Drug & supplement interaction

American Mistletoe + Doxazosin Mesylate

Doxazosin Mesylate brand name: Cardura.

Major Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated February 2024
The bottom line Major

Doxazosin Mesylate falls into 2 drug categories that American Mistletoe can interact with; the most serious is rated major. American mistletoe contains phoratoxin, a compound toxic to humans that induces smooth muscle contraction and vasoconstriction, potentially increasing blood pressure and heart rate.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceC
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

American Mistletoe and Doxazosin Mesylate

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

American Mistletoe interacts with whole categories of medication. Doxazosin Mesylate falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with American Mistletoe in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Major).

Major

Antihypertensive Drugs

1 of 2

Why this applies to Doxazosin Mesylate

Doxazosin Mesylate falls under Antihypertensive Drugs — the group American Mistletoe interacts with.

American mistletoe contains phoratoxin, a compound toxic to humans that induces smooth muscle contraction and vasoconstriction, potentially increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Case reports of cardiotoxicity have been documented with American mistletoe, and it should not be used with antihypertensive drugs or by individuals with cardiac conditions. American mistletoe is uncommon in dietary supplements, and formulations containing it are generally homeopathic. European mistletoe, which lacks phoratoxin, is more commonly used.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence C

Interaction 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..

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

Here's the simple version: doxazosin (Cardura) works by relaxing your blood vessels and the muscles around your prostate, which brings your blood pressure down. American mistletoe pulls in the opposite direction. Its toxin, called phoratoxin, can tighten blood vessels and raise blood pressure and heart rate. So mixing the two can work against your medication and make it harder to control your numbers.

There have also been reports of mistletoe harming the heart, which is why we steer people away from it, especially anyone on blood pressure drugs. The good news is American mistletoe is rare in supplements, and culinary or holiday exposure isn't the concern here. Please don't start any mistletoe product without checking with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
Major

Vasodilators

2 of 2

Doxazosin Mesylate also falls under Vasodilators.

American mistletoe contains phoratoxin, a compound toxic to humans that induces smooth muscle contraction and vasoconstriction, potentially increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Taking dietary supplements containing American mistletoe may counteract the effects of vasodilator drugs, such as hydralazine. It is important to note that American mistletoe is uncommon in dietary supplements. More commonly, European mistletoe is used as it does not contain phoratoxin.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence C

Interaction 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..

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

Here's the gist: doxazosin (Cardura) works by relaxing your blood vessels and the muscles around your prostate, which lowers blood pressure and eases urinary symptoms. American mistletoe contains a toxin called phoratoxin that does the opposite. It can tighten blood vessels and nudge blood pressure and heart rate up. So taking it could partly cancel out the benefit you're getting from doxazosin, meaning your blood pressure might not be as well controlled.

The good news is that real mistletoe supplements are rare (most products use European mistletoe, which doesn't contain phoratoxin), and the evidence here is fairly limited. Still, I wouldn't take American mistletoe at all. If you've come across a product containing it, please check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction

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

American Mistletoe Also Interacts With Other Medications

American Mistletoe has 189 major, known drug interactions in our database — the Doxazosin Mesylate one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 189 No known interaction 2,641 (incl. Doxazosin Mesylate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against American Mistletoe

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

From our Q&A

Questions About American Mistletoe or Doxazosin Mesylate

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 Mistletoe or Doxazosin Mesylate, 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 Doxazosin Mesylate

This page covers American Mistletoe only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Doxazosin Mesylate page lists 137 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Tyramine (major), Adrafinil (moderate) and Agmatine (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 112 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Doxazosin Mesylate page

“Doxazosin (Cardura) relaxes blood vessels to lower blood pressure and ease enlarged-prostate symptoms, and it already has a reputation for dizziness and first-dose fainting. That is why its list of 137 interacting supplements deserves genuine respect.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Doxazosin Mesylate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where American Mistletoe and Doxazosin Mesylate 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 Mistletoe
Steady interest

#1,329 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Doxazosin Mesylate
Steady interest

#1,893 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 American Mistletoe

What is American Mistletoe?

American Mistletoe
  • Traditional folk remedies
  • Digestive complaints
  • Decorative holiday plant

American mistletoe is a parasitic plant that is best known as a holiday decoration, not a proven medicine. It contains toxins that can harm the heart, gut, and blood vessels, and it has little reliable evidence to support any health use. We do not recommend taking it, and all parts should be kept away from children and pets.

Read the full American Mistletoe monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Doxazosin

What Is Doxazosin Used For?

Brand name: Cardura

Doxazosin tablets (Cardura, Doxazosin, Doxazosin mesylate) are approved to treat the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — an enlarged prostate that causes urinary problems — and to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack. Doxazosin tablets may be used alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines.

Cardura XL (the extended-release tablet) is approved only for BPH symptoms. Cardura XL is not approved for high blood pressure.

See full Doxazosin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & American Mistletoe

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

189Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,640No known interaction
189 Major 2,640 No interaction
Major

189 interactions

Showing 60 of 189 major interactions — see all 189 on the American Mistletoe page.

No interaction 2,640 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,640 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full American Mistletoe list.

See the full American Mistletoe interactions page
See every supplement checked against Doxazosin Mesylate, 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
American Mistletoe monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Doxazosin Mesylate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Doxazosin Mesylate, ranked by severity Doxazosin 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 American Mistletoe and Doxazosin Mesylate Together: Common Questions

Can you take American Mistletoe with Doxazosin Mesylate?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for American Mistletoe and Doxazosin Mesylate?
Doxazosin Mesylate belongs to more than one drug category, and American Mistletoe interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the American Mistletoe and Doxazosin Mesylate interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Doxazosin Mesylate and American Mistletoe?

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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.