Drug & supplement interaction

Carlina + Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Oct 4, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Carlina and Phenylephrine 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.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Carlina and Phenylephrine

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 Phenylephrine and Carlina 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 Carlina at all — not against Phenylephrine, 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.

Carlina safety at a glance

Carlina overall Use caution Human safety data are limited, so use carefully and only under guidance.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information; avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data; avoid while breastfeeding.

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

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

What Phenylephrine’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Carlina. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Phenylephrine’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. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Shortness of breath Worth acting on mentioned in 6.2% of FDA reports for Phenylephrine
  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on
  • Blurred vision
  • Headache mentioned in 7.8% of FDA reports for Phenylephrine
  • Nausea mentioned in 7.6% of FDA reports for Phenylephrine
  • Vomiting

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Phenylephrine. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 221,388 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Phenylephrine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Carlina’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Carlina side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Carlina has no side effects.

From our Q&A

Questions About Carlina or Phenylephrine

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

This page covers Carlina only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenylephrine page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Lithium (major), Peyote (major) and Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major).

By severity: 6 major · 60 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenylephrine page

“If you take phenylephrine (Sudafed PE, Biorphen) for congestion, treat this list as one that needs real attention, since six of its 81 entries carry a major rating. Phenylephrine tightens blood vessels to clear your nose, and more than half of the interactions here come from stimulant ingredients, ephedra above all, that can push blood…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenylephrine interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Carlina as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 38 real supplement products containing Carlina, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Carlina. Even though Carlina itself has no known interaction with Phenylephrine, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Carlina and Phenylephrine 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 Carlina
Steady interest

#1,236 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylephrine
Top 25%

#566 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. Carlina is not yet covered by that licensed database, so its write-up cites publicly available medical sources directly (see the references below).
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Carlina reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Carlina and Phenylephrine 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 Carlina

What is Carlina?

Carlina
  • Digestive upset and poor appetite
  • Diuretic (increasing urine flow)
  • Skin conditions when used topically
  • Antimicrobial folk remedy
  • Mild laxative or 'detox' use

Carlina (Carlina acaulis) is a thistle-like plant whose root has long been used in European folk medicine for digestive and skin complaints. Modern scientific evidence in humans is very limited, so its benefits are largely unproven. Because safety data are sparse, talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Carlina acaulis · Asteraceae · Root, and sometimes the flower heads and aerial parts · Dried root, tea/decoction, tincture, and traditional herbal preparations

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

Carlina: dosing

There is no well-established or standardized dose for Carlina. Traditional preparations were often made as a root tea or tincture, but the right amount, strength, and safe length of use have not been defined by good research.If you choose to use a product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them.

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

Read the full Carlina monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenylephrine

What Is Phenylephrine Used For?

Brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen

Phenylephrine is used in several different products, and each one has its own use.

Injection (IV): raises blood pressure in adults with clinically important hypotension (low blood pressure) caused mainly by widened blood vessels. Some injections are labeled for anesthesia only. Others are labeled for anesthesia and septic shock.

Eye drops: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is used to dilate the pupil.

Nasal products: temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion from the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Rectal suppositories: relieve itching, burning and discomfort from hemorrhoids and temporarily shrink hemorrhoidal tissue.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Phenylephrine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (221,388 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 20,609 reports
Headache 17,301 reports
Nausea 16,925 reports
Diarrhea 14,221 reports
Dyspnea 13,719 reports
See full Phenylephrine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Carlina

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Carlina — 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 Carlina 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 Carlina list.

See the full Carlina interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Carlina References

The 2 sources that drive our Carlina monograph — publicly available pages from reputable medical and government organizations. Every link was verified to work before publishing. Carlina is not covered by the licensed Natural Medicines interaction database, so its page cites these public sources directly.

  1. Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know — NIH Office of Dietary Supplements Source
  2. Herbs at a Glance — NIH NCCIH Source

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Carlina and Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Carlina with Phenylephrine?
We do not list a known interaction between Carlina and Phenylephrine. 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 Phenylephrine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Phenylephrine has documented interactions with 81 supplements in our database — Carlina is not one of them. The Phenylephrine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Carlina monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Phenylephrine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Phenylephrine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 2 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Phenylephrine and Carlina?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.