Drug & supplement interaction

Cade + Escitalopram

Escitalopram brand name: Lexapro.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Cade and Escitalopram 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

Cade and Escitalopram

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 Escitalopram and Cade 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 Cade at all — not against Escitalopram, 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.

Cade safety at a glance

Cade overall Use caution Generally used topically only and in small amounts; not for internal use and best used under guidance.
Pregnancy Avoid Safety has not been established, so avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety information, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

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

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

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Cade and Escitalopram 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. 2 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Seizures Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cade

    “Topical application of rectified cade oil 1% to 5% is well tolerated (16). Oral use of rectified or crude cade oil and topical use of crude cade oil are associated with serious adverse effects when taken either in single or multiple doses. Adverse effects associated with topical application generally occur in infants and children.”

    Cade · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ards).

    5 sources cited
    1. 16. Gennaro A. Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy. 19th ed. Lippincott: Williams & Wilkins, 1996.
    2. 94770. Achour S, Abourazzak S, Mokhtari A, et al. Juniper tar (cade oil) poisoning in new born after a cutaneous application. BMJ Case Reports 2011 Oct 28;2011. PubMed
    3. 94772. Skalli S, Chebat A, Badrane N, Bencheikh RS. Side effects of cade oil in Morocco: an analysis of reports in the Moroccan herbal products database from 2004 to 2012. Food Chem Toxicol 2014;64:81-5. PubMed
    4. 57209. Koruk, S. T., Ozyilkan, E., Kaya, P., Colak, D., Donderici, O., and Cesaretli, Y. Juniper tar poisoning. Clin.Toxicol.(Phila) 2005;43(1):47-49. PubMed
    5. 94776. Rahmani H, Leonhardt S, Beladdale D, et al. Severe acute lung oedema after rectal enema with cade oil (abstract). European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists XXIV International Congress, Strasbourg, 2004. Clin Toxicol 2004;42(4):487

    “Oral ingestion and topical application of cade oil have been associated with headache, convulsions, and coma.”

    Cade · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    3 sources cited
    1. 57209. Koruk, S. T., Ozyilkan, E., Kaya, P., Colak, D., Donderici, O., and Cesaretli, Y. Juniper tar poisoning. Clin.Toxicol.(Phila) 2005;43(1):47-49. PubMed
    2. 94770. Achour S, Abourazzak S, Mokhtari A, et al. Juniper tar (cade oil) poisoning in new born after a cutaneous application. BMJ Case Reports 2011 Oct 28;2011. PubMed
    3. 94776. Rahmani H, Leonhardt S, Beladdale D, et al. Severe acute lung oedema after rectal enema with cade oil (abstract). European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists XXIV International Congress, Strasbourg, 2004. Clin Toxicol 2004;42(4):487

    Escitalopram

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

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cade

    “Topical application of cade oil can cause urticaria, localized edema, and purpura. After oral ingestion of a "spoonful" of homemade cade oil, a 32-year old man developed a maculopapular rash with pustular lesions around the nose and mouth.”

    Cade · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pregnancy-related edema.

    2 sources cited
    1. 94772. Skalli S, Chebat A, Badrane N, Bencheikh RS. Side effects of cade oil in Morocco: an analysis of reports in the Moroccan herbal products database from 2004 to 2012. Food Chem Toxicol 2014;64:81-5. PubMed
    2. 57209. Koruk, S. T., Ozyilkan, E., Kaya, P., Colak, D., Donderici, O., and Cesaretli, Y. Juniper tar poisoning. Clin.Toxicol.(Phila) 2005;43(1):47-49. PubMed

    Escitalopram

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

  • Anxiety or restlessness / Drowsiness reported in 4.8% of FDA reports for Escitalopram Additional detail

    Cade

    Recorded for Cade in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Seizures above.

    Escitalopram

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

  • Stomach upset / Nausea / Vomiting reported in 6.8% of FDA reports for Escitalopram Additional detail

    Cade

    “Oral ingestion of a "spoonful" of homemade cade oil was associated with gingival erosions, nausea, vomiting, and dyspepsia in a 32-year old man.”

