Cleansing Herbs with Blood Pressure Drugs?
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Rose
Posted on: February 27, 2007

I am currently taking a low dose of Toprol XL for low blood pressure and I will probably be switched over to Norvasc. I would like to begin taking a liquid herbal extract for acne-prone skin which contains burdock seed, nettle seed, sarsaparilla root, yellow dock root, spilanthes flowering herb & ginger rhizome. Would there be any interaction between any of these ingredients with my blood pressure medication?

Toprol XL is a beta-blocker and Norvac is a calcium channel blocker. Both are used to lower high blood pressure.

The herbal formula that you mention consists of cleansing herbs. Ginger can dilate the blood vessels (Norvasc works by dilating the blood vessels), but ginger, also a cleanser, is usually used in small quantities in a herbal formula for the purpose of improving absorption of the herbs into the blood stream.

It is unlikely that you would have any negative interactions between this herbal formula and the drugs.

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