Drug & supplement interaction

Blue Flag + Chlorothiazide

Chlorothiazide brand name: Diuril.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Blue Flag has a moderate interaction with Chlorothiazide. Overuse of blue flag might compound diuretic-induced potassium loss.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Blue Flag and Chlorothiazide

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

DIURETIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Chlorothiazide

Chlorothiazide falls under DIURETIC DRUGS — the group Blue Flag interacts with.

Overuse of blue flag might compound diuretic-induced potassium loss. There is some concern that people taking blue flag along with potassium depleting diuretics might have an increased risk for hypokalemia. Initiation of potassium supplementation or an increase in potassium supplement dose may be necessary for some patients. Some diuretics that can deplete potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, Microzide), and others.
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 to know if you're taking chlorothiazide (Diuril) and thinking about Blue Flag root. Chlorothiazide is a 'water pill' that already pulls extra water and salt out through your urine, and one thing it tends to drag out along with them is potassium. Blue Flag root has been used traditionally as a laxative and gut stimulant, and overusing it can also cause the body to lose fluids and minerals. Stacking those two together could nudge your potassium lower than it should be.

Low potassium can show up as muscle cramps, weakness, tiredness, or an irregular heartbeat. I'll be honest though: this concern is theoretical, based on how the herb behaves rather than solid studies. Still, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them, and ask whether your potassium should be watched.

References
  1. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

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

Blue Flag Also Interacts With Other Medications

Blue Flag has 1 major, 76 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Chlorothiazide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Blue Flag

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Chlorothiazide

This page covers Blue Flag only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Chlorothiazide page lists 227 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), Asarabacca (major) and Dolomite (major).

By severity: 10 major · 192 moderate · 25 minor.

Open the Chlorothiazide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 101 real supplement products containing Blue Flag, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Blue Flag. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Chlorothiazide too, on top of Blue Flag — 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 Blue Flag and Chlorothiazide 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 Blue Flag
Steady interest

#1,177 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Chlorothiazide
Top half

#1,010 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 Blue Flag

What is Blue Flag?

  • Skin conditions like acne and eczema
  • Constipation and digestive complaints
  • Liver and gallbladder support (traditional)
  • Lymphatic and 'detox' tonic (traditional)
  • Thyroid and glandular swelling (traditional)

Blue Flag is a flowering plant whose root has been used in traditional and herbal medicine for skin and digestive complaints, but there is very little modern scientific evidence to support these uses. The fresh root can be toxic and irritating, so it should be used cautiously, if at all, and avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Read the full Blue Flag monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Chlorothiazide

What Is Chlorothiazide Used For?

Brand name: Diuril

Chlorothiazide is used to reduce fluid buildup (edema) linked to conditions such as heart failure, liver cirrhosis (hepatic cirrhosis), and certain kidney disorders — including nephrotic syndrome, acute glomerulonephritis, and chronic renal failure. It is also used when edema is caused by corticosteroid or estrogen therapy.

The oral suspension (Diuril) is additionally approved to treat high blood pressure, either on its own or alongside other blood pressure medications. The intravenous forms — including Sodium Diuril, Chlorothiazide Sodium, and Chlorothiazide injection products — are reserved for treating edema in patients who cannot take oral medication or in emergency situations; these intravenous products are not approved for high blood pressure management.

See full Chlorothiazide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Blue Flag

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

1Major
76Moderate
0Minor
2,752No known interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

76 interactions

Showing 60 of 76 moderate interactions — see all 76 on the Blue Flag page.

No interaction 2,752 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

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Blue Flag and Chlorothiazide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Blue Flag with Chlorothiazide?
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.
How serious is the Blue Flag and Chlorothiazide 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 Chlorothiazide and Blue Flag?

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.