Drug & supplement interaction

Dendrobium + Nebivolol

Nebivolol brand names: Bystolic, Nebilet.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Nebivolol falls into 2 drug categories that Dendrobium can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. The dendrobium constituent dendrobine is reported to have convulsant effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Dendrobium and Nebivolol

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Dendrobium interacts with whole categories of medication. Nebivolol falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Dendrobium in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

SEIZURE THRESHOLD LOWERING DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Nebivolol

Nebivolol falls under SEIZURE THRESHOLD LOWERING DRUGS — the group Dendrobium interacts with.

The dendrobium constituent dendrobine is reported to have convulsant effects. Theoretically, combining dendrobium with pro-convulsant drugs might increase the risk of seizure. Some drugs that lower the seizure threshold include anesthetics (propofol, others), antiarrhythmics (mexiletine), antibiotics (amphotericin, penicillin, cephalosporins, imipenem), antidepressants (bupropion, others), antihistamines (cyproheptadine, others), immunosuppressants (cyclosporine), narcotics (fentanyl, others), stimulants (methylphenidate), theophylline, and others.
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 connection to keep in mind. One compound in Dendrobium, called dendrobine, has been reported to trigger convulsions in lab settings. Because of that, this orchid is grouped with medicines that can lower the seizure threshold. The idea is that pairing the two could, in theory, make a seizure a little more likely.

Now, your Nebivolol is a beta blocker for blood pressure, and seizures are not a typical concern with it. This caution is really theoretical and based on pharmacology, not on real cases in people taking these two together. So I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since human safety data for Dendrobium is thin, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before adding it.

References
  1. Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. Available at: http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/.
Minor

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

2 of 2

Nebivolol also falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS.

The dendrobium constituent dendrobine is reported to have hypotensive effects. Theoretically, combining dendrobium with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension; use with caution.
Severity Minor 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 gist: Nebivolol is a beta blocker that already lowers your blood pressure and slows your heart rate. Dendrobium contains a compound called dendrobine that, at least in lab and animal work, may nudge blood pressure down too. So the worry is simple addition. If both are pulling in the same direction, your pressure could dip a bit lower than expected.

I'll be honest, this is a theoretical concern based on how these compounds behave, not on real-world reports, and it's rated minor. Still, if you notice dizziness, lightheadedness when standing, unusual tiredness, or a slow heartbeat, that's worth mentioning. Check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding Dendrobium, and don't change your nebivolol on your own.

References
  1. Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. Available at: http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/.

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

Dendrobium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dendrobium has 460 moderate, 148 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Nebivolol one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Dendrobium

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Dendrobium or Nebivolol

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

This page covers Dendrobium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Nebivolol page lists 183 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), Indian Snakeroot (major) and Tyramine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 151 moderate · 27 minor.

Open the Nebivolol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 117 real supplement products containing Dendrobium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dendrobium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Nebivolol too, on top of Dendrobium — 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 Dendrobium and Nebivolol 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 Dendrobium
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Nebivolol
Steady interest

#1,429 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 Dendrobium

What is Dendrobium?

  • Dry mouth and thirst
  • Supporting digestion
  • General tonic/vitality
  • Eye and skin health
  • Recovery after illness

Dendrobium is a group of orchids long used in traditional Chinese medicine, often to moisten the body and as a general tonic. Human evidence for its modern health claims is very limited, so it should be viewed as a traditional remedy rather than a proven treatment. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding because safety isn't known.

Read the full Dendrobium monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Nebivolol

What Is Nebivolol Used For?

Brand names: Bystolic, Nebilet

Nebivolol tablets are used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of serious cardiovascular events, especially stroke and heart attack. It can be used alone or combined with other blood pressure medications.

Managing blood pressure is most effective as part of a broader plan that may include diet changes, exercise, and other treatments your doctor recommends.

See full Nebivolol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dendrobium

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

0Major
460Moderate
148Minor
2,221No known interaction
Moderate

460 interactions

Showing 60 of 460 moderate interactions — see all 460 on the Dendrobium page.

Minor

148 interactions

Showing 60 of 148 minor interactions — see all 148 on the Dendrobium page.

No interaction 2,221 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 Dendrobium and Nebivolol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Dendrobium with Nebivolol?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Dendrobium and Nebivolol?
Nebivolol belongs to more than one drug category, and Dendrobium interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Dendrobium and Nebivolol 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 Nebivolol and Dendrobium?

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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.