Salmeterol

Also indexed as: Serevent®

Combination drug: Seretide®

Salmeterol is a member of the drug family known as long-acting, beta-adrenergic bronchodilators. It is inhaled by mouth, into the lungs, to treat asthma and prevent bronchospasm. Salmeterol is also used to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm.

Summary of Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, a herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized interactions.

May be Beneficial: Supportive interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication work better.	Coleus*
Depletion or interference	None known
Side effect reduction/prevention	None known
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability	None known
Adverse interaction	None known

An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

Interactions with Herbs

Coleus (Coleus forskohlii)
A test tube study demonstrated that the bronchodilating effects of salbutamol, another beta-adrenergic bronchodilator drug, were significantly increased by the addition of forskolin, the active component of the herb Coleus forskohlii.¹ The results of this preliminary research suggest that the combination of forskolin and beta-agonists might provide an alternative to raising the doses of the beta-agonist drugs as they lose effectiveness. Until more is known, coleus should not be combined with salmeterol without the supervision of a doctor.

References
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1. Yousif MH, Thulesius O. Forskolin reverses tachyphylaxis to the bronchodilator effects of salbutamol: an in-vitro study on isolated guinea-pig trachea. J Pharm Pharmacol 1999;51:181–6.

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The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires March 2007.

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Interactions with Herbs