Black Alder + Cisplatin
Cisplatin brand name: Platinol-AQ.
Black Alder has a moderate interaction with Cisplatin. Laboratory research shows that black alder bark extracts can antagonize the chemotherapeutic effects of cisplatin.
Read the full interaction reportBlack Alder and Cisplatin
Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.
CISPLATIN (Platinol-AQ)
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.
Here's the short version on combining Black Alder with your cisplatin chemotherapy. In lab dish studies, extracts from black alder bark appeared to work against what cisplatin is trying to do, meaning they could blunt how well the chemo kills cancer cells. With a treatment this important, anything that might weaken its effect is worth taking seriously.
I want to be honest about the evidence, though: this has only been seen in test tube and animal research, never in actual patients, so we don't truly know if it matters in real life. Because the stakes with cancer treatment are high, I'd play it safe. Please don't start or stop anything on your own. Check with your oncologist or pharmacist before taking black alder while you're on cisplatin.
- Dinic J, Novakovic M, Podolski-Renic A, et al. Antioxidative activity of diarylheptanoids from the bark of black alder (Alnus glutinosa) and their interaction with anticancer drugs. Planta Med 2014;80(13):1088-96. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1382993. Epub 2014 Au PubMed
What These Ratings Mean
Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.
Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.
Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.
Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.
- 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.
- 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.
Black Alder Also Interacts With Other Medications
Black Alder has 1 moderate known drug interaction in our database — the Cisplatin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Black Alder
We haven’t checked that one against Black Alder yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Black Alder. Pick one to open its full report.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cisplatin
This page covers Black Alder only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cisplatin page lists 90 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), Acerola (moderate) and Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).
By severity: 3 major · 75 moderate · 12 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cisplatin page
“Kidney damage is the risk I would flag first for anyone receiving cisplatin (Platinol-AQ). Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug that already stresses the kidneys, and two of the three major-rated interactions on this list, Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca, involve herbs that can injure the kidneys on their own, stacking harm on an organ t…”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Taking Black Alder as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 21 real supplement products containing Black Alder, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Black Alder. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Cisplatin too, on top of Black Alder — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Black Alder and Cisplatin 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.
#372 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#1,766 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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.
About Black Alder
What is Black Alder?
- Sore throat and mouth inflammation
- Skin wounds and irritation (topical)
- Fever and general aches (traditional)
- Digestive complaints
- Astringent for minor bleeding
Black Alder is a European tree whose bark and leaves have a long history in folk medicine, mainly as an astringent gargle or wound wash. There is very little modern human research to confirm any of these uses, and it can cause stomach upset, so it should be used cautiously and avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
About Cisplatin Injection
What Is Cisplatin Injection Used For?
Brand name: Platinol-AQ
Cisplatin Injection is used to treat three types of cancer. For metastatic testicular tumors and metastatic ovarian tumors, it is used as part of combination chemotherapy — alongside other approved cancer medicines — in patients who have already had surgery and/or radiation therapy. For metastatic ovarian tumors, it can also be used alone as a second-line treatment when standard chemotherapy has stopped working and cisplatin has not been tried before.
For advanced bladder cancer (specifically transitional cell bladder cancer) that can no longer be treated with surgery or radiation, Cisplatin Injection is used as a single agent.
Other Drugs & Black Alder
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Black Alder — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
1 interaction
No interaction 2,828 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Black Alder against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Sertraline ›
- Testosterone ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Aspirin ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Docusate ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Prednisone ›
- Propranolol ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Bupropion ›
- Metformin ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Letrozole ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Naproxen ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,828 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Black Alder list.
Sources & How We Checked
Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.
- Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — Evidence-graded clinical reference for vitamins, herbs and supplements — the basis for our interaction data.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine — NIH consumer drug information, used for the medication overviews.
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) — Official supplement product labels.
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
Cisplatin Is Linked to Lower Levels of 6 Nutrients
Natural Medicines records Cisplatin as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Black Alder — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Cisplatin nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Black Alder and Cisplatin Together: Common Questions
Can you take Black Alder with Cisplatin?
How serious is the Black Alder and Cisplatin interaction?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
Still Have a Question About Cisplatin and Black Alder?
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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.