Q. You recently published a letter from somebody eating a lot of cilantro to control psoriasis. Before others try this approach I want to offer a caution.
My brother enjoyed using lots of cilantro in his salsa until he realized it is high in Vitamin K. He needed a higher dose of Coumadin (warfarin) to get the same blood thinning effect.
A. Warfarin is an anticoagulant medication used to prevent dangerous blood clots that might cause heart attacks, strokes or other serious problems. It works by interfering with vitamin K, a natural compound that promotes blood clotting.
Many foods (including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, parsley and spinach) contain vitamin K. Eating more of these foods can indeed reduce effectiveness of warfarin and require dose adjustment.
Thank you for your warning. People on warfarin must always be cautious about herbs or medicinal foods. You may wish to refer to our free guide to Coumadin Interactions.
