Drug & supplement interaction

Burdock + Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel brand name: Plavix.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Burdock has a moderate interaction with Clopidogrel. Theoretically, taking burdock with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Burdock and Clopidogrel

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Burdock interacts with.

Theoretically, taking burdock with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.

In vitro research shows that lignans from burdock reduce rabbit platelet aggregation by inhibiting platelet activating factor. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 gist: clopidogrel (Plavix) already works to keep your platelets from clumping together, which lowers your risk of clots after a stroke, heart attack, or stent placement. Burdock contains plant compounds called lignans that, in a lab dish using rabbit cells, also slowed platelet activity. Stack those two effects together and the concern is a little extra bleeding tendency.

Now, the honest part: this is purely theoretical. It has never actually been reported in people, and burdock eaten as a vegetable is unlikely to cause trouble. Concentrated supplement doses are the bigger question mark. Watch for easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or cuts that won't quit, and please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding a burdock supplement.

References
  1. Iwakami S, Wu JB, Ebizuka Y, Sankawa U. Platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonists contained in medicinal plants: lignans and sesquiterpenes. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1992;40:1196-8. PubMed

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

Burdock Also Interacts With Other Medications

Burdock has 121 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Clopidogrel 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 Burdock

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Burdock or Clopidogrel

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

This page covers Burdock only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Clopidogrel page lists 309 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Grapefruit (major), Piracetam (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 258 moderate · 46 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Clopidogrel page

“Clopidogrel (Plavix) keeps platelets from sticking together after a stent, heart attack, or stroke, which makes this a list to take carefully. Of the 309 supplements and herbs on file, 202 carry blood-thinning or antiplatelet activity of their own and can stack bleeding risk on top of the drug's, while most of the rest change how the l…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Clopidogrel interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,982 real supplement products containing Burdock, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Burdock. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Clopidogrel too, on top of Burdock — 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 Burdock and Clopidogrel 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 Burdock
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Clopidogrel
Top 1%

#14 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 Burdock

What is Burdock?

Burdock
  • Skin conditions like acne and eczema
  • Digestive support
  • Diuretic ('detox') and blood purifier
  • Sore throat and cold symptoms
  • Antioxidant support

Burdock is a traditional herb most often used for skin problems and as a so-called 'blood purifier,' but high-quality human studies are lacking and most claims are not well proven. It is widely eaten as a vegetable and is generally considered low-risk for short-term use in healthy adults, but it should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding and by people allergic to ragweed or daisy-family plants.

Read the full Burdock monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Clopidogrel

What Is Clopidogrel Used For?

Brand name: Plavix

Clopidogrel tablets are used to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) — including unstable angina and non-ST-elevation or ST-elevation heart attacks — and in people with a history of recent heart attack, recent stroke, or established peripheral arterial disease. For ACS, it is typically given alongside aspirin.

It works by preventing platelets (blood cells that trigger clotting) from clumping together, which helps keep arteries open and lowers the chance of a dangerous clot forming.

See full Clopidogrel drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Burdock

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

0Major
121Moderate
0Minor
2,708No known interaction
Moderate

121 interactions

Showing 60 of 121 moderate interactions — see all 121 on the Burdock page.

No interaction 2,708 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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Burdock and Clopidogrel Together: Common Questions

Can you take Burdock with Clopidogrel?
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 Burdock and Clopidogrel 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 Clopidogrel and Burdock?

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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.