Drug & supplement interaction

Boxwood + Barium Sulfate

Barium Sulfate brand names: E-Z-HD, Readi-Cat 2, Readi-Cat 2 Smoothies, Varibar.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 27, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Boxwood and Barium Sulfate 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Boxwood and Barium Sulfate

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 Barium Sulfate and Boxwood 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.

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.

Boxwood safety at a glance

Boxwood overall Use caution The raw plant is toxic; only processed extracts are used and safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When the whole leaf is used orally; avoid using. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of boxwood leaf extract when used during... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When the whole leaf is used orally; avoid using. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of boxwood leaf extract when used during... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Barium Sulfate and Boxwood? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Barium Sulfate

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Barium Sulfate is filed under a single classification — oral drugs. Boxwood has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being anticholinergic drugs (moderate) and cholinergic drugs (moderate) — and none of Barium Sulfate’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Boxwood Does Interact With Other Medications

Boxwood has 219 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Barium Sulfate isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 219 No known interaction 2,611 (incl. Barium Sulfate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Boxwood

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Boxwood and Barium Sulfate May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Diarrhea / Vomiting reported in 6.2% of FDA reports for Barium Sulfate Additional detail

    Boxwood

    “Orally, boxwood leaf extract seems to be well tolerated. However, ingestion of whole boxwood leaf can cause serious side effects including vomiting, diarrhea, severe colonic spasms, paralysis, and death secondary to asphyxiation (18).

    Topically, the fresh plant and wood can cause allergic contact dermatitis (18, 37073).

    When inhaled, the wood dust can cause rhinoconjunctivitis and bronchitis.”

    Boxwood · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in acute bronchitis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 5643. Durant J, Chantre P, Gonzalez G, et al. Efficacy and safety of Buxus sempervirens L. preparations (SPV30) in HIV-infected asymptomatic patients: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 1998;5:1-10. DOI
    2. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    3. 99904. Carballada F, Prat M, Núñez R, et al. Allergy to boxwood. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2014;24(5):359-61.

    “Orally, ingestion of whole boxwood leaf can cause serious side effects including vomiting, diarrhea, and severe colonic spasms (18). The extract, however, does not seem to have these effects.”

    Boxwood · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    2 sources cited
    1. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    2. 5643. Durant J, Chantre P, Gonzalez G, et al. Efficacy and safety of Buxus sempervirens L. preparations (SPV30) in HIV-infected asymptomatic patients: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 1998;5:1-10. DOI

    Barium Sulfate

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Barium Sulfate, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Boxwood but not commonly for Barium Sulfate: a skin rash.

Effects for Barium Sulfate come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Boxwood come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 434 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Barium Sulfate that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Boxwood in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When the whole leaf is used orally; avoid using. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of boxwood leaf extract when used during pregnancy and lactation; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Barium Sulfate

This page covers Boxwood only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Barium Sulfate page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Barium Sulfate page

“Barium sulfate (Readi-Cat, Varibar, E-Z-HD) is the chalky liquid you drink so a CT scan or X-ray can see your stomach and intestines, and the 17 supplement interactions on file here deserve genuine attention before scan day. Every ingredient listed acts where barium works, in the gut.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Barium Sulfate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 7 real supplement products containing Boxwood, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Boxwood. Even though Boxwood itself has no known interaction with Barium Sulfate, 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 Boxwood and Barium Sulfate 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 Boxwood
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Barium Sulfate
Top half

#1,358 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.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Boxwood reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 27, 2026. The Boxwood and Barium Sulfate records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Boxwood

What is Boxwood?

Boxwood
  • HIV/immune support
  • Malaria
  • Arthritis
  • Diabetes
  • Skin conditions
  • Fever

Boxwood is an evergreen shrub whose leaves have been used in folk medicine, most notably in some early studies looking at HIV. The whole plant is toxic, so only processed extracts are used, and solid evidence for any health benefit is very limited. Because of real safety concerns, talk with a pharmacist or doctor before trying boxwood.

Buxus sempervirens · Buxaceae · Leaves (processed into extracts) · Capsules, liquid extracts, tinctures

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

Boxwood: dosing

There is no well-established or standardized dose of boxwood for any condition. The strength and quality of commercial extracts can vary a lot from product to product.If you choose to use a boxwood product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them. Never use leaves or material from garden boxwood, since the raw plant is toxic.

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

Read the full Boxwood monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Barium Sulfate

What Is Barium Sulfate Used For?

Brand names: E-Z-HD, Readi-Cat 2, Readi-Cat 2 Smoothies, Varibar

Barium sulfate is used before imaging studies to help doctors see the inside of the digestive tract on X-rays and CT scans. Different branded products are approved for different procedures and patient groups.

Readi-Cat 2 and Readi-Cat 2 Smoothie flavors are used to outline the GI tract during CT scans of the abdomen. E-Z-Paque and Liquid E-Z-Paque are used for single-contrast X-ray studies of the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel. E-Z-HD is used for double-contrast X-ray studies of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum in patients 12 and older. E-Z-Disk tablets help evaluate whether the esophagus is open (patent) in patients 12 and older. ENTERO Vu 24% is used for small bowel X-ray exams in adults. E-Z-Paste is used in single-contrast X-rays of the esophagus, pharynx, and related areas. Varibar Pudding, Varibar Honey, Varibar Nectar, Varibar Thin Honey, and Varibar Thin Liquid are used in modified barium swallow studies to assess how well a person swallows.

See full Barium Sulfate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Boxwood

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

0Major
219Moderate
0Minor
2,610No known interaction
219 Moderate 2,610 No interaction
Moderate

219 interactions

Showing 60 of 219 moderate interactions — see all 219 on the Boxwood page.

No interaction 2,610 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,610 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Boxwood list.

See the full Boxwood interactions page
See every supplement checked against Barium Sulfate, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Boxwood References

The 6 references that drive our Boxwood monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  3. Durant J, Chantre P, Gonzalez G, et al. Efficacy and safety of Buxus sempervirens L. preparations (SPV30) in HIV-infected asymptomatic patients: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 1998;5:1-10. DOI
  4. Orhan, I., Sener, B., Choudhary, M. I., and Khalid, A. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of some Turkish medicinal plants. J Ethnopharmacol 2004;91(1):57-60. PubMed
  5. van Neer, F. J. and van Ginkel, C. J. Allergic contact dermatitis from a boxwood recorder. Contact Dermatitis 1997;36(6):305.
  6. Carballada F, Prat M, Núñez R, et al. Allergy to boxwood. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2014;24(5):359-61.

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 Boxwood and Barium Sulfate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Boxwood with Barium Sulfate?
We do not list a known interaction between Boxwood and Barium Sulfate. 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.
Do Boxwood and Barium Sulfate have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Boxwood and Barium Sulfate combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Barium Sulfate is filed under 1 classification, and Boxwood has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Barium Sulfate's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Boxwood interact with any other medications?
Yes. Boxwood has 219 documented drug interactions in our database — Barium Sulfate is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Barium Sulfate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Barium Sulfate has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Boxwood is not one of them. The Barium Sulfate 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

Boxwood monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Barium Sulfate drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Barium Sulfate supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Barium Sulfate, 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 6 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Barium Sulfate and Boxwood?

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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.