Gotu Kola & Olive Leaf Interactions

Gotu kola's traditional uses include treating poor circulation, skin diseases, depression and rheumatism. The interest in olive leaf centers on its possible antiviral and antioxidant activity. Both of these herbs can affect your blood-sugar levels. They also have possible interactions with drugs and other herbs. Always consult a health care professional before trying a new supplement.

Gotu Kola

Gotu kola may increase your blood-sugar, blood-fat or cholesterol levels. This herb may interfere with the action of diabetes drugs such as acarbose, insulin and glipizide. It also may interfere with the action of certain cholesterol-lowering drugs such as probucol. Gotu kola may affect your liver as well. If you have liver disease or use medicine that affects your liver avoid this herb, according to University of Maryland Medical Center.

Gotu kola is native to China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the South Pacific and South Africa. The plant's stems and leaves are used medicinally. It has possible benefits for treating skin lesions, wound healing, venous insufficiency and varicose veins and scleroderma. You will find it in capsule, tablet, tincture and dried forms, and as an ointment.

Olive Leaf

Olive leaf may lower your blood-sugar levels. It increases your risk for hypoglycemia, or blood-sugar levels that fall too far, when taken with diabetes drugs like acarbose, insulin and glipizide. Olive leaf also may increase your risk for hypoglycemia when taken with other supplements that lower glucose levels such as chromium, Panax or Siberian ginseng, bilberry, goat's rue, horse chestnut and white willow. Olive leaf also has the potential to decrease your blood pressure and your blood-calcium levels.

Olive leaf is native to the Mediterranean. Olive leaf extract is not well studied but it has traditional or theoretical use for treating inflammation, infections, high blood pressure and diabetes. In the Middle East, tea made from olive leaf has been used for centuries for treating coughs, sore throat, fevers, bladder infections and gout. It's also used traditionally to improve general health.

Sedation Risk

Gotu kola also may interact with a host of drugs by causing mental depression and excessive sedation, according to "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide," by George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox. These include alprazolam, bromazepam, bupropion, butabarbital, clobazam, codeine, fentanyl, levorphanol, loxapine, methadone, morphine sulfate, prazepam, ropinirole, thioridazine, tramadol, vigabatrin and zopiclone. In general, avoid taking this herb with medicines that are designed to reduce anxiety or promote sleep. Gotu kola also may magnify the effects of other herbs with sedative properties like kava kava and St. John's wort.

Considerations

Side effects and drug interactions for both olive leaf and gotu kola are not well documented. That means not all possible contraindications for these herbs have been identified and that recommended dosages are not established. Since both potentially affect blood-sugar levels you need to use caution and consult a health care professional before using either herb if you are diabetic. Taking them together can have unpredictable effects on blood sugar. That means your blood sugar may change erratically. It's also difficult to predict whether your blood sugar will increase or decrease. Avoid combining these herbs unless you have approval from your doctor and have medical supervision.