ABSTRACT
Drug-dietary supplement interaction is dened as a phenomenon that the drug action is weakened or strengthened or the side effect such as toxicity is modulated when a dietary supplement is taken together with a pharmaceutical drug. Many incidents involving them have been currently reported1-4 and attracted social attention. One reason for this is the recent development and distribution of a variety of supplements, and also the trend of self-medication so that the occasion of (self-)administration of dietary supplements is increased. However, as medications progress, new types of drugs are provided, and thus the number and types of drug used in clinic are also increased. Therefore, the chances of taking both together are increased whether it is liked or not. Another cause is the increase in potency of recently developed drugs because the pharmacokinetics of stronger drugs are considered more sensitive to interaction with dietary supplements. In the past, drug potencies were much lower, and a typical dosage per administration was 100 mg to 1 g. Today, a typical dosage is in the range of 100 μg to a few milligrams. Given these factors, the inuence of dietary supplement intake on the primary and side effects of medications cannot be ignored any longer.
