Evaluation of the Potential for Herb–Drug Interactions Among Patients at Suwawa Tengah Community Health Center, Gorontalo

Background: The use of herbal medicines as an alternative or complementary therapy continues to increase worldwide and in Indonesia because they are considered safer, more natural, easily accessible, and affordable. However, the concomitant use of herbal and conventional medicines, particularly among patients with chronic diseases, may lead to herb–drug interactions through pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms, resulting in therapeutic failure, toxicity, and adverse effects. This risk is further increased because many patients do not disclose their herbal medicine use to healthcare professionals. Objective: This study aimed to identify the potential herb–drug interactions among patients at Suwawa Tengah Primary Health Center, Gorontalo.Methods: This study employed a quantitative descriptive approach to determine the prevalence, types, and mechanisms of potential herb–drug interactions among patients. Results: The study involved 64 outpatients at Suwawa Tengah Primary Health Center. A total of 47 respondents (73.44%) had potential herb–drug interactions, while 17 respondents (26.56%) had no potential interactions. The most commonly used herbal products were Moringa oleifera and honey (17.19% each), whereas the most frequently prescribed conventional medicines were amlodipine (20.31%) and metformin (18.75%). Discussion: The predominant interactions were pharmacodynamic synergistic interactions, particularly between antidiabetic drugs and Moringa oleifera, turmeric, and cinnamon, as well as between antihypertensive drugs and garlic, bay leaves, and celery. Most potential interactions were classified as moderate (14.06%) or minor (3.13%), with no major interactions identified. These findings indicate that the concomitant use of herbal and conventional medicines requires medication review, patient education, and monitoring by pharmacists to minimize interaction risks and improve medication safety and therapeutic outcomes. Conclusion: The use of herbal medicines among outpatients at Suwawa Tengah Primary Health Center remains high, and most patients have the potential for herb–drug interactions, predominantly through pharmacodynamic mechanisms. Therefore, pharmacist-led education and counseling are essential to encourage patients to disclose herbal medicine use and to minimize the risk of herb–drug interactions while supporting medication safety.