Can Chinese medicine and western medicine be taken together?

Patients are advised to take them separately to prevent potential drug-drug interactions. It occurs when a compound affects the activity of a drug when both are taken together.

If one increases the effect of another, an overdose may occur or the side effects profile may be intensified. Similarly, if the efficacy of a drug is reduced, it will not elicit a therapeutic response and can be dangerous in some instances (e.g. diabetes).

However, there remains a possibility that they may generate enhanced results when taken together, than when taken alone, but more extensive research is warranted for it to be conclusive. Therefore, there is no harm heeding your physician’s advice and remember to take them two hours apart.

Hi Riddy

The TCM that's being sold in Singapore are generally safe, and usually do not interact with the most western medications.

However, it is still safer to separate them by 2 hours apart.

There are special occasions where western medicine will interact with food, like Digoxin interacting with Ginseng and St John's Wort, and statins interacting with liver toxins like alcohol. Always tell your prescribing physician what other TCMs you are taking and he'll advise whether they can be taken together.

Cheers!