Drug & supplement interaction

Aconite + Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated October 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Aconite has a moderate interaction with Phenylephrine. Theoretically, combining aconite with other stimulant drugs might alter the effects of the stimulant drug or increase the risk of cardiovascular toxicity.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Aconite and Phenylephrine

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

STIMULANT DRUGS

Why this applies to Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine falls under STIMULANT DRUGS — the group Aconite interacts with.

Theoretically, combining aconite with other stimulant drugs might alter the effects of the stimulant drug or increase the risk of cardiovascular toxicity.
Aconite and its constituents have stimulant effects due to agonist activity at beta-2-adrenoreceptors. In cardiac muscle, aconite appears to have a positive inotropic effect and increases heart rate and blood pressure. However, some constituents of aconite can reduce heart rate and blood pressure.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version. Phenylephrine is a decongestant that already works by tightening blood vessels, which can nudge up your blood pressure and heart rate. Aconite has its own effects on the heart and circulation, and in lab and animal studies it can act like a stimulant, raising heart rate and blood pressure too. Stack the two together and the worry is that those effects could pile up, leading to a faster or pounding heartbeat, jitteriness, or a spike in blood pressure.

I want to be honest about the evidence here: this is mostly theoretical, based on test-tube and animal work, not solid human data. That said, my bigger concern is aconite itself, which is genuinely poisonous and not something I'd recommend taking at all. Please run any aconite-containing product past your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Yeih DF, Chiang FT, Huang SKS. Successful treatment of aconitine induced life threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmia with amiodarone. Heart 2000;84:E8. PubMed
  2. Lin CC, Chan TY, Deng JF. Clinical features and management of herb-induced aconitine poisoning. Ann Emerg Med 2004;43:574-9. PubMed
  3. Telang, B. V. and Ng'ang'a, J. N. Involvement of Central adrenergic mechanisms in the induction of cardiac arrhythmias by aconitine nitrate administered intraventricularly. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 1975;19(1):1-10.
  4. Kimura, I., Takada, M., and Nojima, H. Aconitine induces bradycardia through a transmission pathway including the anterior hypothalamus in conscious mice. Biol.Pharm Bull. 1997;20(8):856-860. PubMed
  5. Zhao D, Wang J, Cui Y, Wu X. Pharmacological effects of Chinese herb aconite (fuzi) on cardiovascular system. J Tradit Chin Med. 2012 Sep;32(3):308-13. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Aconite Also Interacts With Other Medications

Aconite has 277 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Phenylephrine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 277 No known interaction 2,553 (incl. Phenylephrine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Aconite

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Aconite. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Aconite or Phenylephrine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Aconite or Phenylephrine, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Phenylephrine

This page covers Aconite only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenylephrine page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Lithium (major), Peyote (major) and Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major).

By severity: 6 major · 60 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenylephrine page

“If you take phenylephrine (Sudafed PE, Biorphen) for congestion, treat this list as one that needs real attention, since six of its 81 entries carry a major rating. Phenylephrine tightens blood vessels to clear your nose, and more than half of the interactions here come from stimulant ingredients, ephedra above all, that can push blood…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenylephrine interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Aconite as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 56 real supplement products containing Aconite, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Aconite. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Phenylephrine too, on top of Aconite — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Aconite and Phenylephrine Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Aconite
Top half

#541 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylephrine
Top 25%

#417 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Aconite

What is Aconite?

Aconite
  • Pain and nerve pain
  • Fever and cold or flu symptoms
  • Anxiety and restlessness (homeopathic use)
  • Inflammation and joint pain
  • Heart-related complaints (traditional use)

Aconite is a highly poisonous plant, and even small amounts of the raw or improperly processed root can cause severe, life-threatening reactions. There is no good scientific evidence that it safely treats any condition, and the only forms generally considered acceptable are extremely diluted homeopathic preparations. We strongly recommend avoiding raw or unprocessed aconite entirely and talking to a pharmacist or doctor before using any product containing it.

Read the full Aconite monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenylephrine

What Is Phenylephrine Used For?

Brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen

Phenylephrine is used in several different products, and each one has its own use.

Injection (IV): raises blood pressure in adults with clinically important hypotension (low blood pressure) caused mainly by widened blood vessels. Some injections are labeled for anesthesia only. Others are labeled for anesthesia and septic shock.

Eye drops: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is used to dilate the pupil.

Nasal products: temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion from the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Rectal suppositories: relieve itching, burning and discomfort from hemorrhoids and temporarily shrink hemorrhoidal tissue.

See full Phenylephrine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Aconite

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Aconite — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
277Moderate
0Minor
2,552No known interaction
277 Moderate 2,552 No interaction
Moderate

277 interactions

Showing 60 of 277 moderate interactions — see all 277 on the Aconite page.

No interaction 2,552 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Aconite against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,552 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Aconite list.

See the full Aconite interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Aconite monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Phenylephrine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity Phenylephrine drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Aconite and Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Aconite with Phenylephrine?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Aconite and Phenylephrine interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Phenylephrine and Aconite?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.