Ceylon Leadwort + Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone brand names: Decadron, Hexadrol, Dexone, Ozurdex, Dexycu, and others.
Dexamethasone falls into 3 drug categories that Ceylon Leadwort can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Plumbagin, a constituent of Ceylon leadwort, has been shown to inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) in vitro.
Read the full interaction reportCeylon Leadwort and Dexamethasone
These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.
Why Are There 3 Interactions?
Ceylon Leadwort interacts with whole categories of medication. Dexamethasone falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Ceylon Leadwort in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).
CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES
1 of 3Why this applies to Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Ceylon Leadwort interacts with.
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.
Here's the gist for dexamethasone. Your liver uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to break this steroid down and clear it out. A compound in Ceylon Leadwort, called plumbagin, has been shown to slow that enzyme down, at least in lab studies. If it does the same thing in your body, dexamethasone could hang around longer and build up, which can mean stronger steroid effects and more side effects like higher blood sugar, fluid retention, mood or sleep changes, stomach upset, and over time, a weaker immune defense.
I want to be honest about the evidence, though. This is only seen in test-tube and animal work, never confirmed in people, so it's theoretical at this point. Still, before you pair them, please check with your pharmacist or doctor.
- Chen A, Zhou X, Tang S, Liu M, Wang X. Evaluation of the inhibition potential of plumbagin against cytochrome P450 using LC-MS/MS and cocktail approach. Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 22;6:28482. PubMed
IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS
2 of 3Dexamethasone also falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS.
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.
Here's the gist: Ceylon Leadwort contains a compound called plumbagin, and in lab and animal studies it has shown its own immune-dampening activity. Since dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that you may be taking to calm inflammation or to quiet the immune system (for asthma, allergies, certain cancers, or autoimmune conditions), the theory is that adding this herb could nudge things in an unpredictable way and make your steroid therapy harder to dose just right.
I want to be straight with you, though: this concern comes only from test-tube and animal research, not from people. We simply don't have human data showing it matters at real-world doses. Because dexamethasone is often used for serious conditions, I'd skip the supplement and run it by your pharmacist or doctor first rather than risk throwing off your treatment.
- Mandavkar, YD, Jalalpure, SS. A comprehensive review on Plumbago zeylanica Linn. African J. Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2011;5(25):2738-2747. DOI
- Checker R, Sharma D, Sandur SK, Khanam S, Poduval TB. Anti-inflammatory effects of plumbagin are mediated by inhibition of NF-kappaB activation in lymphocytes. Int Immunopharmacol. 2009 Jul;9(7-8):949-58. PubMed
- Jia Y, Jing J, Bai Y, Li Z, Liu L, Luo J, Liu M, Chen H. Amelioration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by plumbagin through down-regulation of JAK-STAT and NF-?B signaling pathways. PLoS One. 2011;6(10):e27006. PubMed
- Poosarla A, D N R, Athota RR, Sunkara VG. Modulation of T cell proliferation and cytokine response by Plumbagin, extracted from Plumbago zeylanica in collagen induced arthritis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 Nov 16;11:114. PubMed
CYTOCHROME P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) SUBSTRATES
3 of 3Dexamethasone also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) SUBSTRATES.
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.
Here's the gist with these two together. Ceylon Leadwort contains a compound called plumbagin, and in lab dish studies it appears to slow down an enzyme (CYP2B6) that helps your body process dexamethasone. If that enzyme works more slowly, dexamethasone could in theory linger a bit longer and build up. With a steroid like dexamethasone, more drug around can mean more of the usual effects, things like fluid retention, mood or sleep changes, higher blood sugar, stomach upset, or feeling jittery.
The big caveat: this has only been seen in test tubes, never in actual people, so it's very much a theoretical concern at this point. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since concentrated supplement doses are an unknown, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.
- Chen A, Zhou X, Tang S, Liu M, Wang X. Evaluation of the inhibition potential of plumbagin against cytochrome P450 using LC-MS/MS and cocktail approach. Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 22;6:28482. PubMed
What These Ratings Mean
Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.
Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.
Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.
Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.
- 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.
- 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.
Ceylon Leadwort Also Interacts With Other Medications
Ceylon Leadwort has 1,096 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Dexamethasone one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Ceylon Leadwort
We haven’t checked that one against Ceylon Leadwort yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Ceylon Leadwort. Pick one to open its full report.
Questions About Ceylon Leadwort or Dexamethasone
These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Ceylon Leadwort or Dexamethasone, 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:
- Does Activated Charcoal Remove Dexamethasone From the Body? ›
- Can You Safely Use Flonase If You Have High Blood Pressure? ›
- Are Antibiotic Eye Drops Safe To Use In The Ear? ›
Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Dexamethasone
This page covers Ceylon Leadwort only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dexamethasone page lists 221 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Lily-of-the-valley (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).
By severity: 4 major · 182 moderate · 35 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dexamethasone page
“People take dexamethasone for serious reasons, a chemotherapy course, an autoimmune flare, brain swelling, so I want anyone on it to give its 221 supplement interactions genuine attention, starting with the four rated major. Grapefruit and St.”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Taking Ceylon Leadwort as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 96 real supplement products containing Ceylon Leadwort, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ceylon Leadwort. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Dexamethasone too, on top of Ceylon Leadwort — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Ceylon Leadwort and Dexamethasone 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.
#566 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#179 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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.
About Ceylon Leadwort
What is Ceylon Leadwort?
