Drug & supplement interaction

Calumba + Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug)

Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) brand name: Sodium Bicarbonate.

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

Calumba has a minor interaction with Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug). Theoretically, calumba might decrease the effectiveness of antacids.

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

Calumba and Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug)

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

Minor

ANTACIDS

Why this applies to Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug)

Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) falls under ANTACIDS — the group Calumba interacts with.

Theoretically, calumba might decrease the effectiveness of antacids.
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. Calumba is a bitter root that, in theory, may nudge your stomach to make a little more acid. Sodium bicarbonate works the opposite way, it's an antacid that neutralizes acid to settle heartburn and indigestion. So if calumba ramps up acid while you're trying to calm it down, you might get slightly less relief and find yourself reaching for another dose sooner.

I want to be honest about how flimsy this is. It's based on anecdotal reports, not solid studies, and it's rated a minor interaction. Most people won't notice a thing. If your heartburn isn't easing up the way it should, mention it to your pharmacist before changing anything.

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

Calumba Also Interacts With Other Medications

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

Minor 35 No known interaction 2,795 (incl. Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug))
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 Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug)

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 Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug), 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 Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug)

This page covers Calumba only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) page lists 30 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 1 major · 10 moderate · 19 minor.

Open the Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Calumba and Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) 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

#1,114 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug)
Steady interest

#1,824 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 Sodium Bicarbonate

What Is Sodium Bicarbonate Used For?

Brand name: Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate treats several different types of discomfort depending on the product and how it is used. Taken by mouth, it relieves heartburn, sour stomach, acid indigestion, and upset stomach. EcoDent Ultimate Essential Mouthcare oral solution is used to temporarily clean minor mouth wounds and soothe minor gum inflammation from dental procedures, dentures, orthodontic appliances, or accidental injury.

Used on the skin, sodium bicarbonate products — including After Bite Kids cream, After Bite Advanced and After Bite X Tech liquids, Itch Eraser Sensitive cream, AHHH Bite Relief gel, Insect sting relief latex lotion, Insect sting relief pad, and Dermfree Insect Bite Relief liquid — temporarily relieve minor skin irritation and itching from insect bites, stings, and contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac. AHHH Bite Relief also provides rapid relief from specific biting insects including deer flies, horse flies, black flies, mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and chiggers, and from rashes and eczema.

See full Sodium Bicarbonate 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
35 Minor 2,794 No interaction
Minor

35 interactions

No interaction 2,794 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,794 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Calumba list.

See the full Calumba interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug), 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
Calumba monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug), ranked by severity Sodium Bicarbonate 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 Calumba and Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Calumba with Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug)?
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 Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) 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 Sodium Bicarbonate (OTC Drug) 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.