    Cade · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dyspepsia.

    1 source cited
    1. 57209. Koruk, S. T., Ozyilkan, E., Kaya, P., Colak, D., Donderici, O., and Cesaretli, Y. Juniper tar poisoning. Clin.Toxicol.(Phila) 2005;43(1):47-49. PubMed

    Escitalopram

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

Reported for Cade but not commonly for Escitalopram: an electrolyte imbalance, shortness of breath, cough and a low platelet count.

Effects for Escitalopram come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Cade come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 139,512 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Escitalopram 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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Cade or Escitalopram

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

This page covers Cade only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Escitalopram page lists 55 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Lithium (major), 5-htp (moderate), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate) and Ayahuasca (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 38 moderate · 15 minor.

Open the Escitalopram interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Cade and Escitalopram 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 Cade
Steady interest

#1,214 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Escitalopram
Top 1%

#13 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 Cade reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Cade and Escitalopram 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 Cade

What is Cade?

  • Psoriasis and eczema
  • Itchy or scaly scalp (dandruff)
  • Minor skin irritation
  • Antiseptic for the skin
  • Hair and scalp care

Cade oil (juniper tar) is a dark, tar-like oil distilled from the wood of the prickly juniper and is used almost entirely on the skin and scalp for conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and dandruff. Good-quality human research is limited, and there are real safety concerns, so it should only be used on the skin, carefully and in small amounts. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and never take it by mouth.

Juniperus oxycedrus · Cupressaceae · Wood and branches, used to make cade oil (juniper tar) · Cade oil (juniper tar), topical creams, ointments, shampoos, and soaps

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

Cade: dosing

There is no established standard dose for cade oil. It is most often found already mixed into shampoos, soaps, creams, or ointments at low concentrations rather than used as a pure oil.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not apply more or more often than recommended.

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

Read the full Cade monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Escitalopram

What Is Escitalopram Used For?

Brand name: Lexapro

Escitalopram treats major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and in adolescents 12 years of age and older. It also treats generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults.

Lexapro (escitalopram) tablets are additionally approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder in pediatric patients 7 years of age and older. Escitalopram Capsules are indicated for MDD and GAD in adults younger than 65 years of age, and for MDD in pediatric patients 12 years and older — the capsule form is not indicated for patients 65 and older.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Escitalopram

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (139,512 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 9,542 reports
Nausea 9,514 reports
Headache 7,397 reports
Diarrhea 7,045 reports
Anxiety 6,668 reports
See full Escitalopram drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cade

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Cade — 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

Cade References

The 5 references that drive our Cade 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. Gennaro A. Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy. 19th ed. Lippincott: Williams & Wilkins, 1996.
  2. Koruk, S. T., Ozyilkan, E., Kaya, P., Colak, D., Donderici, O., and Cesaretli, Y. Juniper tar poisoning. Clin.Toxicol.(Phila) 2005;43(1):47-49. PubMed
  3. Achour S, Abourazzak S, Mokhtari A, et al. Juniper tar (cade oil) poisoning in new born after a cutaneous application. BMJ Case Reports 2011 Oct 28;2011. PubMed
  4. Skalli S, Chebat A, Badrane N, Bencheikh RS. Side effects of cade oil in Morocco: an analysis of reports in the Moroccan herbal products database from 2004 to 2012. Food Chem Toxicol 2014;64:81-5. PubMed
  5. Rahmani H, Leonhardt S, Beladdale D, et al. Severe acute lung oedema after rectal enema with cade oil (abstract). European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists XXIV International Congress, Strasbourg, 2004. Clin Toxicol 2004;42(4):487

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 Cade and Escitalopram Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Cade with Escitalopram?
We do not list a known interaction between Cade and Escitalopram. 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 Cade and Escitalopram have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 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.
Does Escitalopram interact with any supplements?
Yes. Escitalopram has documented interactions with 55 supplements in our database — Cade is not one of them. The Escitalopram 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 Escitalopram and Cade?

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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.