Drug & supplement interaction

Danshen + Betamethasone

Betamethasone brand names: Celestone, Diprolene AF, Diprosone.

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

Danshen has a moderate interaction with Betamethasone. Danshen might alter the levels of drugs cleared by p-glycoprotein.

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

Danshen and Betamethasone

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Betamethasone

Betamethasone falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Danshen interacts with.

Danshen might alter the levels of drugs cleared by p-glycoprotein.
Pharmacokinetic research in healthy volunteers suggests that danshen might affect p-glycoprotein activity. Taking danshen extract 1 gram three times daily for 10 days prior to receiving fexofenadine 60 mg increases peak levels of fexofenadine, a p-glycoprotein substrate, by 27.4% and area under the curve (AUC) by 37.2%.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 practical picture for you. Danshen may slow down a transporter in your body called P-glycoprotein, which can let certain drugs build up a little higher than usual. Betamethasone is one of those drugs handled by this transporter, so in theory danshen could nudge its blood levels up.

That said, the medicine you asked about is most often used as a cream or ointment on the skin, and very little gets into the bloodstream that way, so this interaction is unlikely to cause trouble with topical use. It matters more if you take betamethasone by mouth or injection, where higher steroid levels could mean effects like fluid retention, raised blood sugar, or mood changes. The evidence here is fairly limited, so don't panic, but do mention the danshen to your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Qiu F, Zeng J, Liu S, He M, Zhu L, Ye Y, Miao P, Shen S, Jiang J. Effects of danshen ethanol extract on the pharmacokinetics of fexofenadine in healthy volunteers. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:473213. PubMed

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

Danshen Also Interacts With Other Medications

Danshen has 123 major, 935 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Betamethasone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 123 Moderate 935 No known interaction 1,772 (incl. Betamethasone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Danshen

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Betamethasone

This page covers Danshen only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Betamethasone page lists 124 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Lily-of-the-valley (major), St. John's Wort (major), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate) and Alder Buckthorn (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 102 moderate · 19 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Betamethasone page

“Betamethasone (Celestone, Diprolene) works by quieting the immune system, which is exactly why this list warrants a slow, careful read. More than fifty of the ingredients here are immune stimulants that can push back against the steroid, and another sizable group changes how much of the drug the body absorbs or holds onto.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Betamethasone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 18 real supplement products containing Danshen, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Danshen. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Betamethasone too, on top of Danshen — 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 Danshen and Betamethasone 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 Danshen
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Betamethasone
Steady interest

#1,810 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 Danshen

What is Danshen?

Danshen
  • Heart and circulation support
  • Angina (chest pain)
  • High blood pressure
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Liver health

Danshen is a root used in traditional Chinese medicine, mainly for heart and circulation problems. Some early research is promising, but the evidence is not strong enough to confirm it works for any condition, and it may affect blood clotting. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take other medicines or have a health condition.

Read the full Danshen monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Betamethasone Topical

What Is Betamethasone Topical Used For?

Brand names: Celestone, Diprolene AF, Diprosone

Betamethasone topical is used to relieve the redness, swelling, and itching of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses (skin conditions that respond to steroid treatment). Sernivo Spray is specifically approved for plaque psoriasis of the body. Diprolene (topical cream, ointment, or gel) is indicated for inflammatory and itchy skin conditions in patients 13 years of age and older.

This medication is for use on the skin only. It is not approved for use on the face, groin, or underarms, and it is not for use in the eyes, mouth, or vagina.

See full Betamethasone Topical drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Danshen

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

123Major
935Moderate
0Minor
1,771No known interaction
123 Major 935 Moderate 1,771 No interaction
Major

123 interactions

Showing 60 of 123 major interactions — see all 123 on the Danshen page.

Moderate

935 interactions

Showing 60 of 935 moderate interactions — see all 935 on the Danshen page.

No interaction 1,771 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,771 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Danshen list.

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

Can you take Danshen with Betamethasone?
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 Danshen and Betamethasone 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 Betamethasone and Danshen?

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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.