Drug & supplement interaction

Chickweed + Ganciclovir

Ganciclovir brand names: Cytovene, Cytovene Injection.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Chickweed and Ganciclovir 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

Chickweed and Ganciclovir

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 Ganciclovir and Chickweed 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 Chickweed at all — not against Ganciclovir, 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.

Chickweed safety at a glance

Chickweed overall Use caution Generally considered low-risk for short-term use, but high-quality safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally in the amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of chickweed when used orally in... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally in the amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of chickweed when used orally in... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

What Chickweed Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Ganciclovir. It is the side-effect record for Chickweed on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Chickweed, this list is the first place to look.

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    “Topically, chickweed extract has been reported to cause contact dermatitis.”

    Chickweed · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 13478. Jovanovic M, Mimica-Dukic N, Poljacki M, Boza P. Erythema multiforme due to contact with weeds: a recurrence after patch testing. Contact Dermatitis 2003;48:17-25. PubMed
    2. 41587. Jovanovic, M., Poljacki, M., Mimica-Dukic, N., Boza, P., Vujanovic, Lj, Duran, V., and Stojanovic, S. Sesquiterpene lactone mix patch testing supplemented with dandelion extract in patients with allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and non-alle
    3. 41590. Poljacki, M., Jovanovic, M., Boza, P., Mimica-Dukic, N., Petrovic, A., and Novovic, Z. [Is Vojvodina a risk area for contact weed allergies?]. Med Pregl. 2005;58(3-4):123-126. PubMed

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Chickweed — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Ganciclovir’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Ganciclovir column appears here.

Special populations

Chickweed in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally in the amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of chickweed when used orally in amounts greater than those found in food; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ganciclovir

This page covers Chickweed only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ganciclovir page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ganciclovir page

“Everything on this list threatens ganciclovir (Cytovene) the same way, by getting between the pill and your bloodstream. Ganciclovir fights cytomegalovirus in people whose immune systems are weakened, so a dose that only partly absorbs can let the virus regain ground and grow resistant.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ganciclovir interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 272 real supplement products containing Chickweed, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chickweed. Even though Chickweed itself has no known interaction with Ganciclovir, 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 Chickweed and Ganciclovir 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 Chickweed
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ganciclovir
Top half

#1,179 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. See every Chickweed reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Chickweed and Ganciclovir records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Chickweed

What is Chickweed?

Chickweed
  • Skin irritation and itching
  • Minor wounds and cuts
  • Digestive upset
  • Joint and muscle aches
  • Used historically for scurvy
  • Mild diuretic

Chickweed is a common edible wild plant traditionally used on the skin for itching and minor irritation, and taken as a tea or tincture for various complaints. Solid human studies are lacking, so its benefits are largely based on tradition rather than proof. It is generally considered low-risk when used short-term, but pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid it due to limited safety data.

Stellaria media · Caryophyllaceae · Above-ground parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) · Tea, capsules, tincture, dried herb, creams, ointments, salves, poultices

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

Chickweed: dosing

There is no established, standardized dose for chickweed. It is sold in many forms, including teas, tinctures, capsules, and skin creams or ointments, and the strength varies widely between products.If you use a commercial product, follow the directions on the label.

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

Read the full Chickweed monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ganciclovir

What Is Ganciclovir Used For?

Brand names: Cytovene, Cytovene Injection

Ganciclovir injection (Cytovene, Ganciclovir, and ganciclovir sodium) is used to treat CMV retinitis — a serious eye infection caused by cytomegalovirus — in adults with weakened immune systems, including those with AIDS. It is also used to prevent CMV disease in adult transplant recipients who are at risk.

Zirgan ophthalmic gel is a separate ganciclovir product used to treat acute herpetic keratitis — painful corneal ulcers caused by the herpes simplex virus — in adults and children aged 2 years and older.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Ganciclovir

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (10,879 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Cytomegalovirus infection 1,266 reports
Drug resistance 731 reports
Fever 620 reports
Neutropenia 598 reports
Pancytopenia 554 reports
See full Ganciclovir drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chickweed

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

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

Chickweed References

The 4 references that drive our Chickweed monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Jovanovic M, Mimica-Dukic N, Poljacki M, Boza P. Erythema multiforme due to contact with weeds: a recurrence after patch testing. Contact Dermatitis 2003;48:17-25. PubMed
  3. Jovanovic, M., Poljacki, M., Mimica-Dukic, N., Boza, P., Vujanovic, Lj, Duran, V., and Stojanovic, S. Sesquiterpene lactone mix patch testing supplemented with dandelion extract in patients with allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and non-alle
  4. Poljacki, M., Jovanovic, M., Boza, P., Mimica-Dukic, N., Petrovic, A., and Novovic, Z. [Is Vojvodina a risk area for contact weed allergies?]. Med Pregl. 2005;58(3-4):123-126. PubMed

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 Chickweed and Ganciclovir Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Chickweed with Ganciclovir?
We do not list a known interaction between Chickweed and Ganciclovir. 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 Ganciclovir interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ganciclovir has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Chickweed is not one of them. The Ganciclovir 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

Chickweed monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Ganciclovir drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Ganciclovir supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Ganciclovir, 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 4 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Ganciclovir and Chickweed?

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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.