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Clonidine : Interaction with Foods, Herbs & Alcohol


Are you taking Clonidine? Are you aware of the dangers of combining Clonidine with certain foods, herbs, or alcohol? Drug-food-interactions are seldom discussed but can lead to undesirable side effects and potentially diminish the efficacy of the medication.

Clonidine Interactions with Food and Herbs

Ginseng: Clonidine is used in the treatment of hypertension. Interaction of clonidine with ginseng may affect the action of the drug as ginseng can increase the blood pressure.
Other Herbs: Saw palmetto, hawthorn, goldenseal, ma huang, licorice and yohimbe may increase the blood pressure and interfere with the effect of clonidine.

Clonidine Interactions with Alcohol

Clonidine alone can cause dizziness and drowsiness. Intake of alcohol with clonidine will make you feel even more dizzy or drowsy. These effects may eventually increase the risk of accidental injury. Therefore it is better to avoid alcohol when you are on clonidine.

When and How to Take Clonidine

Clonidine comes in the form of a tablet, an extended-release tablet and an extended-release oral suspension. The regular tablet can be taken twice a day at appropriate intervals and the extended-release tablet can be taken once or twice a day with food or on an empty stomach. The oral suspension should be shaken well before use. Do not stop the medicine without consulting your doctor. If you stop suddenly, you may feel a rapid increase in blood pressure, nervousness, uncontrollable shaking of parts of the body and headache. Take the medicine exactly as directed by the physician.

Drug Name : Clonidine

Clonidine is an alpha agonist, prescribed for high blood pressure.
We recommend consulting your doctor to verify the information presented on this page or if you need any further clarifications.


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