Drug & supplement interaction

Bistort + Quinine

Quinine brand name: Qualaquin.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Bistort and Quinine 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 Quinine states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Bistort and Quinine

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 Quinine and Bistort 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Bistort at all — not against Quinine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Bistort safety at a glance

Bistort overall Use caution Limited human safety data; its high tannin content can irritate the stomach with heavy or long-term use.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety while breastfeeding is unknown, so avoid use.

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

Still wondering about combining Quinine and Bistort? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Quinine’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Bistort. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Quinine’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Loss of vision Worth acting on
  • Hearing loss Worth acting on
  • Muscle weakness Worth acting on
  • Unsteadiness Worth acting on
  • Low blood sugar Worth acting on
  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • Fainting Worth acting on
  • Wheezing Worth acting on
  • An irregular heartbeat Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 44 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Quinine. Read the label on DailyMed › Bistort’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Bistort side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Bistort has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Quinine Products Have a Food Rule — Bistort Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Quinine says to take it with food. If you take Bistort on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Quinine 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 Quinine 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.

Quinine sulfate capsules should be taken with food to minimize gastric upset [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Quinine — 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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Bistort or Quinine

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

This page covers Bistort only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Quinine page lists 175 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Cinchona (major), Foxglove (major), Grapefruit (major) and Lily-of-the-valley (major).

By severity: 9 major · 125 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Quinine page

“Quinine (Qualaquin) earns a genuine pause before you add any supplement, because nine of its 175 interacting ingredients are rated major, and two are as everyday as grapefruit and St. John's wort.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Quinine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 8 real supplement products containing Bistort, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bistort. Even though Bistort itself has no known interaction with Quinine, 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 Bistort and Quinine 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 Bistort
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Quinine
Steady interest

#2,070 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. Bistort is not yet covered by that licensed database, so its write-up cites publicly available medical sources directly (see the references below).
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Bistort reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Bistort and Quinine records this page draws on were last updated June 20, 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 Bistort

What is Bistort?

  • Diarrhea
  • Mouth and throat irritation
  • Minor wounds and skin issues
  • Digestive upset
  • Sore throat and cough

Bistort is a traditional herb whose root is rich in tannins and has long been used for diarrhea, sore throat, and minor wounds. Modern human studies are very limited, so its true effectiveness and long-term safety are not well established. If you want to try it, talk with your pharmacist or doctor first, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Bistorta officinalis · Polygonaceae · Rhizome (root), and sometimes the leaves · Dried root, tea (decoction), tincture, mouth rinse or gargle, powder

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

Bistort: dosing

There is no well-established, standardized dose for bistort. Because human studies are limited, experts cannot recommend a specific safe and effective amount.If you choose to use a bistort product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them. They can help you decide whether it is appropriate for you.

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

Read the full Bistort monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Quinine

What Is Quinine Used For?

Brand name: Qualaquin

Quinine sulfate capsules (brands Qualaquin and Quinine Sulfate) are approved to treat uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adults. This includes strains of malaria that have become resistant to chloroquine.

Quinine sulfate capsules are not approved for severe or complicated malaria, for preventing malaria, or for treating or preventing nocturnal leg cramps. Using them for leg cramps carries serious risks that outweigh any potential benefit.

See full Quinine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bistort

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bistort list.

See the full Bistort interactions page
See every supplement checked against Quinine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Bistort References

The 1 sources that drive our Bistort monograph — publicly available pages from reputable medical and government organizations. Every link was verified to work before publishing. Bistort is not covered by the licensed Natural Medicines interaction database, so its page cites these public sources directly.

  1. Herbs at a Glance — NIH NCCIH Source

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 Bistort and Quinine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Bistort with Quinine?
We do not list a known interaction between Bistort and Quinine. 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.
Should I take Bistort and Quinine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Quinine says to take it with food. If you take Bistort on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Quinine with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Quinine products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Quinine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Quinine has documented interactions with 175 supplements in our database — Bistort is not one of them. The Quinine 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

Bistort monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Quinine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Quinine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Quinine, 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 1 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Quinine and Bistort?

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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.