Drug & supplement interaction

Buttercup + Ferric Citrate

Ferric Citrate brand name: Auryxia.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Buttercup and Ferric Citrate 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 label for Ferric Citrate states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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

Buttercup and Ferric Citrate

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 Ferric Citrate and Buttercup 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 Buttercup at all — not against Ferric Citrate, 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.

Buttercup safety at a glance

Buttercup overall Avoid Fresh buttercup is toxic and irritating; it is not considered safe for internal use.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When the fresh plant is used orally or topically. Buttercup might also stimulate uterine contractions. There is insufficient reliable information available abou... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When the fresh plant is used orally or topically. Buttercup might also stimulate uterine contractions. There is insufficient reliable information available abou... 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 Ferric Citrate and Buttercup? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Buttercup and Ferric Citrate 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.

  • Stomach pain Additional detail

    Buttercup

    “Orally, ingestion of fresh buttercup has caused tachycardia, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, dizziness, hot flushes, sweating, pale skin, sensation of paralyzed legs, and brief loss of consciousness. Diarrhea and irritation of the urinary tract may also occur.

    Topically, skin contact with fresh buttercup may cause blisters, burns, and phototoxic skin reactions (18,19,102773).”

    Buttercup · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in burns.

    3 sources cited
    1. 102773. de Maere d'Aertrycke O, Le Polain de Waroux JB, Hantson P, de Bergeyck R. Recurrent supraventricular tachyarrhythmia following Ranunculus acris ("Meadow Buttercup") ingestion. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2020;58(7):780-781.
    2. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    3. 19. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

    Ferric Citrate

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ferric Citrate. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Diarrhea / Vomiting Additional detail

    Buttercup

    “Orally, there is a case report of epigastric and thoracic pain and vomiting following intake of an entire, fresh buttercup plant by a 59-year-old man. Ingestion of buttercup may also cause diarrhea (18,19).”

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

    3 sources cited
    1. 102773. de Maere d'Aertrycke O, Le Polain de Waroux JB, Hantson P, de Bergeyck R. Recurrent supraventricular tachyarrhythmia following Ranunculus acris ("Meadow Buttercup") ingestion. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2020;58(7):780-781.
    2. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    3. 19. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

    Ferric Citrate

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ferric Citrate. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Buttercup but not commonly for Ferric Citrate: fainting, a fast or pounding heartbeat, flushing and dizziness.

Effects for Ferric Citrate come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Buttercup come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Buttercup in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When the fresh plant is used orally or topically. Buttercup might also stimulate uterine contractions. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of the dried above ground parts of buttercup used during pregnancy and lactation.

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

How to take them

Some Ferric Citrate Products Have a Food Rule — Buttercup Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Ferric Citrate says to take it with food. If you take Buttercup on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Ferric Citrate with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Ferric Citrate products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

( 2.2 ) 2.1 Dosage for Hyperphosphatemia in Chronic Kidney Disease on Dialysis The recommended starting dose is 2 tablets, swallowed whole, 3 times per day with meals.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Ferric Citrate — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ferric Citrate

This page covers Buttercup only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ferric Citrate 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 Ferric Citrate page

“Ferric citrate (Auryxia) does its work in the gut, binding dietary phosphate in kidney disease or supplying iron, and all 17 supplements on this list can interfere with how oral medicines get absorbed. That is worth real caution, starting with the single major-rated entry, activated charcoal, which adsorbs many drugs directly and can m…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ferric Citrate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Buttercup and Ferric Citrate 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 Buttercup
Steady interest

#1,089 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ferric Citrate
Steady interest

#2,012 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 Buttercup reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Buttercup and Ferric Citrate 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 Buttercup

What is Buttercup?

  • Joint and muscle pain (traditional topical use)
  • Skin conditions and blisters
  • Nerve pain (traditional folk use)
  • Rheumatic complaints

Buttercup refers to plants in the Ranunculus family, which contain an irritating compound that makes the fresh plant toxic to eat and harsh on skin. There is no good scientific evidence that it safely treats any health condition, and it can cause serious irritation and poisoning. We do not recommend using fresh buttercup as a supplement.

Ranunculus spp. · Ranunculaceae · Whole plant, leaves, and flowers (fresh or dried) · Topical preparations, homeopathic remedies, traditional poultices, and dried herb

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

Buttercup: dosing

There is no established safe dose of buttercup for internal use, and we do not recommend taking it by mouth. The plant is toxic in its fresh form, and standardized supplement products are not available from reputable sources.Any homeopathic preparations are extremely diluted and are a different category of product.

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

Read the full Buttercup monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ferric Citrate

What Is Ferric Citrate Used For?

Brand name: Auryxia

Ferric citrate tablets — sold as Auryxia and under the generic name Ferric Citrate — are approved for two related uses in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

For patients on dialysis, they work as a phosphate binder to control high phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia) levels in the blood. For patients with CKD who are not on dialysis, they serve as an iron replacement to treat iron deficiency anemia.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Ferric Citrate

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diarrhea 307 reports
Serum ferritin increased 228 reports
Transferrin saturation increased 169 reports
Faeces discoloured 118 reports
Constipation 83 reports
See full Ferric Citrate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Buttercup

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Buttercup — 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Buttercup References

The 3 references that drive our Buttercup 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. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  2. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  3. de Maere d'Aertrycke O, Le Polain de Waroux JB, Hantson P, de Bergeyck R. Recurrent supraventricular tachyarrhythmia following Ranunculus acris ("Meadow Buttercup") ingestion. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2020;58(7):780-781.

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 Buttercup and Ferric Citrate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Buttercup with Ferric Citrate?
We do not list a known interaction between Buttercup and Ferric Citrate. 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 Buttercup and Ferric Citrate have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 3 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.
Should I take Buttercup and Ferric Citrate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Ferric Citrate says to take it with food. If you take Buttercup on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Ferric Citrate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Ferric Citrate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Ferric Citrate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ferric Citrate has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Buttercup is not one of them. The Ferric Citrate 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 Ferric Citrate and Buttercup?

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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.