Drug & supplement interaction

African Wild Potato + Formoterol

Formoterol brand names: Foradil Aerolizer, Atimos Modulite, Oxis Turbohaler, Perforomist, Foradil Certihaler.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

African Wild Potato has a moderate interaction with Formoterol. In vitro research shows that African wild potato extract inhibits cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9).

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

African Wild Potato and Formoterol

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Formoterol

Formoterol falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES — the group African Wild Potato interacts with.

In vitro research shows that African wild potato extract inhibits cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9). However, this effect has yet to be reported in humans. Until more is known, use with caution. Theoretically, concomitant use of African wild potato with CYP2C9 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects from these substrates. Some of these drugs include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), ibuprofen (Motrin), meloxicam (Mobic), and piroxicam (Feldene); celecoxib (Celebrex); amitriptyline (Elavil); warfarin (Coumadin); glipizide (Glucotrol); losartan (Cozaar); and others.
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 honest picture with your formoterol inhaler. The concern on file is that African Wild Potato might block a liver enzyme called CYP2C9, which could let certain drugs build up in your system. The catch is that formoterol isn't really cleared by CYP2C9 in any meaningful way. It's mostly handled by a different process (it gets chemically tagged for removal and uses other enzymes), so this particular interaction doesn't fit it well.

On top of that, this CYP2C9 effect has only been seen in lab dishes, not in actual people, so it's theoretical for now. I wouldn't expect your breathing benefit to change because of this. Still, since both can nudge your heart rate and the supplement isn't well studied, run it by your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Fasinu PS, Gutmann H, Schiller H, Bouic PJ, Rosenkranz B. The potential of Hypoxis hemerocallidea for herb-drug interaction. Pharm Biol. 2013 Dec;51(12):1499-507.

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

African Wild Potato Also Interacts With Other Medications

African Wild Potato has 1,004 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Formoterol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against African Wild Potato

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Formoterol

This page covers African Wild Potato only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Formoterol page lists 103 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,3-dmaa (moderate), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate), Adrafinil (moderate) and Artichoke (moderate).

By severity: 84 moderate · 19 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Formoterol page

“Formoterol (Foradil, Perforomist) is the long-acting half of many asthma and COPD inhalers, keeping airways open for hours, and its supplement list is calmer than its length suggests. None of the 103 ingredients on file is rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Formoterol interaction page

One more smart check

Taking African Wild Potato as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1 real supplement products containing African Wild Potato, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides African Wild Potato. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Formoterol too, on top of African Wild Potato — 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 African Wild Potato and Formoterol 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 African Wild Potato
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Formoterol
Steady interest

#1,981 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 African Wild Potato

What is African Wild Potato?

  • Immune support
  • Prostate and urinary symptoms
  • Inflammation
  • General tonic/wellness
  • Skin conditions

African Wild Potato (Hypoxis hemerocallidea) is a southern African plant traditionally used as a tonic and for immune, prostate, and inflammatory complaints. Human evidence for these uses is very limited, and safety—especially during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or with serious illness—is not well established. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full African Wild Potato monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Formoterol Oral Inhalation

What Is Formoterol Oral Inhalation Used For?

Brand names: Foradil Aerolizer, Atimos Modulite, Oxis Turbohaler, Perforomist, Foradil Certihaler

Formoterol fumarate inhalation solution is used for the long-term maintenance treatment of airway narrowing (bronchoconstriction) in adults with COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is taken twice daily — morning and evening — as a regular, ongoing treatment.

Important limits: This medication is not for relieving sudden COPD flare-ups or breathlessness in the moment, and it is not approved to treat asthma. A separate short-acting inhaler should always be on hand for sudden symptoms.

See full Formoterol Oral Inhalation drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & African Wild Potato

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

0Major
1,004Moderate
0Minor
1,825No known interaction
Moderate

1,004 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,004 moderate interactions — see all 1,004 on the African Wild Potato page.

No interaction 1,825 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking African Wild Potato and Formoterol Together: Common Questions

Can you take African Wild Potato with Formoterol?
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 African Wild Potato and Formoterol 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 Formoterol and African Wild Potato?

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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.