Drug & supplement interaction

Artemisia Herba-alba + 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 Artemisia Herba-alba 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

Artemisia Herba-alba 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 Artemisia Herba-alba 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.

Artemisia Herba-alba safety at a glance

Artemisia Herba-al... overall Use caution Limited human safety data and the herb may affect blood sugar, so use carefully and under professional guidance.
Pregnancy Avoid Avoid during pregnancy; Artemisia species are traditionally linked to uterine stimulation and lack safety data.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety information is available, so avoid while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Acyclovir and Artemisia Herba-alba? 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. Artemisia Herba-alba has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (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

Artemisia Herba-alba Does Interact With Other Medications

Artemisia Herba-alba has 86 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.

Moderate 86 No known interaction 2,744 (incl. Acyclovir)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Artemisia Herba-alba

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Artemisia Herba-alba. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Artemisia Herba-alba 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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Artemisia Herba-alba

    “In one case report, a 59-year-old male with a history of diabetes mellitus developed acute renal failure with proteinuria and hyperkalemia after drinking a tea containing aqueous Artemisia herba-alba extract, 2 cups daily for 2 days. Recovery occurred after several sessions of dialysis.”

    Artemisia Herba-alba · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diabetes.

    1 source cited
    1. 96567. Aloui S, Skhiri H, Ltaief A, Elmay M. An exceptional case of acute renal failure: is there a renal toxicity of Artemisia herba-alba? Renal Failure 2010;32(8):1009-11.

    Acyclovir

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

Reported for Artemisia Herba-alba but not commonly for Acyclovir: high blood sugar, high potassium, a slow heartbeat and low blood pressure.

Effects for Acyclovir come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Artemisia Herba-alba 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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Artemisia Herba-alba 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 Artemisia Herba-alba 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 Artemisia Herba-alba 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

How much people look this up

Where Artemisia Herba-alba 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 Artemisia Herba-alba
Top half

#390 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 Artemisia Herba-alba reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Artemisia Herba-alba 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 Artemisia Herba-alba

What is Artemisia Herba-alba?

Artemisia Herba-alba
  • Diabetes and blood sugar
  • Digestive upset
  • Intestinal worms and parasites
  • Cough and respiratory complaints
  • Antimicrobial uses

Artemisia herba-alba is a desert shrub used in North African and Middle Eastern folk medicine, most often for digestion, diabetes, and parasites. Human evidence is very limited, and most findings come from lab or animal studies, so its benefits are unproven. Because it can affect blood sugar and contains potentially toxic compounds, talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Artemisia herba-alba · Asteraceae · Aerial parts (leaves and flowering tops); sometimes bark and roots; essential oil · Tea (infusion or decoction), dried herb, capsules, extracts, essential oil

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

Artemisia Herba-alba: dosing

There is no established or standardized dose for Artemisia herba-alba. Safe and effective amounts have not been determined in well-designed human studies.If you choose to use a product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them.

From our Artemisia Herba-alba monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Artemisia Herba-alba 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 & Artemisia Herba-alba

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

0Major
86Moderate
0Minor
2,743No known interaction
86 Moderate 2,743 No interaction
Moderate

86 interactions

Showing 60 of 86 moderate interactions — see all 86 on the Artemisia Herba-alba page.

No interaction 2,743 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Artemisia Herba-alba against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,743 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Artemisia Herba-alba list.

See the full Artemisia Herba-alba interactions page
See every supplement checked against Acyclovir, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Artemisia Herba-alba References

The 5 references that drive our Artemisia Herba-alba 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. Marrif HI, Ali BH, Hassan KM. Some pharmacological studies on Artemisia herba-alba (Asso.) in rabbits and mice. J Ethnopharmacol 1995;49:51-5. PubMed
  2. al-Shamaony L, al-Khazraji SM, Twaij HA. Hypoglycaemic effect of Artemisia herba alba. II. Effect of a valuable extract on some blood parameters in diabetic animals. J Ethnopharmacol 1994;43:167-71. PubMed
  3. al-Khazraji SM, al-Shamaony LA, Twaij HA. Hypoglycaemic effect of Artemisia herba alba. I. Effect of different parts and influence of the solvent on hypoglycaemic activity. J Ethnopharmacol 1993;40:163-6. PubMed
  4. Twaij HA, Al-Badr AA. Hypoglycemic activity of Artemisia herba alba. J Ethnopharmacol 1988;24:123-6. PubMed
  5. Aloui S, Skhiri H, Ltaief A, Elmay M. An exceptional case of acute renal failure: is there a renal toxicity of Artemisia herba-alba? Renal Failure 2010;32(8):1009-11.

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 Artemisia Herba-alba and Acyclovir Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Artemisia Herba-alba with Acyclovir?
We do not list a known interaction between Artemisia Herba-alba 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 Artemisia Herba-alba 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 Artemisia Herba-alba and Acyclovir combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Acyclovir is filed under 6 classifications, and Artemisia Herba-alba has documented interactions with 1 drug class — 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 Artemisia Herba-alba interact with any other medications?
Yes. Artemisia Herba-alba has 86 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 — Artemisia Herba-alba 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

Artemisia Herba-alba 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 5 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Acyclovir and Artemisia Herba-alba?

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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.