Drug & supplement interaction

Corkwood Tree + Dexchlorpheniramine

Dexchlorpheniramine brand names: Polaramine, Polaramine Repetabs.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Corkwood Tree has a moderate interaction with Dexchlorpheniramine. Theoretically, corkwood tree might increase the risk of adverse anticholinergic effects when taken with anticholinergic drugs.

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

Corkwood Tree and Dexchlorpheniramine

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

Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Dexchlorpheniramine

Dexchlorpheniramine falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS — the group Corkwood Tree interacts with.

Theoretically, corkwood tree might increase the risk of adverse anticholinergic effects when taken with anticholinergic drugs.
Corkwood tree contains the anticholinergic constituents atropine and scopolamine, and ingestion of corkwood tree leaves has been reported to cause effects consistent with anticholinergic toxicity.
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 thing about pairing these two. Dexchlorpheniramine is an older antihistamine that already has its own drying, anticholinergic side, meaning it can cause a dry mouth, blurry vision, constipation, trouble urinating, and a foggy or drowsy feeling. Corkwood tree contains the same type of compounds (atropine and scopolamine), which block that same acetylcholine messenger. So taking them together can stack those effects and make them stronger.

I'll be honest, this concern is theoretical, based on how these chemicals behave rather than solid studies. Still, raw corkwood tree is genuinely toxic and not a safe supplement, so I wouldn't combine them. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before using anything from this plant.

References
  1. Pellowe E, Poncia HD. Duboisia ingestion: an unusual cause of anticholinergic poisoning. Emerg Med Australas 2013;25(3):268-70.

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

Corkwood Tree Also Interacts With Other Medications

Corkwood Tree has 194 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Dexchlorpheniramine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Corkwood Tree

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Corkwood Tree or Dexchlorpheniramine

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

This page covers Corkwood Tree only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dexchlorpheniramine page lists 198 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Henbane (major), Lithium (major) and Scopolia (major).

By severity: 6 major · 149 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dexchlorpheniramine page

“An allergy antihistamine like dexchlorpheniramine (Polaramine) sounds mild, but its interaction list warrants genuine care, and six of the 198 entries carry a major rating. The biggest cluster, 121 ingredients, can raise or lower the drug's blood levels through the liver enzyme that breaks it down.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dexchlorpheniramine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Corkwood Tree and Dexchlorpheniramine 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 Corkwood Tree
Steady interest

#1,073 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Dexchlorpheniramine
Top half

#968 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 Corkwood Tree

What is Corkwood Tree?

  • Source of scopolamine and hyoscyamine alkaloids
  • Traditional use as a stimulant or for fatigue
  • Historic use for motion sickness (via its alkaloids)
  • Antispasmodic / smooth muscle effects

Corkwood Tree (Duboisia myoporoides) is an Australian plant best known as a commercial source of powerful tropane alkaloids like scopolamine and hyoscyamine, not as a safe home remedy. The raw plant is highly toxic and should not be used as a dietary supplement; only purified, medically prescribed alkaloids derived from it should be used, and only under a doctor's care.

Read the full Corkwood Tree monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Chlorpheniramine

What Is Chlorpheniramine Used For?

Brand names: Polaramine, Polaramine Repetabs

Chlorpheniramine is used to temporarily relieve common allergy symptoms caused by hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or other upper respiratory allergies. These include runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and itching of the nose or throat.

These uses are supported across multiple products — including tablets (such as Aller-chlor, Allergy, Allergy Relief, Allergy Time, Anti Allergy, and Chlorpheniramine Maleate), extended-release tablets (Allergy Relief and Chlorphen-12), the oral solution Ed Chlorped Jr, and the inhalers ClorRelief and ClorRelief KIDs.

See full Chlorpheniramine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Corkwood Tree

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

0Major
194Moderate
0Minor
2,635No known interaction
Moderate

194 interactions

Showing 60 of 194 moderate interactions — see all 194 on the Corkwood Tree page.

No interaction 2,635 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Corkwood Tree and Dexchlorpheniramine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Corkwood Tree with Dexchlorpheniramine?
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 Corkwood Tree and Dexchlorpheniramine 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 Dexchlorpheniramine and Corkwood Tree?

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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.