Drug & supplement interaction

Coleus + Olmesartan Medoxomil

Olmesartan Medoxomil brand names: Olmesartan Medoxomil, Benicar.

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

Coleus has a moderate interaction with Olmesartan Medoxomil. Theoretically, combining coleus with antihypertensive drugs might cause additive blood pressure lowering effects and increase the risk of hypotension.

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

Coleus and Olmesartan Medoxomil

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Olmesartan Medoxomil

Olmesartan Medoxomil falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Coleus interacts with.

Theoretically, combining coleus with antihypertensive drugs might cause additive blood pressure lowering effects and increase the risk of hypotension.
Animal research shows that forskolin, a constituent of coleus, may lower blood pressure.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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.

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

Here's the simple picture: your Benicar (olmesartan) already relaxes blood vessels to bring your blood pressure down. Coleus contains forskolin, which in animal studies also seems to lower blood pressure on its own. Stack the two together and the effects could add up, pushing your numbers lower than intended.

If that happens, you might feel dizzy or lightheaded, especially when standing up quickly, along with possible fatigue, headache, or even fainting. I want to be honest, though: this concern is theoretical, based mostly on lab and animal research, not strong human studies. Still, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding Coleus, particularly if your pressure already runs low or you take other blood pressure medicines.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Baumann G, Felix S, Sattelberger U, Klein G. Cardiovascular effects of forskolin (HL-362) in patients with idiopathic congestiv cardiomyopathy. A comparative study with dobutamine and sodium nitroprusside. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1990;16:93-100.
  2. Kramer W, Thormann J, Kindler M, Schlepper M. Effects of forskolin on left ventricular function in dilated cardiomyopathy. Arzneimittelforschung 1987;37:364-7.
  3. Schlepper, M., Thormann, J., and Mitrovic, V. Cardiovascular effects of forskolin and phosphodiesterase-III inhibitors. Basic Res Cardiol 1989;84 Suppl 1:197-212. PubMed
  4. Lindner, E., Dohadwalla, A. N., and Bhattacharya, B. K. Positive inotropic and blood pressure lowering activity of a diterpene derivative isolated from Coleus forskohli: Forskolin. Arzneimittelforschung 1978;28(2):284-289.

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

Coleus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Coleus has 29 major, 885 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Olmesartan Medoxomil one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 29 Moderate 885 No known interaction 1,916 (incl. Olmesartan Medoxomil)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Coleus

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Coleus or Olmesartan Medoxomil

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

This page covers Coleus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Olmesartan Medoxomil page lists 136 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Tyramine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 111 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Olmesartan Medoxomil page

“Olmesartan medoxomil (Benicar) lowers blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, and nearly everything on this page, 119 of the 136 ingredients, pulls on that same lever, deepening the drop or working against it. Four entries rate major, which is why this list deserves genuine care rather than a quick skim.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Olmesartan Medoxomil interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 803 real supplement products containing Coleus, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Coleus. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Olmesartan Medoxomil too, on top of Coleus — 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 Coleus and Olmesartan Medoxomil 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 Coleus
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Olmesartan Medoxomil
Top 25%

#340 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 Coleus

What is Coleus?

Coleus
  • Weight management
  • Asthma and breathing
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart conditions
  • Glaucoma (eye pressure)
  • Exercise and body composition

Coleus is a plant from the mint family whose root contains a compound called forskolin, often marketed for weight loss, asthma, and heart health. While early lab and small human studies are interesting, solid proof that Coleus supplements help any of these conditions is limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have heart problems or low blood pressure.

Read the full Coleus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Olmesartan

What Is Olmesartan Used For?

Brand names: Olmesartan Medoxomil, Benicar

Olmesartan treats high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and in children aged 6 years and older. It can be used alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of serious events like stroke and heart attack.

It is available as Benicar and as generic olmesartan medoxomil tablets, including a combination tablet with hydrochlorothiazide. All of these products are used for high blood pressure.

See full Olmesartan drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Coleus

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

29Major
885Moderate
0Minor
1,915No known interaction
29 Major 885 Moderate 1,915 No interaction
Major

29 interactions

Moderate

885 interactions

Showing 60 of 885 moderate interactions — see all 885 on the Coleus page.

No interaction 1,915 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,915 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Coleus list.

See the full Coleus interactions page
See every supplement checked against Olmesartan Medoxomil, 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
Coleus monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Olmesartan Medoxomil supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Olmesartan Medoxomil, ranked by severity Olmesartan 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 Coleus and Olmesartan Medoxomil Together: Common Questions

Can you take Coleus with Olmesartan Medoxomil?
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 Coleus and Olmesartan Medoxomil 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

Still Have a Question About Olmesartan Medoxomil and Coleus?

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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.