Drug & supplement interaction

Canada Balsam + Gabapentin

Gabapentin brand names: Neurontin, Gralise.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Canada Balsam and Gabapentin in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Canada Balsam and Gabapentin

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Gabapentin and Canada Balsam in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Canada Balsam at all — not against Gabapentin, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Canada Balsam safety at a glance

Canada Balsam overall Use caution Mainly used topically; resins and their oils can irritate skin and there is limited safety data for internal use.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information is available, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is no reliable safety data, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Gabapentin and Canada Balsam? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Gabapentin’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Canada Balsam. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Gabapentin’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Dependence or withdrawal symptoms Worth acting on
  • Thoughts of self-harm Worth acting on
  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on
  • Memory problems Worth acting on
  • Low sodium Worth acting on
  • Unsteadiness Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • High blood sugar Worth acting on
  • Confusion Worth acting on
  • A severe skin reaction Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 42 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Gabapentin. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 361,481 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Gabapentin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Canada Balsam’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Canada Balsam side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Canada Balsam has no side effects.

From our Q&A

Questions About Canada Balsam or Gabapentin

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

This page covers Canada Balsam only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Gabapentin page lists 106 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 82 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Gabapentin page

“Gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise) calms overactive nerves, which means it already slows your nervous system down, and that is exactly what 78 of the 106 supplements on this list also do. So the dominant risk here is sedation stacked on sedation, extra drowsiness at best and dangerously slowed breathing at worst, and with seven entries ra…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Gabapentin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Canada Balsam and Gabapentin 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 Canada Balsam
Steady interest

#1,370 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Gabapentin
Top 5%

#42 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources.
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Canada Balsam and Gabapentin records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Canada Balsam

What is Canada Balsam?

  • Topical wound and skin care
  • Soothing coughs and colds (traditional)
  • Antiseptic and antimicrobial uses
  • Aromatherapy and fragrance
  • Minor aches and irritations

Canada Balsam is the sticky oleoresin from the balsam fir tree, traditionally used on the skin and in folk cold remedies, and also widely used as a fragrance and a clear cement in microscopy and optics. There is very little high-quality human research supporting any health benefit, so it should be viewed as a traditional remedy rather than a proven treatment. Use it cautiously, mainly externally, and check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it medicinally.

Abies balsamea · Pinaceae · Oleoresin (resin) collected from the trunk; sometimes needles and bark · Resin (raw oleoresin), essential oil, salves and ointments, and as an ingredient in some traditional preparations

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Canada Balsam is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Canada Balsam record says about it on its own.

Canada Balsam: dosing

There is no established or standardized medicinal dose for Canada Balsam. It has not been studied enough in people to know a safe and effective amount.If you use a commercial product, such as a salve or an essential oil blend, follow the directions on the label.

From our Canada Balsam monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Canada Balsam monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Gabapentin

What Is Gabapentin Used For?

Brand names: Neurontin, Gralise

Gabapentin (brands include Neurontin, Relgaabi, Gabarone, Gralise, and Horizant) is primarily used to manage postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) — the nerve pain that lingers after a shingles outbreak — in adults. Neurontin, Relgaabi, Gabarone, and gabapentin capsules, tablets, and oral solution are also used as add-on therapy for partial onset seizures (a type of epilepsy) in adults and children aged 3 and older.

Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil extended-release tablet) has two specific approvals: treatment of moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome (RLS) in adults, and management of postherpetic neuralgia in adults. Horizant is not recommended for people who need to sleep during the day and stay awake at night. Gralise is approved only for postherpetic neuralgia and cannot be substituted for other gabapentin products due to its different release profile.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Gabapentin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (361,481 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 24,972 reports
Nausea 22,728 reports
Diarrhea 18,114 reports
Headache 17,897 reports
Dizziness 16,238 reports
See full Gabapentin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Canada Balsam

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Canada Balsam list.

See the full Canada Balsam interactions page
See every supplement checked against Gabapentin, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

We checked Canada Balsam against Gabapentin in the Natural Medicines interaction database and found no documented interaction on file. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus, and supplement label details from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

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
Canada Balsam monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Gabapentin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Gabapentin, ranked by severity Gabapentin 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 Canada Balsam and Gabapentin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Canada Balsam with Gabapentin?
We do not list a known interaction between Canada Balsam and Gabapentin. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Does Gabapentin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Gabapentin has documented interactions with 106 supplements in our database — Canada Balsam is not one of them. The Gabapentin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Gabapentin and Canada Balsam?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.