Drug & supplement interaction

Calamus + Pyridostigmine Bromide

Pyridostigmine Bromide brand names: Mestinon, Regonol.

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

Calamus has a moderate interaction with Pyridostigmine Bromide. Theoretically, concurrent use of cholinergic drugs and calamus might have an additive effect and increase the risk of cholinergic effects.

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

Calamus and Pyridostigmine Bromide

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

Moderate

CHOLINERGIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Pyridostigmine Bromide

Pyridostigmine Bromide falls under CHOLINERGIC DRUGS — the group Calamus interacts with.

Theoretically, concurrent use of cholinergic drugs and calamus might have an additive effect and increase the risk of cholinergic effects.
In vitro evidence shows that calamus can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE).
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 basic idea with Mestinon (pyridostigmine) and calamus. Pyridostigmine works by blocking an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which lets more of your natural "muscle signal" chemical (acetylcholine) hang around so your muscles work better. In lab studies, calamus appears to block that same enzyme. So in theory, taking both could pile on top of each other and push your cholinergic activity too high.

If that happened, you might notice more of pyridostigmine's known side effects: belly cramps, diarrhea, nausea, extra saliva or sweating, watery eyes, or muscle twitching. I'll be honest, though, this is based only on test-tube and animal data, not real people, and calamus is best avoided anyway for safety reasons. Please run it by your doctor or pharmacist before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Oh, M. H., Houghton, P. J., Whang, W. K., and Cho, J. H. Screening of Korean herbal medicines used to improve cognitive function for anti-cholinesterase activity. Phytomedicine 2004;11(6):544-548. 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

Calamus Also Interacts With Other Medications

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

Moderate 1,097 Minor 19 No known interaction 1,714 (incl. Pyridostigmine Bromide)
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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pyridostigmine Bromide

This page covers Calamus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pyridostigmine Bromide page lists 39 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Arenaria Rubra (moderate), Bacopa (moderate), Bael (moderate) and Betel Nut (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 28 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pyridostigmine Bromide page

“Activated charcoal is the single major-rated risk among the 39 supplements on file for pyridostigmine (Mestinon, Regonol), and it belongs at the top of your attention. Charcoal can soak up the medicine in the gut before it works, and for someone counting on pyridostigmine to keep muscles strong in myasthenia gravis, a blunted dose can…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pyridostigmine Bromide 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 Pyridostigmine Bromide 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 Pyridostigmine Bromide 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pyridostigmine Bromide
Steady interest

#2,123 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 Pyridostigmine

What Is Pyridostigmine Used For?

Brand names: Mestinon, Regonol

Pyridostigmine bromide is approved specifically for military use as a pretreatment before potential exposure to soman, a chemical nerve agent. It is taken ahead of time to help protect the body's nervous system from soman's lethal effects — but only when it is also followed by atropine and pralidoxime (2-PAM) treatment if poisoning occurs.

It does not work on its own. Pyridostigmine must always be paired with protective gear (mask, hood, overgarments) and with the nerve-agent antidotes atropine and pralidoxime if exposure happens. It is not a treatment for soman poisoning — it is a preparatory step taken before exposure.

See full Pyridostigmine 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 Pyridostigmine Bromide, 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 Pyridostigmine Bromide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Pyridostigmine Bromide, ranked by severity Pyridostigmine 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 Pyridostigmine Bromide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Calamus with Pyridostigmine Bromide?
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 Calamus and Pyridostigmine Bromide 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 Pyridostigmine Bromide and Calamus?

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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.