Drug & supplement interaction

Baikal Skullcap + Torsemide

Torsemide brand names: Demadex, Soaanz.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Torsemide falls into 2 drug categories that Baikal Skullcap can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concomitant use of Baikal skullcap with antihypertensive drugs might have additive effects and increase the risk of hypotension.

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

Baikal Skullcap and Torsemide

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. Torsemide 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

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Torsemide

Torsemide falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Baikal Skullcap interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of Baikal skullcap with antihypertensive drugs might have additive effects and increase the risk of hypotension.
Animal research suggests that baicalein, a constituent of Baikal skullcap, might lower blood pressure.
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 gist with Torsemide and Baikal skullcap. Torsemide is a water pill that lowers blood pressure by helping your body flush out extra salt and fluid. Baikal skullcap, based mostly on lab and animal studies, may have a mild blood-pressure-lowering effect of its own. Put the two together and the worry is that they could add up and drop your pressure a little too far.

If that happened, you might feel dizzy or lightheaded, especially when standing up, tired, or weak. I'll be honest though, this is a theoretical concern from animal research, not something well proven in people. Still, since you're already on a medication that affects blood pressure, check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding this herb.

References
  1. Huang, Y., Tsang, S. Y., Yao, X., and Chen, Z. Y. Biological properties of baicalein in cardiovascular system. Curr Drug Targets.Cardiovasc.Haematol.Disord 2005;5(2):177-184. PubMed
Minor

ORGANIC ANION-TRANSPORTING POLYPEPTIDE SUBSTRATES (OATP)

2 of 2

Torsemide also falls under ORGANIC ANION-TRANSPORTING POLYPEPTIDE SUBSTRATES (OATP).

Theoretically, Baikal skullcap might alter the levels and clinical effects of OATP substrates.
Some pharmacokinetic research shows that baicalin, a constituent of Baikal skullcap, can decrease plasma levels of rosuvastatin. The mechanism is thought to involve stimulation of the activity of the organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1), which transports rosuvastatin into the liver. This decreases plasma levels of the drug, but increases levels at the site of action in the liver. The degree to which rosuvastatin levels are affected depends on the OATP1B1 haplotype of the individual. Baikal skullcap might also affect other OATP1B1 substrates.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 gist for torsemide: it's a water pill that relies partly on a liver transporter called OATP1B1 to move around the body. The flavonoids in Baikal skullcap (especially baicalin) may rev up that transporter. In theory, this could shuttle a bit more torsemide into the liver and leave slightly less circulating in your bloodstream, which might mean a touch less of its usual effect on your blood pressure or fluid removal.

I want to be honest with you though, this is mostly theoretical and built on limited research with a different drug (rosuvastatin), not torsemide itself. For most people the change would likely be small. Still, if you notice more swelling or your blood pressure creeping up, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

References
  1. Fan L, Zhang W, Guo D, et al. The effect of herbal medicine baicalin on pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin, substrate of organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2007;83:471-6. PubMed
  2. Chen C, Mireles RJ, Campbell SD, et al. Differential interaction of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors with ABCB1, ABCC2, and OATP1B1. Drug Metab Dispos 2005;33:537-46. PubMed
  3. Pasanen MK, Fredrikson H, Neuvonen PJ, Niemi M. Different effects of SLCO1B1 polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2007;82:726-33. PubMed
  4. Konig J, Seithel A, Gradhand U, Fromm MF. Pharmacogenomics of human OATP transporters. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg Arch Pharmacol 2006;372:432-43. PubMed

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 Torsemide 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Torsemide

This page covers Baikal Skullcap only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Torsemide page lists 251 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Apple (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 10 major · 204 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Torsemide page

“Torsemide (Demadex, Soaanz) is a water pill for fluid buildup from heart failure, kidney disease, or liver disease, and its supplement list earns genuine caution, with 10 of the 251 flagged ingredients rated major. Most entries either pile onto its blood-pressure-lowering effect or add extra diuretic action that can pull your potassium…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Torsemide 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 Torsemide 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 Torsemide 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Torsemide
Top half

#1,129 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 Torsemide

What Is Torsemide Used For?

Brand names: Demadex, Soaanz

Torsemide tablets are used to treat edema — excess fluid buildup causing swelling — associated with heart failure, renal disease, or hepatic disease. Removing that extra fluid can relieve swelling and make breathing easier.

Torsemide tablets are also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of serious cardiovascular events, including strokes and heart attacks. It can be used alone or alongside other blood pressure medications.

See full Torsemide 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 Torsemide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Baikal Skullcap with Torsemide?
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 Torsemide?
Torsemide 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 Torsemide 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

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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.