Drug & supplement interaction

American Ginseng + Acyclovir

Acyclovir brand names: Zovirax, Zovirax Injection, Sitavig, Avaclyr.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between American Ginseng and Acyclovir 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

American Ginseng and Acyclovir

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 Acyclovir and American Ginseng 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.

American Ginseng safety at a glance

American Ginseng overall Use caution Generally well tolerated short-term in healthy adults, but quality and dosing vary and long-term safety is not well studied.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally. Ginsenoside Rb1, an active constituent of American ginseng, has teratogenic effects in animal models; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid Too little is known about safety while breastfeeding, so avoidance is the safer choice.

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 Acyclovir and American Ginseng? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Acyclovir

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Acyclovir is filed under 6 classifications — including organic anion transporter 1 (oat1) substrates, topical drugs, nephrotoxic drugs. American Ginseng has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (major), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and immunosuppressants (moderate) — and none of Acyclovir’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

American Ginseng Does Interact With Other Medications

American Ginseng has 2 major, 215 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Acyclovir isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 2 Moderate 215 No known interaction 2,613 (incl. Acyclovir)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against American Ginseng

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests American Ginseng and Acyclovir May Share a Side Effect

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.

  • Headache Additional detail

    American Ginseng

    “Orally, headache has been reported with American ginseng use.”

    American Ginseng · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    1 source cited
    1. 22369. Stavro PM, Woo M, Leiter LA, et al. Long-term intake of North American ginseng has no effect on 24-hour blood pressure and renal function. Hypertension 2006;47(4):791-6. PubMed

    Acyclovir

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

Effects for Acyclovir come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for American Ginseng come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 114,761 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Acyclovir 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

American Ginseng in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. Ginsenoside Rb1, an active constituent of American ginseng, has teratogenic effects in animal models; 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 American Ginseng or Acyclovir

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

This page covers American Ginseng only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acyclovir page lists 37 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), African Wild Potato (moderate) and Aristolochia (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 23 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Acyclovir page

“Kidney strain is the risk to understand first. Acyclovir (Zovirax) can stress the kidneys on its own, and a few ingredients here, Siberian cocklebur especially, are toxic to kidney tissue, so pairing them could compound the harm.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Acyclovir interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 992 real supplement products containing American Ginseng, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides American Ginseng. Even though American Ginseng itself has no known interaction with Acyclovir, 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 American Ginseng and Acyclovir 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 American Ginseng
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Acyclovir
Top 5%

#59 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 American Ginseng reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The American Ginseng and Acyclovir records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 American Ginseng

What is American Ginseng?

American Ginseng
  • Stress and energy support
  • Immune support and colds
  • Blood sugar management
  • Mental focus and clarity
  • General wellness (adaptogen)

American ginseng is an herbal root used as an 'adaptogen' to support energy, stress, immune function, and blood sugar. Some uses—such as reducing the chance or length of colds and modestly lowering after-meal blood sugar—have early supportive evidence, but most claims are not well proven. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before use, especially if you have a health condition or take medications.

Panax quinquefolius · Araliaceae · Root (and sometimes leaves) · Capsules, tablets, dried root, powder, tea, liquid extracts, tinctures

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

American Ginseng: dosing

There is no single official dose for American ginseng. Products differ in their root concentration and ginsenoside content, so the right amount depends on the specific product.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount. Because it may affect sleep, many people take it earlier in the day.

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

Read the full American Ginseng monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Acyclovir

What Is Acyclovir Used For?

Brand names: Zovirax, Zovirax Injection, Sitavig, Avaclyr

Acyclovir treats infections caused by herpes viruses. Depending on the form, it is used for cold sores (herpes labialis), genital herpes (initial episodes and recurrent flare-ups), shingles (herpes zoster), and chickenpox (varicella). It can also be used long-term to suppress recurrent genital herpes outbreaks.

