Drug & supplement interaction

Eastern Hemlock + Interferon Beta-1a

Interferon Beta-1a brand names: Rebif, Avonex.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Eastern Hemlock and Interferon Beta-1a 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.

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Interaction report

Eastern Hemlock and Interferon Beta-1a

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 Interferon Beta-1a and Eastern Hemlock 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 Eastern Hemlock at all — not against Interferon Beta-1a, 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.

Eastern Hemlock safety at a glance

Eastern Hemlock overall Use caution Little modern safety data exists, and the essential oil can be irritating, so use carefully.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information is available, so it is best avoided.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety has not been studied, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Interferon Beta-1a and Eastern Hemlock? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Eastern Hemlock Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Interferon Beta-1a. It is the side-effect record for Eastern Hemlock on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Eastern Hemlock, this list is the first place to look. 2 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, no adverse effects have been reported. However, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted. Eastern hemlock bark is rich in tannins. Plants with at least 10% tannins may cause gastrointestinal disturbances, kidney damage, and necrotic conditions of the liver.”

    Eastern Hemlock · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    2 sources cited
    1. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
    2. 48525. Mitchell, J. C. Patch test results - screening set and plants. Contact Dermatitis Newsletter 1970;8:177.
  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Topically, allergic reaction to eastern hemlock has been rarely reported. In a study of 125 forest workers, one developed contact dermatitis. The individual showed a positive patch test reaction to an extract of Eastern hemlock.”

    Eastern Hemlock · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 48525. Mitchell, J. C. Patch test results - screening set and plants. Contact Dermatitis Newsletter 1970;8:177.
  • Stomach upset Additional detail

    Recorded for Eastern Hemlock in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Kidney problems above.

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Recorded for Eastern Hemlock in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under An allergic reaction above.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Eastern Hemlock — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We haven’t matched Interferon Beta-1a to its FDA label in our system yet, so we can’t compare its own side-effect list here — the leaflet that comes with your prescription is the authoritative list for Interferon Beta-1a.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Interferon Beta-1a

This page covers Eastern Hemlock only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Interferon Beta-1a page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Interferon Beta-1a page

“Siberian cocklebur, an herb tied to documented cases of liver failure, is the first name to know for anyone injecting interferon beta-1a (Rebif, Avonex) for multiple sclerosis. Interferon beta-1a can strain the liver on its own, which is why prescribers order routine liver blood tests, and 38 of the 57 supplements on file carry that sa…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Interferon Beta-1a interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Eastern Hemlock and Interferon Beta-1a 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 Eastern Hemlock
Steady interest

#1,119 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Interferon Beta-1a
Steady interest

#2,320 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 Eastern Hemlock reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Eastern Hemlock and Interferon Beta-1a 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 Eastern Hemlock

What is Eastern Hemlock?

  • Coughs and colds
  • Sore throat
  • Wound care
  • Vitamin C source (needle tea)
  • Aches and pains (topical)

Eastern Hemlock is an evergreen conifer tree (Tsuga canadensis) traditionally used by Native Americans and early settlers for coughs, sore throats, and as a vitamin C-rich tea. There is very little modern scientific evidence to support any of these uses, and it should not be confused with poison hemlock. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Tsuga canadensis · Pinaceae · Inner bark, needles (leaves), young twigs, and resin · Tea, tincture, essential oil, salve, and bark extract

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

Eastern Hemlock: dosing

There is no established or standardized dose for Eastern Hemlock. It has not been studied enough to know a safe and effective amount for any condition.If you choose to use a commercial product, follow the directions on the label exactly and do not exceed them. Essential oils should be used only as directed for external use and kept away from the eyes, mouth, and children.

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

Read the full Eastern Hemlock monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection

What Is Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection Used For?

Brand names: Rebif, Avonex

  • Interferon beta-1a intramuscular injection is used to treat adults with various forms of multiple sclerosis (MS; a disease in which the nerves do not function properly and people may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control) including:

    • clinically isolated syndrome (CIS; nerve symptom episodes that last at least 24 hours),

    • relapsing-remitting forms (course of disease where symptoms flare up from time to time), or

    • secondary progressive forms (course of disease where relapses occur more often).

  • Interferon beta-1a is in a class of medications called immunomodulators. It works by decreasing inflammation and preventing nerve damage that may cause symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Interferon Beta-1a

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (192,069 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Multiple sclerosis relapse 15,851 reports
Influenza like illness 13,253 reports
Fatigue 11,554 reports
Fall 10,604 reports
Multiple sclerosis 9,358 reports
See full Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Eastern Hemlock

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

See the full Eastern Hemlock interactions page
See every supplement checked against Interferon Beta-1a, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Eastern Hemlock References

The 2 references that drive our Eastern Hemlock 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. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Mitchell, J. C. Patch test results - screening set and plants. Contact Dermatitis Newsletter 1970;8:177.

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 Eastern Hemlock and Interferon Beta-1a Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Eastern Hemlock with Interferon Beta-1a?
We do not list a known interaction between Eastern Hemlock and Interferon Beta-1a. 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.
Does Interferon Beta-1a interact with any supplements?
Yes. Interferon Beta-1a has documented interactions with 57 supplements in our database — Eastern Hemlock is not one of them. The Interferon Beta-1a 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

Eastern Hemlock monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Interferon Beta-1a Intramuscular Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Interferon Beta-1a supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Interferon Beta-1a, 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 2 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Interferon Beta-1a and Eastern Hemlock?

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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.