Potential Interference in Laboratory Assays Due to Use of Herbal Medicines by People Living with HIV/Aids

"Potential Interference in Laboratory Assays Due to Use of Herbal Medicines by People Living with HIV/Aids". Herbal medicines (HM) may interfere with laboratory assays performed on HIV/Aids patients. This study aims to review the potential interference in laboratory assays, due to use of HM by people living with HIV/Aids and treated in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, between April and September 2008. Of the 200 volunteers interviewed, the majority were male (60.5%), Caucasian race (72.0%), heterosexual (80.5%), with low education (53.0% have not completed high school) and with an average age of 41.5 years. Of the total, 60.5% used HM at the time of the interview. The five most used HM were balm (57.0%), mint (33.9%), bilberry (30.6%), chamomile (25.6%) and guaco (13.2%). Such HM may interfere with the serum determination of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, markers of kidney and liver function and coagulation tests. This study indicates the need for recognition of the potential interference of the HM in laboratory assays performed by HIV/Aids patients.