Some forms are approved for more serious situations: acyclovir injection is used in hospital settings for herpes simplex encephalitis (herpes infection of the brain), neonatal herpes (in newborns), and herpes or shingles infections in immunocompromised patients. Avaclyr ophthalmic ointment is specifically indicated for acute herpetic keratitis (a herpes ulcer on the cornea of the eye). Sitavig buccal tablet and Zovirax cream are specifically indicated for recurrent cold sores in immunocompetent adults.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Acyclovir

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (114,761 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 8,029 reports
Diarrhea 7,348 reports
Pneumonia 5,700 reports
Nausea 5,643 reports
Fever 4,989 reports
See full Acyclovir drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & American Ginseng

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

2Major
215Moderate
0Minor
2,612No known interaction
2 Major 215 Moderate 2,612 No interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

215 interactions

Showing 60 of 215 moderate interactions — see all 215 on the American Ginseng page.

No interaction 2,612 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,612 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full American Ginseng list.

See the full American Ginseng interactions page
See every supplement checked against Acyclovir, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

American Ginseng References

The 12 references that drive our American Ginseng 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. Shader RI, Greenblatt DJ. Phenelzine and the dream machine-ramblings and reflections. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1985;5:65. PubMed
  2. Jones BD, Runikis AM. Interaction of ginseng with phenelzine. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1987;7:201-2. PubMed
  3. Janetzky K, Morreale AP. Probable interaction between warfarin and ginseng. Am J Health Syst Pharm 1997;54:692-3. PubMed
  4. Vuksan V, Sievenpiper JL, Koo VY, et al. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L) reduces postprandial glycemia in nondiabetic subjects and subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:1009-13. PubMed
  5. Vuksan V, Stavro MP, Sievenpiper JL, et al. Similar postprandial glycemic reductions with escalation of dose and administration time of American ginseng in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2000;23:1221-6. PubMed
  6. Chan LY, Chiu PY, Lau TK. An in-vitro study of ginsenoside Rb(1)-induced teratogenicity using a whole rat embryo culture model. Hum Reprod 2003;18:2166-8..
  7. McElhaney JE, Gravenstein S, Cole SK, et al. A Placebo-Controlled Trial of a Proprietary Extract of North American Ginseng (CVT-E002) to Prevent Acute Respiratory Illness in Institutionalized Older Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2004;52:13-9. PubMed
  8. Yuan CS, Wei G, Dey L, et al. American ginseng reduces warfarin's effect in healthy patients: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004;141:23-7.
  9. Predy GN, Goel V, Lovlin R, et al. Efficacy of an extract of North American ginseng containing poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides for preventing upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ 2005;173:1043-8.. PubMed
  10. McElhaney JE, Goel V, Toane B, et al. Efficacy of COLD-fX in the prevention of respiratory symptoms in community-dwelling adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med 2006;12:153-7. PubMed
  11. Predy GN, Goel V, Lovlin RE, et al. Immune modulating effects of daily supplementation of COLD-fX (a proprietary extract of North American ginseng) in healthy adults. J Clin Biochem Nutr 2006;39:162-167. DOI
  12. Stavro PM, Woo M, Leiter LA, et al. Long-term intake of North American ginseng has no effect on 24-hour blood pressure and renal function. Hypertension 2006;47(4):791-6. 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 American Ginseng and Acyclovir Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take American Ginseng with Acyclovir?
We do not list a known interaction between American Ginseng and Acyclovir. 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 American Ginseng and Acyclovir have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one 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 American Ginseng and Acyclovir combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Acyclovir is filed under 6 classifications, and American Ginseng has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Acyclovir'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 American Ginseng interact with any other medications?
Yes. American Ginseng has 217 documented drug interactions in our database — Acyclovir 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 Acyclovir interact with any supplements?
Yes. Acyclovir has documented interactions with 37 supplements in our database — American Ginseng is not one of them. The Acyclovir interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

American Ginseng monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Acyclovir drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Acyclovir supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Acyclovir, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 12 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Acyclovir and American Ginseng?

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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.