Drug & supplement interaction

Burning Bush + Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Oct 4, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Burning Bush and Phenylephrine 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.

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Interaction report

Burning Bush and Phenylephrine

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 Phenylephrine and Burning Bush 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 Burning Bush at all — not against Phenylephrine, 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.

Burning Bush safety at a glance

Burning Bush overall Use caution The plant contains potentially toxic compounds and lacks safety data, so use with great caution or avoid.
Pregnancy Avoid Historically used to affect the uterus and considered unsafe; avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No safety data are available, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

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

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

What Phenylephrine’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Burning Bush. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Phenylephrine’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. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Shortness of breath Worth acting on mentioned in 6.2% of FDA reports for Phenylephrine
  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on
  • Blurred vision
  • Headache mentioned in 7.8% of FDA reports for Phenylephrine
  • Nausea mentioned in 7.6% of FDA reports for Phenylephrine
  • Vomiting

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Phenylephrine. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 221,388 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Phenylephrine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Burning Bush’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Burning Bush side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Burning Bush has no side effects.

From our Q&A

Questions About Burning Bush or Phenylephrine

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

This page covers Burning Bush only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenylephrine page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Lithium (major), Peyote (major) and Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major).

By severity: 6 major · 60 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenylephrine page

“If you take phenylephrine (Sudafed PE, Biorphen) for congestion, treat this list as one that needs real attention, since six of its 81 entries carry a major rating. Phenylephrine tightens blood vessels to clear your nose, and more than half of the interactions here come from stimulant ingredients, ephedra above all, that can push blood…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenylephrine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 6 real supplement products containing Burning Bush, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Burning Bush. Even though Burning Bush itself has no known interaction with Phenylephrine, 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 Burning Bush and Phenylephrine 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 Burning Bush
Steady interest

#1,369 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylephrine
Top 25%

#566 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.
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Burning Bush and Phenylephrine 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 Burning Bush

What is Burning Bush?

  • Constipation
  • Liver and gallbladder complaints
  • Fluid retention
  • Skin conditions
  • Traditional 'blood cleansing'

Burning Bush (Euonymus atropurpureus), also called wahoo, is a traditional North American remedy historically used as a laxative and 'liver tonic.' There is very little modern scientific evidence to support these uses, and the plant contains compounds that can be toxic, so it is generally not recommended for self-treatment.

Euonymus atropurpureus · Celastraceae · Bark (root bark and stem bark) · Dried bark, powder, tincture, capsules, tea

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

Burning Bush: dosing

There is no established, standardized safe dose for Burning Bush. It is not a well-studied modern supplement, and the strength of bark products can vary widely.Because of the risk of toxicity, we do not provide specific amounts. For common problems like constipation, there are safer and better-studied options available.

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

Read the full Burning Bush monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenylephrine

What Is Phenylephrine Used For?

Brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen

Phenylephrine is used in several different products, and each one has its own use.

Injection (IV): raises blood pressure in adults with clinically important hypotension (low blood pressure) caused mainly by widened blood vessels. Some injections are labeled for anesthesia only. Others are labeled for anesthesia and septic shock.

Eye drops: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is used to dilate the pupil.

Nasal products: temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion from the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Rectal suppositories: relieve itching, burning and discomfort from hemorrhoids and temporarily shrink hemorrhoidal tissue.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Phenylephrine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (221,388 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 20,609 reports
Headache 17,301 reports
Nausea 16,925 reports
Diarrhea 14,221 reports
Dyspnea 13,719 reports
See full Phenylephrine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Burning Bush

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

See the full Burning Bush interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

We checked Burning Bush against Phenylephrine in the Natural Medicines interaction database and found no documented interaction on file. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus, and supplement label details from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

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
Burning Bush monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Phenylephrine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity Phenylephrine drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Burning Bush and Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Burning Bush with Phenylephrine?
We do not list a known interaction between Burning Bush and Phenylephrine. 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 Phenylephrine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Phenylephrine has documented interactions with 81 supplements in our database — Burning Bush is not one of them. The Phenylephrine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Phenylephrine and Burning Bush?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.