Drug interactions
Ginkgo biloba + Mefenamic acid
Severity: Moderate
Ginkgo biloba and Mefenamic acid: 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 inhibits platelet-activating factor and has been linked to case reports of bleeding. Combined with an NSAID that impairs platelet function and can injure the GI mucosa, bleeding risk may rise.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ginkgo biloba and Mefenamic acid 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 PAF antagonism by ginkgo and COX-1 inhibition by mefenamic acid.
What to do
Advise patients to report bleeding or black stools, and consider stopping ginkgo, particularly before procedures or in those with 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 Mefenamic acid
- Ketorolac intranasal + Mefenamic acid Contraindicated
- Ketorolac + Mefenamic acid Contraindicated
- Aceclofenac + Mefenamic acid Major
- Acemetacin + Mefenamic acid Major
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Mefenamic acid Major
- Alteplase + Mefenamic acid Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ginkgo biloba with Mefenamic acid?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Ginkgo biloba and Mefenamic acid 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 inhibits platelet-activating factor and has been linked to case reports of bleeding. Combined with an NSAID that impairs platelet function and can injure the GI mucosa, bleeding risk may rise.
How serious is the interaction between Ginkgo biloba and Mefenamic acid?
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 black stools, and consider stopping ginkgo, particularly before procedures or in those with GI bleeding risk.
What other medicines interact with Mefenamic acid?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Mefenamic acid with, for example, Ketorolac intranasal, Ketorolac, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Mefenamic acid page.
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