- Digestive complaints and poor appetite
- Skin conditions and wounds (applied to the skin)
- Joint pain and swelling
- Traditional 'metabolism-boosting' tonics
- Antimicrobial folk remedy
Ceylon Leadwort (Plumbago zeylanica) is a plant long used in Ayurvedic and other traditional medicine systems, mainly for digestion, skin problems, and pain. Solid human studies are lacking, and the plant contains plumbagin, a compound that can irritate skin and tissues and may be unsafe in larger amounts. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it in pregnancy.
About Dexamethasone
What Is Dexamethasone Used For?
Brand names: Decadron, Hexadrol, Dexone, Ozurdex, Dexycu, Hemady, Dextenza
Dexamethasone is used to treat a wide range of conditions depending on the form and route. Oral tablets and solutions treat severe allergic reactions (such as asthma, contact dermatitis, and seasonal allergic rhinitis), inflammatory skin diseases, endocrine disorders including adrenal insufficiency and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis and regional enteritis, blood disorders, rheumatic conditions, kidney disease, and respiratory conditions including tuberculosis complications. Hemady (oral tablet) is specifically approved, in combination with other medicines, for multiple myeloma in adults. TaperDex (6-day and 12-day oral tablet packs) are used for the same broad range of allergic, inflammatory, and endocrine conditions.
Injectable forms (intramuscular and intravenous) are used when oral treatment is not possible, covering endocrine emergencies, shock, rheumatic disorders, and more. Eye-specific products treat different conditions: Dextenza (intracanalicular insert) treats eye inflammation and pain after eye surgery and itching from allergic conjunctivitis. Ozurdex (intravitreal implant) treats macular edema from retinal vein occlusion and diabetic macular edema, and non-infectious uveitis in the back of the eye. Dexycu (intraocular injection) treats inflammation after eye surgery. Maxidex (ophthalmic suspension) and dexamethasone sodium phosphate eye drops treat steroid-responsive inflammatory conditions of the eye. The ophthalmic/otic solution also treats steroid-responsive inflammation of the outer ear canal. A topical ointment (Seacall) is used for skin conditions including contact dermatitis, eczema, and neurodermatitis.
Other Drugs & Ceylon Leadwort
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Ceylon Leadwort — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
1,096 interactions
- Diclofenac Sodium ›
- Diltiazem ›
- Theophylline ›
- Nifedipine ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Aspirin ›
- Hydrocortisone ›
- Insulin (rdna) ›
- Naproxen ›
- Erythromycin ›
- Estradiol ›
- Minocycline ›
- Propranolol ›
- Lidocaine ›
- Norethindrone ›
- Testosterone ›
- Verapamil ›
- Levonorgestrel ›
- Prednisone ›
- Quinidine ›
- Cyclosporine ›
- Glyburide ›
- Insulin (pork) ›
- Triazolam ›
- Zopiclone ›
- Bupropion ›
- Colchicine ›
- Fentanyl ›
- Flurbiprofen ›
- Orphenadrine ›
- Oxybutynin ›
- Oxycodone ›
- Phenytoin ›
- Prednisolone ›
- Tacrolimus ›
- Temazepam ›
- Triamcinolone ›
- Budesonide ›
- Carbamazepine ›
- Clindamycin ›
- Dextromethorphan ›
- Diclofenac Potassium ›
- Dipyridamole ›
- Doxorubicin ›
- Fluticasone ›
- Formoterol ›
- Indomethacin ›
- Insulin (human) ›
- Miconazole ›
- Morphine Sulfate ›
- Trimipramine ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Buprenorphine ›
- Conjugated Estrogens ›
- Diazepam ›
- Everolimus ›
- Ivabradine ›
- Ketoprofen ›
- Lofepramine ›
Showing 60 of 1,096 moderate interactions — see all 1,096 on the Ceylon Leadwort page.
No interaction 1,733 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Ceylon Leadwort against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Levothyroxine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Docusate ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Cyclopentolate ›
- Candesartan Cilexetil ›
- Mannitol ›
- Cephalexin ›
- Roxithromycin ›
- Pegunigalsidase Alfa-iwxj ›
- Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Doxylamine ›
- Daptomycin ›
- Hexobarbitone ›
- Dexmethylphenidate ›
- Levothyroxine Sodium ›
- Levetiracetam ›
- Mitomycin ›
- Minoxidil ›
- Cefaclor ›
- Factor 7a ›
- Carbidopa, Levodopa ›
- Thyroid Hormone ›
- Ezetimibe ›
- Levodopa ›
- Vancomycin ›
- Phenylephrine ›
- Spironolactone ›
- Dirithromycin ›
- Procainamide ›
- Lenvatinib ›
- Hethylphenidate Hcl ›
- Phentermine, Topiramate ›
- Azelaic Acid ›
- Bentoquatam ›
- Amoxicillin, Clavulanate Potassium ›
- Digoxin ›
- Hydroxychloroquine ›
- Triptorelin ›
- Dextrothyroxine ›
- Lomustine ›
- Succimer ›
- Pentobarbitone ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,733 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Ceylon Leadwort list.
Sources & How We Checked
Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.
- Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — Evidence-graded clinical reference for vitamins, herbs and supplements — the basis for our interaction data.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine — NIH consumer drug information, used for the medication overviews.
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) — Official supplement product labels.
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
Dexamethasone Is Linked to Lower Levels of 8 Nutrients
Natural Medicines records Dexamethasone as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Ceylon Leadwort — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Dexamethasone nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Ceylon Leadwort and Dexamethasone Together: Common Questions
Can you take Ceylon Leadwort with Dexamethasone?
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Ceylon Leadwort and Dexamethasone?
How serious is the Ceylon Leadwort and Dexamethasone interaction?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
Still Have a Question About Dexamethasone and Ceylon Leadwort?
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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.