the price lol...

 

[effie]

^ the potential for abuse is different to the potential for danger/interactions. For example, St Johns Wort induces a couple of CYP-450 liver enzymes and can therefore interact with drugs metabolised by these enzymes. It can also cause life-threatening serotonin syndrome if mixed with another serotonergic drug such as an antidepressant, DXM, MDMA etc and can sometimes cause dangerous photosensitivity on it's own.

Herbal =/= safer than "medication"; yes, the effects are often mild, but not always and there can be some really dangerous interactions. The problem is neatly illustrated by this example - no one really knows much about them and it is very difficult to find clinical data about their effects.. treat carefully

 

[ascension108]

It's true, herbal doesn't always mean "safe", so you always need to read up on possible interactions before trying.

 

[twoface]

Yeah I know that. Anyway, that was when I was trying that medicine for anxiety (and consequently also to ease a not-too-harsh comedown). I was given that from my doctor instead of real benzos as a test, and I must say it completely sucks.

Just got my hands in some nice klonopins now, and I promise myself never be out of benzos again. For someone like me, that usually get all weird after too many RedBulls, they are must.