Drug & supplement interaction

Calamus + Lansoprazole

Lansoprazole brand name: Prevacid.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Lansoprazole falls into 2 drug categories that Calamus can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking calamus with drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 might increase drug levels and potentially increase the risk of adverse effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Calamus and Lansoprazole

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Calamus interacts with whole categories of medication. Lansoprazole falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Calamus in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Lansoprazole

Lansoprazole falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Calamus interacts with.

Theoretically, taking calamus with drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 might increase drug levels and potentially increase the risk of adverse effects.
In vitro research shows that calamus extract inhibits CYP3A4 enzyme.
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: your body uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to help clear lansoprazole. In lab dish studies, calamus appears to slow that enzyme down. If that happened in real life, lansoprazole could build up a bit and stick around longer, which in theory might bump up side effects like headache, stomach upset, diarrhea, or feeling dizzy.

I want to be honest about how soft this evidence is. It comes only from test-tube research, not from people, so we really don't know if it matters in practice. Lansoprazole is also a pretty forgiving medication, so a small shift usually isn't dramatic. My bigger concern is calamus itself, which contains beta-asarone and is banned from foods in the U.S. for safety reasons. Before mixing the two, please check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Pandit S, Mukherjee PK, Ponnusankar S, Venkatesh M, Srikanth N. Metabolism mediated interaction of a-asarone and Acorus calamus with CYP3A4 and CYP2D6. Fitoterapia 2011;82(3):369-74.
Minor

PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIs)

2 of 2

Lansoprazole also falls under PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIs).

Theoretically, taking calamus might reduce the effectiveness of PPIs.
Some research suggests that calamus lowers gastric pH.
Severity Minor 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 with Prevacid (lansoprazole) and calamus. Lansoprazole works by quieting the acid pumps in your stomach so things can heal and your heartburn calms down. The concern on file is that calamus might nudge stomach acid in the wrong direction, which could in theory make your PPI work a little less well, so you might notice more burning, reflux, or stomach discomfort sneaking back.

I want to be honest about how shaky this is. It's rated minor and rests on anecdotal, mostly theoretical evidence, not solid human studies. Honestly, my bigger worry with calamus is its own safety baggage (it contains beta-asarone, which is why the FDA banned it from foods). I'd skip it and check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding any supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

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

Calamus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Calamus has 1,097 moderate, 19 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Lansoprazole one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,097 Minor 19 No known interaction 1,714 (incl. Lansoprazole)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Calamus

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Calamus or Lansoprazole

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

This page covers Calamus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lansoprazole page lists 153 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 101 moderate · 49 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lansoprazole page

“Heartburn and reflux send plenty of people toward both lansoprazole (Prevacid) and the supplement aisle, and that pairing calls for genuine care, since three of the 153 ingredients on file here carry major-rated interactions. Most of the list works through the liver enzymes that clear lansoprazole, either slowing them down (grapefruit,…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lansoprazole interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 71 real supplement products containing Calamus, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Calamus. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lansoprazole too, on top of Calamus — 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 Calamus and Lansoprazole 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 Calamus
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lansoprazole
Top half

#1,351 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 Calamus

What is Calamus?

Calamus
  • Digestive upset and gas
  • Loss of appetite
  • Memory and focus (traditional)
  • Coughs and colds
  • Calming or sedative effect (traditional)

Calamus is a swamp plant with a long history in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, mostly for digestive and nervous-system complaints. However, it contains beta-asarone, a compound linked to cancer and other toxic effects in animal studies, which is why the U.S. FDA banned it from foods. Because of these safety concerns and a lack of solid human evidence, it is generally best avoided.

Read the full Calamus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lansoprazole

What Is Lansoprazole Used For?

Brand name: Prevacid

Lansoprazole is prescribed for a range of conditions where excess stomach acid is the problem. It treats active stomach and duodenal ulcers (sores in the stomach or upper small intestine), helps heal ulcers caused by NSAID pain relievers, and can reduce the risk of those ulcers coming back.

It's also used for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis (acid damage to the esophagus), and rare conditions where the stomach makes far too much acid — like Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. When combined with antibiotics, it helps wipe out H. pylori bacteria that cause recurring ulcers.

See full Lansoprazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Calamus

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

0Major
1,097Moderate
19Minor
1,713No known interaction
1,097 Moderate 19 Minor 1,713 No interaction
Moderate

1,097 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,097 moderate interactions — see all 1,097 on the Calamus page.

Minor

19 interactions

No interaction 1,713 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Calamus against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,713 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Calamus list.

See the full Calamus interactions page
See every supplement checked against Lansoprazole, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Calamus monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Lansoprazole supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Lansoprazole, ranked by severity Lansoprazole 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 Calamus and Lansoprazole Together: Common Questions

Can you take Calamus with Lansoprazole?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Calamus and Lansoprazole?
Lansoprazole belongs to more than one drug category, and Calamus interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Calamus and Lansoprazole 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 Lansoprazole and Calamus?

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.