Drug & supplement interaction

Bugle + Zidovudine

Zidovudine brand names: Retrovir, Retrovir Injection.

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

We found no known interaction between Bugle and Zidovudine 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.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Bugle and Zidovudine

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 Zidovudine and Bugle 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 Bugle at all — not against Zidovudine, 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.

Bugle safety at a glance

Bugle overall Not established There is limited modern safety data on bugle in humans.
Pregnancy Avoid Avoid because safety during pregnancy has not been established.
Breastfeeding Avoid Avoid because there is no reliable safety information while breastfeeding.

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

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

What Zidovudine’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Bugle. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Zidovudine’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. 5 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Muscle weakness Worth acting on
  • Anemia Worth acting on
  • A low white blood cell count Worth acting on
  • Liver problems Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Joint pain
  • Reduced appetite
  • Muscle pain

Showing the 10 most notable of 19 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 Zidovudine. Read the label on DailyMed › Bugle’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Bugle side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Bugle has no side effects.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Zidovudine

This page covers Bugle only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Zidovudine page lists 60 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 47 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Zidovudine page

“The liver is where the biggest danger on this page sits. Zidovudine (Retrovir), an HIV medicine that can strain the liver on its own, has 38 listed ingredients capable of piling on additional liver stress, led by Siberian cocklebur, a major-rated entry linked to actual liver failure.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Zidovudine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bugle and Zidovudine 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 Bugle
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Zidovudine
Top 25%

#624 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. Bugle 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 Bugle reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 27, 2026. The Bugle and Zidovudine records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 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 Bugle

What is Bugle?

  • Minor wounds and bruises
  • Sore throat and mouth irritation
  • Mild cough
  • Digestive complaints
  • Bleeding (traditional use)

Bugle (Ajuga reptans) is a traditional European herb once used to help wounds, bruises, and mouth or throat irritation. There is very little modern scientific research to confirm any of these uses, so its benefits remain unproven. If you want to try it, talk to a pharmacist or doctor first, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding because safety data are lacking.

Ajuga reptans · Lamiaceae · Aerial parts (leaves and flowering tops) · Dried herb, tea, tincture, topical preparations

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

Bugle: dosing

There is no established or standardized dose for bugle. Traditional use varied, and modern products are not common or well regulated.If you choose to use a bugle product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them.

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

Read the full Bugle monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Zidovudine

What Is Zidovudine Used For?

Brand names: Retrovir, Retrovir Injection

Zidovudine treats HIV-1 infection. It is used in combination with other antiretroviral (anti-HIV) medicines.

It is also used to prevent maternal-fetal HIV-1 transmission, meaning HIV passing from a pregnant woman to her baby. This involves treatment of the mother during pregnancy and labor, and treatment of the newborn after birth. Retrovir (capsules, oral solution and injection) and zidovudine capsules, tablets and oral solution are all labeled for both uses.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Zidovudine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (19,936 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Foetal exposure during pregnancy 2,651 reports
Drug exposure during pregnancy 1,933 reports
Anemia 1,279 reports
Premature baby 981 reports
Virologic failure 915 reports
See full Zidovudine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bugle

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Bugle — 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 Bugle 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 Bugle list.

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

Bugle References

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

  1. Using Dietary Supplements Wisely — 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 Bugle and Zidovudine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Bugle with Zidovudine?
We do not list a known interaction between Bugle and Zidovudine. 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.
Does Zidovudine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Zidovudine has documented interactions with 60 supplements in our database — Bugle is not one of them. The Zidovudine 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

Bugle monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Zidovudine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Zidovudine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Zidovudine, 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 Zidovudine and Bugle?

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.