Drug & supplement interaction

American Spikenard + Interferon Beta-1a

Interferon Beta-1a brand names: Rebif, Avonex.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between American Spikenard and Interferon Beta-1a 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.

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Interaction report

American Spikenard and Interferon Beta-1a

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 Interferon Beta-1a and American Spikenard 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 Spikenard safety at a glance

American Spikenard overall Use caution Little is known about its safety from modern studies, so use cautiously and short-term.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid Avoid while breastfeeding due to a lack of safety information.

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 Interferon Beta-1a and American Spikenard? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Interferon Beta-1a

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Interferon Beta-1a is filed under 2 classifications — photosensitizing drugs, hepatotoxic drugs. American Spikenard has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being diuretic drugs (minor) — and none of Interferon Beta-1a’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 Spikenard Does Interact With Other Medications

American Spikenard has 75 minor known drug interactions in our database — Interferon Beta-1a 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 American Spikenard

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

Special populations

American Spikenard in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally; 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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Interferon Beta-1a

This page covers American Spikenard only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Interferon Beta-1a page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Interferon Beta-1a page

“Siberian cocklebur, an herb tied to documented cases of liver failure, is the first name to know for anyone injecting interferon beta-1a (Rebif, Avonex) for multiple sclerosis. Interferon beta-1a can strain the liver on its own, which is why prescribers order routine liver blood tests, and 38 of the 57 supplements on file carry that sa…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Interferon Beta-1a interaction page

How much people look this up

Where American Spikenard and Interferon Beta-1a 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 Spikenard
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Interferon Beta-1a
Top half

#1,167 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 Spikenard reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The American Spikenard and Interferon Beta-1a 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 Spikenard

What is American Spikenard?

American Spikenard
  • Cough and chest congestion
  • Common cold
  • Asthma symptoms
  • Promoting sweating
  • Skin and wound support (topical)

American spikenard is a traditional North American herb used mainly as an expectorant and to ease coughs and colds, but there is no reliable human research to confirm it works. If you choose to try it, use it short-term, follow the product label, and check with a pharmacist or doctor first—especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a health condition.

Aralia racemosa · Araliaceae · Root and rhizome · Tea, tincture, dried root, capsules, syrup

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

American Spikenard: dosing

There is no established or standardized dose for American spikenard. Traditional preparations include teas made from the dried root, tinctures, and syrups, but reliable dosing guidelines based on research do not exist.If you choose to use it, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full American Spikenard monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection

What Is Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection Used For?

Brand names: Rebif, Avonex

  • Interferon beta-1a intramuscular injection is used to treat adults with various forms of multiple sclerosis (MS; a disease in which the nerves do not function properly and people may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control) including:

    • clinically isolated syndrome (CIS; nerve symptom episodes that last at least 24 hours),

    • relapsing-remitting forms (course of disease where symptoms flare up from time to time), or

    • secondary progressive forms (course of disease where relapses occur more often).

  • Interferon beta-1a is in a class of medications called immunomodulators. It works by decreasing inflammation and preventing nerve damage that may cause symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Interferon Beta-1a

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (192,069 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Multiple sclerosis relapse 15,851 reports
Influenza like illness 13,253 reports
Fatigue 11,554 reports
Fall 10,604 reports
Multiple sclerosis 9,358 reports
See full Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & American Spikenard

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

0Major
0Moderate
75Minor
2,754No known interaction
Minor

75 interactions

Showing 60 of 75 minor interactions — see all 75 on the American Spikenard page.

No interaction 2,754 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

American Spikenard References

The 1 references that drive our American Spikenard 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. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

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 Spikenard and Interferon Beta-1a Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take American Spikenard with Interferon Beta-1a?
We do not list a known interaction between American Spikenard and Interferon Beta-1a. 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.
How was the American Spikenard and Interferon Beta-1a combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Interferon Beta-1a is filed under 2 classifications, and American Spikenard has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Interferon Beta-1a'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 Spikenard interact with any other medications?
Yes. American Spikenard has 75 documented drug interactions in our database — Interferon Beta-1a 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 Interferon Beta-1a interact with any supplements?
Yes. Interferon Beta-1a has documented interactions with 57 supplements in our database — American Spikenard is not one of them. The Interferon Beta-1a 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 Interferon Beta-1a and American Spikenard?

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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.