Drug & supplement interaction

Alkanna + Montelukast Sodium

Montelukast Sodium brand name: Singulair.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Montelukast Sodium and Alkanna in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Alkanna safety at a glance

Alkanna overall Use caution Topical use is more common, but the plant may contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so oral use should be avoided.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When alkanna preparations containing hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are used orally. PAs might be teratogenic and hepatotoxic. There is insufficient... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When alkanna preparations containing hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are used orally. PAs might be teratogenic and hepatotoxic. There is insufficient... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Montelukast Sodium and Alkanna? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Montelukast Sodium

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Montelukast Sodium is filed under 2 classifications — cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) substrates, oral drugs. Alkanna has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inducers (moderate) — and none of Montelukast Sodium’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Alkanna Does Interact With Other Medications

Alkanna has 87 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Montelukast Sodium isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Alkanna

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Diarrhea / Vomiting Additional detail

    Alkanna

    “Orally, the major concern with alkanna is its pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) content. These constituents are hepatotoxic, pneumotoxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic. Chronic exposure to other plants containing hepatotoxic PA constituents is associated with veno-occlusive disease. Sub-acute veno-occlusive disease can cause vague symptoms, including colicky pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and ascites within several days;”

    Alkanna · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    3 sources cited
    1. 12841. Chojkier M. Hepatic sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome: toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. J Hepatol 2003;39:437-46. PubMed
    2. 12842. Roeder E. Medicinal plants in Europe containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pharmazie 1995;50:83-98.
    3. 4021. WHO working group. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Environmental Health Criteria, 80. WHO: Geneva, 1988.

    “Orally and topically, alkanna might cause toxicity. The major concern with alkanna use is its hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) content. Chronic exposure to other plants containing hepatotoxic PA constituents is associated with veno-occlusive disease. Sub-acute veno-occlusive disease can cause vague symptoms, including colicky pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and ascites within several days;”

    Alkanna · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    3 sources cited
    1. 12841. Chojkier M. Hepatic sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome: toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. J Hepatol 2003;39:437-46. PubMed
    2. 12842. Roeder E. Medicinal plants in Europe containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pharmazie 1995;50:83-98.
    3. 4021. WHO working group. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Environmental Health Criteria, 80. WHO: Geneva, 1988.

    Montelukast Sodium

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Montelukast Sodium. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Effects for Montelukast Sodium come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Alkanna come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 121,067 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Montelukast Sodium that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Alkanna in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When alkanna preparations containing hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are used orally. PAs might be teratogenic and hepatotoxic. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of alkanna products that do not contain hepatotoxic PAs when used during pregnancy and lactation; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Alkanna or Montelukast Sodium

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Alkanna or Montelukast Sodium, 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 Montelukast Sodium

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

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate), Bacopa (moderate) and Berberine (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 56 moderate · 24 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Montelukast Sodium page

“If you rely on montelukast (Singulair) for asthma or allergies, this list deserves genuine attention. The one major-rated concern is activated charcoal, which can soak up the medicine in your gut before it absorbs, leaving you with a weaker dose just when your airways need a steady one.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Montelukast Sodium interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Alkanna, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Alkanna. Even though Alkanna itself has no known interaction with Montelukast Sodium, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium 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 Alkanna
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Montelukast Sodium
Top 5%

#88 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Alkanna reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Alkanna

What is Alkanna?

Alkanna
  • Wound healing
  • Burns and skin ulcers
  • Natural red dye for foods and cosmetics
  • Skin irritation
  • Traditional remedy for diarrhea

Alkanna is a Mediterranean plant whose red root has long been used as a dye and as a folk skin remedy for wounds and burns. Human evidence for any health benefit is very limited, and because the plant can contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, oral use is not recommended. If you use it at all, use it externally and check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Alkanna tinctoria · Boraginaceae · Roots (mainly); occasionally leaves · Topical creams, ointments, salves, oils, and natural dye; rarely oral preparations

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Alkanna is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Alkanna record says about it on its own.

Alkanna: dosing

There is no established standard dose for alkanna. It has not been studied well enough in people to define a safe and effective amount, whether on the skin or by mouth.If you use a product that contains alkanna, follow the directions on the label and use it only as intended.

From our Alkanna monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Alkanna monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Montelukast

What Is Montelukast Used For?

Brand name: Singulair

Montelukast is used for the long-term prevention and treatment of asthma in children and adults, and for preventing breathing problems triggered by exercise (exercise-induced bronchoconstriction). It is also used to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and perennial allergic rhinitis (year-round nasal allergies). The age ranges covered depend on the specific product form — tablets, chewable tablets, and oral granules are each approved for different age groups.

For allergic rhinitis, montelukast should be reserved for people who haven't responded well to other treatments, because its potential mental health risks may outweigh the benefits when nasal allergy symptoms are mild and other options work. It is not a rescue treatment for sudden asthma attacks — always keep a fast-acting inhaler on hand.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Montelukast Sodium

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (121,067 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Asthma 14,956 reports
Dyspnea 14,837 reports
Cough 9,067 reports
Fatigue 8,688 reports
Headache 8,236 reports
See full Montelukast drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Alkanna

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

0Major
87Moderate
0Minor
2,742No known interaction
Moderate

87 interactions

Showing 60 of 87 moderate interactions — see all 87 on the Alkanna page.

No interaction 2,742 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Alkanna References

The 6 references that drive our Alkanna monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. WHO working group. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Environmental Health Criteria, 80. WHO: Geneva, 1988.
  2. Chojkier M. Hepatic sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome: toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. J Hepatol 2003;39:437-46. PubMed
  3. Roeder E. Medicinal plants in Europe containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pharmazie 1995;50:83-98.
  4. Wang YP, Yan J, Fu PP, Chou MW. Human liver microsomal reduction of pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides to form the corresponding carcinogenic parent alkaloid. Toxicol Lett 2005;155:411-20. PubMed
  5. Gümüs K, Özlü ZK. The effect of a beeswax, olive oil and Alkanna tinctorial (L.) Tausch mixture on burn injuries: An experimental study with a control group. Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:66-73.
  6. Kheiri A, Amini S, Javidan AN, Saghafi MM, Khorasani G. The effects of Alkanna tinctoria Tausch on split-thickness skin graft donor site management: a randomized, blinded placebo-controlled trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):253. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Alkanna with Montelukast Sodium?
We do not list a known interaction between Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Alkanna and Montelukast Sodium combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Montelukast Sodium is filed under 2 classifications, and Alkanna has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Montelukast Sodium's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Alkanna interact with any other medications?
Yes. Alkanna has 87 documented drug interactions in our database — Montelukast Sodium is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Montelukast Sodium interact with any supplements?
Yes. Montelukast Sodium has documented interactions with 81 supplements in our database — Alkanna is not one of them. The Montelukast Sodium interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Montelukast Sodium and Alkanna?

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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.