Drug & supplement interaction

Dodder + Phenelzine Sulfate

Phenelzine Sulfate brand name: Nardil.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 27, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate 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. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate

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 Phenelzine Sulfate and Dodder 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 Dodder at all — not against Phenelzine Sulfate, 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.

Dodder safety at a glance

Dodder overall Use caution Human safety data are limited, so use cautiously and under guidance from a healthcare professional.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is no reliable safety data, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate May Share a Side Effect

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Stomach upset Additional detail

    Dodder

    “Orally, a combination of whey and dodder seed extract has been reported to cause anorexia, mild dyspepsia, and feelings of stomach heaviness. It is not known if these symptoms are related to whey, dodder, or the combination. Intestinal colic and diarrhea have been reported as possible symptoms of dodder overdose. Traditional sources suggest a maximum daily dose of 8 grams of dodder aerial parts.”

    Dodder · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    2 sources cited
    1. 99156. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed
    2. 99157. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med

    Phenelzine Sulfate

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Phenelzine Sulfate. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Dodder but not commonly for Phenelzine Sulfate: diarrhea and reduced appetite.

Effects for Phenelzine Sulfate come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Dodder come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Overlapping uses

What Phenelzine Sulfate Is Prescribed For, and What Dodder Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Phenelzine Sulfate is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Dodder is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Phenelzine Sulfate is prescribed for: Phenelzine treats depression in people described as “atypical,” “nonendogenous,” or “neurotic.” These patients often have a mix of anxiety and depression, along with phobic or hypochondriacal features (intense fears or excessive worry about health). It is rarely the first antidepressant tried. It is more suitable for people who did not respond to the drugs more commonly used. Evidence is less conclusive for severe depression with endogenous features.

Read the rest of what Phenelzine Sulfate is prescribed for

These uses apply to Phenelzine Sulfate tablets and Nardil tablets.

Dodder has been studied for:

  • Depression studied, not established Dodder has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Dodder for depression

    A small clinical study shows that taking dodder aerial part powder 2 grams daily in combination with conventional antidepressant medications for 8 weeks improves overall symptoms of depression by 71% to 76% compared to 41% to 45% in patients using conventional medications alone.

    1 source cited
    1. 99157. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Phenelzine Sulfate on your own; if you are taking Dodder for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Phenelzine Sulfate

This page covers Dodder only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenelzine Sulfate page lists 144 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Bitter Orange (major) and Brewer's Yeast (major).

By severity: 18 major · 111 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenelzine Sulfate page

“Few medications demand as much dietary and supplement care as phenelzine sulfate (Nardil), an older MAOI antidepressant, and this list backs that up, with 18 of its 144 recorded interactions rated major. The two dominant themes are sedation and blood pressure.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenelzine Sulfate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Dodder, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dodder. Even though Dodder itself has no known interaction with Phenelzine Sulfate, 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 Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate 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 Dodder
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Phenelzine Sulfate
Top 25%

#551 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 Dodder reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 27, 2026. The Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate 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 Dodder

What is Dodder?

Dodder
  • Sexual health and impotence
  • Energy and fatigue
  • Kidney and reproductive support (in traditional medicine)
  • Eye health and vision
  • Liver support

Dodder (Cuscuta) is a parasitic plant whose seeds are used in traditional Chinese and Middle Eastern medicine, mainly for sexual, kidney, and energy-related complaints. Human evidence for any of these uses is very limited, and safety has not been well studied, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Cuscuta chinensis · Convolvulaceae · Seeds (and sometimes the whole vine) · Dried seeds, powders, capsules, tinctures, teas, and ingredients in traditional Chinese herbal formulas

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

Dodder: dosing

There is no well-established, standardized dose of dodder for any health condition. Traditional formulas vary widely, and the strength of commercial products differs from brand to brand.If you choose to use a dodder product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Dodder monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenelzine

What Is Phenelzine Used For?

Brand name: Nardil

Phenelzine treats depression in people described as “atypical,” “nonendogenous,” or “neurotic.” These patients often have a mix of anxiety and depression, along with phobic or hypochondriacal features (intense fears or excessive worry about health).

It is rarely the first antidepressant tried. It is more suitable for people who did not respond to the drugs more commonly used. Evidence is less conclusive for severe depression with endogenous features. These uses apply to Phenelzine Sulfate tablets and Nardil tablets.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Phenelzine Sulfate

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Depression 187 reports
Headache 138 reports
Anxiety 129 reports
Weight increased 122 reports
Insomnia 104 reports
See full Phenelzine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dodder

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

See the full Dodder interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenelzine Sulfate, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Dodder References

The 3 references that drive our Dodder 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. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  2. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed
  3. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med

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 Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Dodder with Phenelzine Sulfate?
We do not list a known interaction between Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate. 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.
Do Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Dodder and Phenelzine Sulfate used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Dodder in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Phenelzine Sulfate is being adjusted to a target.
Does Phenelzine Sulfate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Phenelzine Sulfate has documented interactions with 144 supplements in our database — Dodder is not one of them. The Phenelzine Sulfate 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

Dodder monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Phenelzine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Phenelzine Sulfate supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Phenelzine Sulfate, 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 3 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Phenelzine Sulfate and Dodder?

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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.