Drug & supplement interaction

Baikal Skullcap + Effient

Effient brand name: Prasugrel.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Effient falls into 2 drug categories that Baikal Skullcap can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, Baikal skullcap might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C19 enzymes.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Baikal Skullcap and Effient

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Effient

Effient falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES — the group Baikal Skullcap interacts with.

Theoretically, Baikal skullcap might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C19 enzymes.
In vitro evidence suggest that wogonin, a constituent of Baikal skullcap, modestly inhibits the activity of CYP2C19 enzymes. This effect has not been reported in humans.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction 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.

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

Here's the thing that makes Effient (prasugrel) a little different. It's a prodrug, meaning it has to be switched on in your body before it can do its job of keeping platelets from clumping. The lab note here suggests Baikal skullcap (specifically a compound called wogonin) might mildly slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2C19. Since Effient relies mostly on other enzymes for its activation, this particular concern is fairly small for it.

I'll be honest with you: this is based only on test-tube research, not real people, so it's theoretical. Still, anything that nudges how well Effient works matters, because too little activity could leave you less protected against clots, and too much raises bleeding risk. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Li, T., Li, N., Guo, Q., Ji, H., Zhao, D., Xie, S., Li, X., Qiu, Z., Han, D., Chen, X., and You, Q. Inhibitory effects of wogonin on catalytic activity of cytochrome P450 enzyme in human liver microsomes. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 6-29-2011; PubMed
Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

2 of 2

Effient also falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS.

Theoretically, Baikal skullcap might increase the risk of bleeding when used concomitantly with anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs.
Preliminary clinical research suggests that taking capsules containing a combination of astragalus, goldthread, and Baikal skullcap daily for 4 weeks inhibits platelet aggregation; the effect seems to be similar to that of aspirin 50 mg daily. It is unclear if this effect is due to Baikal skullcap, other ingredients, or the combination.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction 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.

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

Here's the situation with Effient (prasugrel). It already does a powerful job of keeping your platelets from clumping together, and you're usually taking it alongside aspirin too. The concern with Baikal skullcap is that it may have its own mild platelet-slowing effect, so layering it on top of Effient could add up and raise your risk of bleeding, things like easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or blood that's slower to stop.

I want to be honest about the evidence, though. This is mostly theoretical and comes from lab work plus one small study using skullcap mixed with other herbs, so we can't even be sure the skullcap is the cause. Still, since Effient is potent, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Huang, W. M., Yan, J., and Xu, J. [Clinical and experimental study on inhibitory effect of sanhuang mixture on platelet aggregation]. Zhongguo Zhong.Xi.Yi.Jie.He.Za Zhi. 1995;15(8):465-467.

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

Baikal Skullcap Also Interacts With Other Medications

Baikal Skullcap has 593 moderate, 352 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Effient one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Baikal Skullcap

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Baikal Skullcap or Effient

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

This page covers Baikal Skullcap only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Effient page lists 295 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Grapefruit (major), Piracetam (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 248 moderate · 42 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Effient page

“Effient (prasugrel) keeps platelets from forming clots, usually after a stent or a heart attack, and I would not pair supplements with it casually. Roughly 200 ingredients on this list can thin the blood further and raise bleeding risk, including two of the five rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Effient interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Baikal Skullcap as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 737 real supplement products containing Baikal Skullcap, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Baikal Skullcap. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Effient too, on top of Baikal Skullcap — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Baikal Skullcap and Effient 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 Baikal Skullcap
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Effient
Top half

#837 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 Baikal Skullcap

What is Baikal Skullcap?

Baikal Skullcap
  • Inflammation
  • Allergies
  • Anxiety and sleep
  • Immune support
  • Respiratory infections

Baikal skullcap is a traditional Chinese herb (Huang Qin) used for inflammation, allergies, and infections, with active compounds like baicalin and baicalein studied mostly in the lab. Human evidence remains limited, so it should not replace proven treatments. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Baikal Skullcap monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Prasugrel

What Is Prasugrel Used For?

Brand name: Prasugrel

Prasugrel tablets (brand names Effient and Prasugrel) are used to lower the risk of dangerous blood clots — including clots that can block a stent — in people with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which includes unstable angina (chest pain at rest) and heart attacks (both NSTEMI and STEMI types). It is used specifically in patients who are being treated with a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in which a catheter is used to open a blocked coronary artery, often with a stent.

Effient has been shown to reduce the combined rate of cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack, or nonfatal stroke compared to clopidogrel — with the benefit driven mainly by fewer heart attacks.

See full Prasugrel drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Baikal Skullcap

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

0Major
593Moderate
352Minor
1,884No known interaction
Moderate

593 interactions

Showing 60 of 593 moderate interactions — see all 593 on the Baikal Skullcap page.

Minor

352 interactions

Showing 60 of 352 minor interactions — see all 352 on the Baikal Skullcap page.

No interaction 1,884 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Baikal Skullcap and Effient Together: Common Questions

Can you take Baikal Skullcap with Effient?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Baikal Skullcap and Effient?
Effient belongs to more than one drug category, and Baikal Skullcap 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 Baikal Skullcap and Effient interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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

Still Have a Question About Effient and Baikal Skullcap?

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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.