Drug & supplement interaction

Autumn Crocus + Sodium Phenylbutyrate

Sodium Phenylbutyrate brand names: Buphenyl, Pheburane, Olpruva.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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 label for Sodium Phenylbutyrate states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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.

Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate

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 Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Autumn Crocus 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.

Autumn Crocus safety at a glance

Autumn Crocus overall Avoid The raw plant is poisonous and can cause fatal colchicine poisoning.
Pregnancy Unsafe When used orally. Autumn crocus is a potential mutagen and is associated with significant and potentially fatal adverse effects; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Unsafe When used orally. Autumn crocus is a potential mutagen and is associated with significant and potentially fatal adverse effects; avoid using. 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 Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Autumn Crocus? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Sodium Phenylbutyrate

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Sodium Phenylbutyrate is filed under 2 classifications — sodium-containing drugs, oral drugs. Autumn Crocus has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being colchicine (major) — and none of Sodium Phenylbutyrate’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

Autumn Crocus Does Interact With Other Medications

Autumn Crocus has 2 major, known drug interactions in our database — Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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 Autumn Crocus

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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. 4 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on Additional detail

    Autumn Crocus

    “Gastrointestinal symptoms are often the first signs of autumn crocus poisoning and include burning of the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and ileus. These symptoms typically occur within 2-12 hours after oral ingestion, with early onset indicating a poorer prognosis. Pancreatitis has also been reported with severe autumn crocus poisoning.”

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

    6 sources cited
    1. 33947. Brvar, M., Kozelj, G., Mozina, M., and Bunc, M. Acute poisoning with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.). Wien.Klin Wochenschr. 3-31-2004;116(5-6):205-208. PubMed
    2. 99056. Kritikos A, Spertini O. Reversible granulocyte abnormalities after accidental ingestion of Colchicum autumnale. Blood 2017;130(1):95. doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-02-766410. PubMed
    3. 99057. Nagesh KR, Menezes RG, Rastogi P, et al. Suicidal plant poisoning with Colchicum autumnale. J Forensic Leg Med 2011;18(6):285-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2011.04.008. PubMed
    4. 99058. Brncic N, Viskovic I, Peric R, et al. Accidental plant poisoning with Colchicum autumnale: report of two cases. Croat Med J 2001;42(6):673-5.
    5. 99059. Sundov Z, Nincevic Z, Definis-Gojanovic M, et al. Fatal colchicine poisoning by accidental ingestion of meadow saffron-case report. Forensic Sci Int 2005;149(2-3):253-6. PubMed
    6. 99060. Boisramé-Helms J, Rahmani H, Stiel L, Tournoud C, Sauder P. Extracorporeal life support in the treatment of colchicine poisoning. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2015;53(8):827-9.

    Sodium Phenylbutyrate

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

  • A low platelet count Worth acting on Additional detail

    Autumn Crocus

    “Predominant hematologic symptoms of autumn crocus poisoning include pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia or leukocytosis, and coagulopathy. Long-term use of colchicine, a constituent of autumn crocus, is associated with aplastic anemia (6).”

    Autumn Crocus · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anemia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 33947. Brvar, M., Kozelj, G., Mozina, M., and Bunc, M. Acute poisoning with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.). Wien.Klin Wochenschr. 3-31-2004;116(5-6):205-208. PubMed
    2. 99056. Kritikos A, Spertini O. Reversible granulocyte abnormalities after accidental ingestion of Colchicum autumnale. Blood 2017;130(1):95. doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-02-766410. PubMed
    3. 99058. Brncic N, Viskovic I, Peric R, et al. Accidental plant poisoning with Colchicum autumnale: report of two cases. Croat Med J 2001;42(6):673-5.
    4. 99059. Sundov Z, Nincevic Z, Definis-Gojanovic M, et al. Fatal colchicine poisoning by accidental ingestion of meadow saffron-case report. Forensic Sci Int 2005;149(2-3):253-6. PubMed
    5. 99060. Boisramé-Helms J, Rahmani H, Stiel L, Tournoud C, Sauder P. Extracorporeal life support in the treatment of colchicine poisoning. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2015;53(8):827-9.
    6. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.

