Cytochrome P450 inhibition or induction is probably the main mechanism for the pharmacokinetic interactions of drugs.

The list of OTCs is too numerous to cover in any detail here and for practical reasons the authors will concentrate on common legal products which most people are familiar with.Īn understanding of drug interactions gained momentum through the study of metabolizing enzymes. Very often no record of OTCs is documented in the patient's notes. Medicines may be used inappropriately, such as paracetamol for insomnia, or aspirin for stomach aches. There is also the incorrect but widespread belief that because a prescription is not necessary to obtain these drugs they must be much less harmful than prescription-only preparations. Unfortunately, some patients tend to self-medicate for long periods (for example, analgesics) without visiting their GP for a health check to monitor the condition(s) for which they are using the OTC remedy to begin with. Self-treatment of minor ailments should theoretically lead to less pressure on GPs.

Preparations may vary in price, according to the pharmaceutical provider. Over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) or over-the internet remedies are taken either with or without conventional medicines by millions of people every year and while most are harmless and safe to use there are inherent dangers of additive effects and interference with prescribed medications.īenefits for patients who use OTCs include the convenience and sometimes less costly outlay on prescription drugs (analgesics, for example). Francis J Dunne, Mariam Omar, Nasser El-Hindy and Khalid JaffarĬite this article as: BJMP 2012 5(4):a535Īn unquestioning belief in the power and efficacy of nature's healing remedies and processes, the placebo effect, disappointment and dissatisfaction with conventional medicines, outright rejection of orthodox treatments, convincing and persuasive advertising, reinforcement from others with similar views, endorsement by influential celebrities, perceived hand-me-down wisdom, bogus pseudoscientific claims, uncritical journalism, scare-mongering, feelings of desperation for a 'cure', and anecdotal case studies or surveys masquerading as research, are among the many reasons why patients and the public choose to alternative medicines either bought through local stores, pharmacies or on the internet.

Doctors in training cyp450 inducer