Drug interactions
Ginkgo biloba + Indomethacin
Severity: Moderate
Ginkgo biloba and Indomethacin: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Ginkgo contains ginkgolides that antagonize platelet-activating factor, and case reports link it to bleeding. With indomethacin, which also impairs platelet function, bleeding risk may be increased.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ginkgo biloba and Indomethacin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive antiplatelet effects through platelet-activating factor antagonism and cyclooxygenase inhibition.
What to do
Advise patients to report bleeding or bruising and consider discontinuing ginkgo, especially before surgery or if other antithrombotics are used. Monitor patients at high GI bleeding risk.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Indomethacin
- Indomethacin + Ketorolac Contraindicated
- Indomethacin + Ketorolac intranasal Contraindicated
- Aceclofenac + Indomethacin Major
- Acemetacin + Indomethacin Major
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Indomethacin Major
- Alteplase + Indomethacin Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ginkgo biloba with Indomethacin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Ginkgo biloba and Indomethacin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Ginkgo contains ginkgolides that antagonize platelet-activating factor, and case reports link it to bleeding. With indomethacin, which also impairs platelet function, bleeding risk may be increased.
How serious is the interaction between Ginkgo biloba and Indomethacin?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Advise patients to report bleeding or bruising and consider discontinuing ginkgo, especially before surgery or if other antithrombotics are used. Monitor patients at high GI bleeding risk.
What other medicines interact with Indomethacin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Indomethacin with, for example, Ketorolac, Ketorolac intranasal, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Indomethacin page.
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