Drug & supplement interaction

Calumba + Nizatidine

Nizatidine brand names: Axid, Axid Injection.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Calumba has a minor interaction with Nizatidine. 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 Nizatidine

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

Minor

H2-BLOCKERS

Why this applies to Nizatidine

Nizatidine falls under H2-BLOCKERS — 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. Nizatidine works by lowering how much acid your stomach makes, which helps your ulcer or heartburn settle down. Calumba, on the other hand, is a bitter root that some folks use to stimulate digestion, and there are a few reports that it may actually nudge stomach acid back up. So in theory, the two could work against each other, and you might notice your heartburn or stomach discomfort isn't as well controlled.

That said, this is based on very weak, anecdotal information, not solid studies, so the real-world effect (if any) is likely small. Nizatidine isn't activated by your body, so there's no flip-flop here. If you'd like to use calumba, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

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 Nizatidine 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Nizatidine

This page covers Calumba only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Nizatidine page lists 31 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate) and Glucomannan (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 9 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Nizatidine page

“Nizatidine (Axid) reduces stomach acid to treat heartburn and ulcers, and its supplement list earns real attention rather than a passing glance. The one major-rated entry is activated charcoal, which can soak up the drug in the gut and cut how much reaches your bloodstream.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Nizatidine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Calumba and Nizatidine 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 Nizatidine
Steady interest

#2,795 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 Nizatidine

What Is Nizatidine Used For?

Brand names: Axid, Axid Injection

Nizatidine treats conditions caused by too much stomach acid. Both the capsule and oral solution are approved to treat active duodenal ulcers (ulcers in the small intestine) and active benign gastric ulcers (stomach ulcers), and to manage gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including erosive and ulcerative esophagitis (inflammation and damage to the esophagus) and related heartburn.

After a duodenal ulcer heals, nizatidine can be continued at a lower dose to help prevent the ulcer from coming back. Nizatidine oral solution is also approved for adolescents 12 years of age and older for GERD and erosive esophagitis. Before treating a stomach ulcer, your doctor will rule out stomach cancer, since the symptoms can overlap.

See full Nizatidine 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 Nizatidine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Calumba with Nizatidine?
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 Nizatidine 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

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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.