Cold medicine can help ease annoying symptoms associated with the common cold such as a stuffy nose and headache, but the active ingredients can interact with other medicines, dietary supplements or even foods.
Common Cold Medicine Ingredients
Ibuprofen is a non-steroid anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used as a pain reliever and fever reducer. Do not take with aspirin and other blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin), ginseng, ginkgo and high doses of vitamin E and garlic. Combining creatine and ibuprofen can increase the risk of damaging the kidneys.
Pseudoephedrine helps reduce nasal stuffiness and increase sinus drainage. It can cause nervousness, anxiety and rapid heart beats. Ask your doctor before taking it if you have high blood pressure or other heart conditions. Avoid caffeine intake from coffee, colas and chocolate. Avoid dietary supplements containing ephedra (ma huang) and guarana. Combining pseudoephedrine with ephedra and caffeine can lead to dangerous cardiovascular effects.
Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer. Avoid alcohol when taking acetaminophen to reduce potentially toxic effects on the liver.
Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine which can help relieve symptoms of sneezing, watering eyes, and a runny nose. Side effects include drowsiness and decreased ability to think clearly. You should avoid alcohol and drugs or herbs that also have sedative properties. Consult your doctor if you are on tranquilizers, sedatives or anti-anxiety medicine. Skull cap and kava kava are herbs with sedative properties.
Dextromethorphan works to stop a cough by suppressing the cough center in the brain. Do not combine dextromethorphan with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), a type of antidepressant. A severe reaction can occur resulting in fever, hypertension and arrhythmias.
References:
University of Maryland Medical Center
Infomed Drug Guide