Drug & supplement interaction

Calumba + Dexlansoprazole

Dexlansoprazole brand name: Dexilant Solutab.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Calumba has a minor interaction with Dexlansoprazole. Theoretically, calumba might decrease the effectiveness of H2-blockers.

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

Calumba and Dexlansoprazole

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

Minor

PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIs)

Why this applies to Dexlansoprazole

Dexlansoprazole falls under PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIs) — the group Calumba interacts with.

Theoretically, calumba might decrease the effectiveness of H2-blockers.
There are reports that calumba increases stomach acid.
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 simple version. Dexlansoprazole (Dexilant) works by lowering how much acid your stomach makes, which calms heartburn and lets an irritated esophagus heal. Calumba is a bitter root that people have traditionally used to stimulate stomach secretions, basically the opposite goal. There are anecdotal reports that it may nudge stomach acid back up.

So in theory, taking calumba could work against your Dexilant and leave you with more breakthrough heartburn or a slower-healing esophagus. To be honest, this is weak, theoretical evidence, not anything well proven, and it's rated minor. Still, if you notice your reflux acting up after starting calumba, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

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

Calumba Also Interacts With Other Medications

Calumba has 35 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Dexlansoprazole one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Calumba

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Calumba or Dexlansoprazole

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

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

“Heartburn feels ordinary, so people taking dexlansoprazole (Dexilant) for reflux often add supplements without a second thought. I would slow down here.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dexlansoprazole interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Calumba and Dexlansoprazole 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 Calumba
Steady interest

#1,235 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Dexlansoprazole
Top 10%

#169 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 Calumba

What is Calumba?

  • Poor appetite
  • Digestive upset and indigestion
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • As a bitter tonic

Calumba is the dried root of an African climbing plant that has long been used as a bitter tonic to stimulate appetite and ease digestive complaints. Modern scientific evidence for these uses is very limited, and its safety has not been well studied, so it should be used cautiously and avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Calumba monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dexlansoprazole

What Is Dexlansoprazole Used For?

Brand name: Dexilant Solutab

Dexlansoprazole delayed-release capsules — sold as Dexilant and available as a generic — are used in patients 12 years of age and older to heal erosive esophagitis (EE), which is damage to the esophagus caused by stomach acid. They are also used to keep that damage healed and relieve heartburn over time.

In addition, dexlansoprazole treats heartburn from non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — that is, acid reflux that causes symptoms without visible damage to the esophagus. Both Dexilant and generic dexlansoprazole delayed-release capsules share these same approved uses.

See full Dexlansoprazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Calumba

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

0Major
0Moderate
35Minor
2,794No known interaction
Minor

35 interactions

No interaction 2,794 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Calumba and Dexlansoprazole Together: Common Questions

Can you take Calumba with Dexlansoprazole?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Calumba and Dexlansoprazole interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Dexlansoprazole and Calumba?

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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.