    Sodium Phenylbutyrate

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

  • Anemia / A low white blood cell count Worth acting on Additional detail

    Autumn Crocus

    “Autumn crocus is generally regarded as unsafe for use. Any benefits of therapy may not outweigh the risk of toxicity. Autumn crocus contains colchicine and can cause acute poisoning. Accidental poisoning has occurred after oral ingestion when autumn crocus is mistaken for onions, wild garlic, or wild leeks.”

    Autumn Crocus · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anemia.

    3 sources cited
    1. 99057. Nagesh KR, Menezes RG, Rastogi P, et al. Suicidal plant poisoning with Colchicum autumnale. J Forensic Leg Med 2011;18(6):285-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2011.04.008. PubMed
    2. 99060. Boisramé-Helms J, Rahmani H, Stiel L, Tournoud C, Sauder P. Extracorporeal life support in the treatment of colchicine poisoning. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2015;53(8):827-9.
    3. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.

    Sodium Phenylbutyrate

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

  • Vomiting / Stomach pain reported in 10.0% of FDA reports for Sodium Phenylbutyrate Additional detail

    Autumn Crocus

    Recorded for Autumn Crocus in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Pancreatitis above.

    Sodium Phenylbutyrate

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sodium Phenylbutyrate, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Autumn Crocus

    “Predominant neurologic symptoms of autumn crocus poisoning include hemiparesis, encephalopathy, brain edema, coma, and death. Peripheral neuropathy has occurred as a long-term consequence of autumn crocus poisoning.

    Topically, handling fresh slices of autumn crocus corms can cause finger numbness (6).”

    Autumn Crocus · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in neuropathic pain.

    6 sources cited
    1. 99056. Kritikos A, Spertini O. Reversible granulocyte abnormalities after accidental ingestion of Colchicum autumnale. Blood 2017;130(1):95. doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-02-766410. PubMed
    2. 99057. Nagesh KR, Menezes RG, Rastogi P, et al. Suicidal plant poisoning with Colchicum autumnale. J Forensic Leg Med 2011;18(6):285-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2011.04.008. PubMed
    3. 99059. Sundov Z, Nincevic Z, Definis-Gojanovic M, et al. Fatal colchicine poisoning by accidental ingestion of meadow saffron-case report. Forensic Sci Int 2005;149(2-3):253-6. PubMed
    4. 33947. Brvar, M., Kozelj, G., Mozina, M., and Bunc, M. Acute poisoning with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.). Wien.Klin Wochenschr. 3-31-2004;116(5-6):205-208. PubMed
    5. 111190. Razinger G, Kozelj G, Gorjup V, Grenc D, Brvar M. Accidental poisoning with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale): a case series. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2021 Jun;59(6):493-9.
    6. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.

    Sodium Phenylbutyrate

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

Reported for Autumn Crocus but not commonly for Sodium Phenylbutyrate: numbness or tingling, shortness of breath, severe muscle breakdown and kidney problems.

Effects for Sodium Phenylbutyrate come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Autumn Crocus come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 411 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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

Autumn Crocus in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Unsafe

When used orally. Autumn crocus is a potential mutagen and is associated with significant and potentially fatal adverse effects; 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

How to take them

Some Sodium Phenylbutyrate Products Have a Food Rule — Autumn Crocus Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium Phenylbutyrate says to take it with food. If you take Autumn Crocus on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Sodium Phenylbutyrate with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Sodium Phenylbutyrate products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

The powder is to be mixed with food (solid or liquid) for immediate use; however, when dissolved in water, BUPHENYL Powder has been shown to be stable for up to one week at room temperature or refrigerated.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Sodium Phenylbutyrate — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sodium Phenylbutyrate

This page covers Autumn Crocus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sodium Phenylbutyrate page lists 19 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 9 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sodium Phenylbutyrate page

