Principles of Combining Antibiotics and Herbal Medicine

In general, otitis media herbal formulas in the Hyeonggae-yeongyo-tang (Schizonepeta and Forsythia decoction) and Ijin-tang (Two Aged decoction) families rarely have reported direct drug interactions with first-line antibiotics such as amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate.

Precautions When Combining

• Dosing interval — Taking herbal medicine and antibiotics at the same time can affect absorption, so allow a 1-2 hour interval.
• Inform your Korean medicine doctor — Be sure to tell us the type and dosage of antibiotics you are taking at your first visit.
• Aminoglycoside antibiotics — Ototoxic drugs in the gentamicin and amikacin family can affect the ears, so extra care is needed when combining treatments.

When Herbal Medicine Alone Is Possible

After acute-phase antibiotic treatment, the effusion and recurrent phases are often managed continuously with herbal medicine alone. The Korean medicine doctor adjusts treatment while monitoring progress.