Ginseng, Chinese and Albendazole: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Jul 10, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Albendazole
Ginseng, Chinese
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Reduced intestinal concentration of active drug
Interaction Deep Dive
Panax ginseng significantly accelerated the intestinal clearance of albendazole sulfoxide (the active metabolite of albendazole) when co-administered to rats. The plasma area under the concentration-time curve for albendazole sulfoxide was unchanged, as was the intestinal elimination of the inactive metabolite albendazole sulfone1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Increased albendazole metabolism
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) Panax ginseng significantly accelerated the intestinal clearance of the active metabolite albendazole sulfoxide, when coadministered to rats. In a controlled study, male Wistar rats (n=12) were parenterally administered either a single dose alone of albendazole sulfoxide 10 milligrams/kilogram (mg/kg; the active metabolite of albendazole) or albendazole sulfoxide given 5 minutes after a single dose of ginseng extract 10 milligrams/kilogram. Blood and intestinal efflux was sampled over the next 60 minutes. Compared with controls, the coadministration of ginseng with albendazole increased by approximately 24% the intestinal clearance of albendazole sulfoxide (p less than 0.05). Neither the plasma area under the concentration-time curve for albendazole sulfoxide nor the intestinal elimination of the inactive metabolite albendazole sulfone were changed by the presence of ginseng 1.
Common questions
Can I take Ginseng, Chinese and Albendazole together?
Reduced intestinal concentration of active drug Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Ginseng, Chinese and Albendazole interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Ginseng, Chinese or Albendazole need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (1)
- Merino G, Molina AJ, Garcia JL, et al: Ginseng increases intestinal elimination of albendazole sulfoxide in the rat. Comp Biochem Physiol 2003; 136(1):9-15. PubMed
Keep reading about Albendazole
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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