“Sodium phenylbutyrate (Buphenyl, Pheburane, Olpruva) keeps ammonia in check in people with urea cycle disorders, so a supplement that blunts its absorption is not a small problem, it is the difference between a controlled ammonia level and a dangerous one. Seventeen of the 19 ingredients on this page, mostly fibers, gums, and mucilages…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sodium Phenylbutyrate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Autumn Crocus, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Autumn Crocus. Even though Autumn Crocus itself has no known interaction with Sodium Phenylbutyrate, 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 Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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 Autumn Crocus
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sodium Phenylbutyrate
Steady interest

#2,720 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 Autumn Crocus reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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 Autumn Crocus

What is Autumn Crocus?

Autumn Crocus
  • Gout
  • Familial Mediterranean fever
  • Joint pain and inflammation
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (traditional use)

Autumn Crocus is a highly poisonous plant that contains colchicine, a compound that has real medical value but is dangerous in its raw form. You should never eat the plant or take homemade preparations from it. If you need colchicine for gout or familial Mediterranean fever, use the standardized, FDA-approved prescription product under a doctor's supervision.

Colchicum autumnale · Colchicaceae · Corm (bulb-like underground stem), seeds, and flowers · Rarely used as a raw plant or crude extract; the purified active compound (colchicine) is available only as an FDA-approved prescription medicine

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

Autumn Crocus: dosing

There is no safe established dose of the Autumn Crocus plant as a supplement, and it should not be taken in any homemade form. The colchicine content of the plant cannot be reliably measured, so even small amounts can cause serious harm.The only appropriate way to use colchicine is through an FDA-approved prescription product, which has a precise, controlled dose set by your healthcare provider.

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

Read the full Autumn Crocus monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Autumn Crocus

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

2Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,827No known interaction
Major

2 interactions

No interaction 2,827 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Autumn Crocus References

The 9 references that drive our Autumn Crocus 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. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  3. Brvar, M., Kozelj, G., Mozina, M., and Bunc, M. Acute poisoning with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.). Wien.Klin Wochenschr. 3-31-2004;116(5-6):205-208. PubMed
  4. Kritikos A, Spertini O. Reversible granulocyte abnormalities after accidental ingestion of Colchicum autumnale. Blood 2017;130(1):95. doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-02-766410. PubMed
  5. Nagesh KR, Menezes RG, Rastogi P, et al. Suicidal plant poisoning with Colchicum autumnale. J Forensic Leg Med 2011;18(6):285-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2011.04.008. PubMed
  6. Brncic N, Viskovic I, Peric R, et al. Accidental plant poisoning with Colchicum autumnale: report of two cases. Croat Med J 2001;42(6):673-5.
  7. Sundov Z, Nincevic Z, Definis-Gojanovic M, et al. Fatal colchicine poisoning by accidental ingestion of meadow saffron-case report. Forensic Sci Int 2005;149(2-3):253-6. PubMed
  8. Boisramé-Helms J, Rahmani H, Stiel L, Tournoud C, Sauder P. Extracorporeal life support in the treatment of colchicine poisoning. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2015;53(8):827-9.
  9. Razinger G, Kozelj G, Gorjup V, Grenc D, Brvar M. Accidental poisoning with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale): a case series. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2021 Jun;59(6):493-9.

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 Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Autumn Crocus with Sodium Phenylbutyrate?
We do not list a known interaction between Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate. 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 Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 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.
Should I take Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium Phenylbutyrate says to take it with food. If you take Autumn Crocus on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Sodium Phenylbutyrate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Sodium Phenylbutyrate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Autumn Crocus and Sodium Phenylbutyrate combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Sodium Phenylbutyrate is filed under 2 classifications, and Autumn Crocus has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Sodium Phenylbutyrate'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 Autumn Crocus interact with any other medications?
Yes. Autumn Crocus has 2 documented drug interactions in our database — Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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 Sodium Phenylbutyrate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Sodium Phenylbutyrate has documented interactions with 19 supplements in our database — Autumn Crocus is not one of them. The Sodium Phenylbutyrate 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 Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Autumn Crocus?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.