Drug & supplement interaction

Chenopodium Oil + Interferon Alfa-2b

Interferon Alfa-2b brand names: Rebetron, Intron A, Viraferon.

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

Chenopodium Oil has a moderate interaction with Interferon Alfa-2b. Theoretically, concomitant use of chenopodium oil with other photosensitizing drugs can increase the risk of adverse effects.

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

Chenopodium Oil and Interferon Alfa-2b

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

Moderate

PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS

Why this applies to Interferon Alfa-2b

Interferon Alfa-2b falls under PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS — the group Chenopodium Oil interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of chenopodium oil with other photosensitizing drugs can increase the risk of adverse effects.
Chenopodium species are also associated with photosensitivity.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: some plants in the Chenopodium family, including the epazote plant this oil comes from, can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Interferon Alfa-2b can do the same thing on its own, so the worry is that using both together might add up and make you sunburn more easily or develop a rash on sun-exposed skin.

I'll be honest with you, this is a theoretical concern based on how these substances behave, not something proven in real patients taking them together. It's also worth saying that chenopodium oil isn't recommended for swallowing at all, since its main compound, ascaridole, can be quite toxic. If you're on interferon, just be smart about sun protection (sunscreen, a hat, covering up), and check with your pharmacist or doctor before using this oil.

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

Chenopodium Oil Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chenopodium Oil has 334 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Interferon Alfa-2b one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 334 No known interaction 2,496 (incl. Interferon Alfa-2b)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chenopodium Oil

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Chenopodium Oil. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Interferon Alfa-2b

This page covers Chenopodium Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Interferon Alfa-2b page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Interferon Alfa-2b page

“People taking interferon alfa-2b (Intron A, Rebetron) are usually treating hepatitis or a cancer, so the liver may already be under strain, and that is exactly where most of this list points. Of the 57 supplements on file, 38 can add to liver stress, and all three major-rated interactions sit in that group: Siberian cocklebur, which ha…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Interferon Alfa-2b interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Chenopodium Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chenopodium Oil. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Interferon Alfa-2b too, on top of Chenopodium Oil — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Chenopodium Oil and Interferon Alfa-2b 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 Chenopodium Oil
Steady interest

#1,422 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Interferon Alfa-2b
Top half

#1,292 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 Chenopodium Oil

What is Chenopodium Oil?

Chenopodium Oil
  • Intestinal worms (roundworm, hookworm)
  • Digestive upset and gas
  • Respiratory complaints
  • Skin conditions
  • As a culinary seasoning (epazote leaf)

Chenopodium oil is a strong-smelling essential oil from the epazote plant that was historically used to treat intestinal worms. It contains ascaridole, a compound that is quite toxic, and overdoses have caused serious harm, so it is no longer recommended for internal use. Safer modern deworming medicines exist, so talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using this oil.

Read the full Chenopodium Oil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Interferon Alfa-2b Injection

What Is Interferon Alfa-2b Injection Used For?

Brand names: Rebetron, Intron A, Viraferon

  • Interferon alfa-2b injection is used to treat a number of conditions.

  • Interferon alfa-2b injection is used

    • alone or in combination with ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribasphere) to treat chronic (long-term) hepatitis C infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in people who show signs of liver damage,

    • to treat chronic hepatitis B infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in people who show signs of liver damage,

    • to treat hairy cell leukemia (a white blood cell cancer),

    • to treat genital warts,

    • to treat Kaposi's sarcoma (a type of cancer that causes abnormal tissue to grow on different parts of the body) related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS),

    • to treat malignant melanoma (a cancer that begins in certain skin cells) in certain people who have had surgery to remove the cancer,

    • along with another medication to treat follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL; a slow-growing blood cancer).

  • Interferon alfa-2b is in a class of medications called immunomodulators. Interferon alfa-2b works to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) by decreasing the amount virus in the body. Interferon alfa-2b may not cure hepatitis B or hepatitis C or prevent you from developing complications from these infections such as cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver failure, or liver cancer. It also may not prevent the spread of hepatitis B or C to other people. It is not known exactly how interferon alfa-2b works to treat cancer or genital warts.

See full Interferon Alfa-2b Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chenopodium Oil

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

0Major
334Moderate
0Minor
2,495No known interaction
334 Moderate 2,495 No interaction
Moderate

334 interactions

Showing 60 of 334 moderate interactions — see all 334 on the Chenopodium Oil page.

No interaction 2,495 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,495 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Chenopodium Oil list.

See the full Chenopodium Oil interactions page
See every supplement checked against Interferon Alfa-2b, 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
Chenopodium Oil monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Interferon Alfa-2b supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Interferon Alfa-2b, ranked by severity Interferon Alfa-2b Injection 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 Chenopodium Oil and Interferon Alfa-2b Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chenopodium Oil with Interferon Alfa-2b?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Chenopodium Oil and Interferon Alfa-2b interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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.