Drug & supplement interaction

Eastern Red Cedar + Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Oct 4, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine 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

Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine

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 Phenylephrine and Eastern Red Cedar 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.

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 Red Cedar safety at a glance

Eastern Red Cedar overall Use caution Often used topically or for aroma, but the essential oil can be harmful if swallowed and human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally. Eastern red cedar is contraindicated in pregnancy due to reports of abortifacient activity. The specific part or dose of Eastern red cedar ass... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Phenylephrine and Eastern Red Cedar? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Phenylephrine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Phenylephrine is filed under 5 classifications — including alpha-adrenergic agonists, stimulant drugs, serotonergic drugs. Eastern Red Cedar has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being barbiturates (minor) — and none of Phenylephrine’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Eastern Red Cedar Does Interact With Other Medications

Eastern Red Cedar has 49 minor known drug interactions in our database — Phenylephrine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Minor 49 No known interaction 2,781 (incl. Phenylephrine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Eastern Red Cedar

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine 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.

  • Vomiting Additional detail

    Eastern Red Cedar

    “Orally, overdose of Eastern red cedar oil might cause burning in the stomach, vomiting, convulsions, coma, and death (12). Topically, Eastern red cedar oil might cause local allergic reactions and irritation; however, several clinical assessments of safety show that applying Eastern red cedar oil topically does not cause skin sensitization or irritation (11,98802).”

    Eastern Red Cedar · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    3 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. 11. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
    3. 98802. Johnson W. Final report on the safety assessment of Juniperus communis Extract, Juniperus oxycedrus Extract, Juniperus oxycedrus Tar, Juniperus phoenicea extract, and Juniperus virginiana Extract. Int J Toxicol 2001;20 Suppl 2:41-56. PubMed

    “Orally, overdose of Eastern red cedar oil (dose not specified) might cause burning in the stomach and vomiting (12).”

    Eastern Red Cedar · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    1 source 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.

    Phenylephrine

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

Reported for Eastern Red Cedar but not commonly for Phenylephrine: an allergic reaction and seizures.

Effects for Phenylephrine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Eastern Red Cedar come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 221,388 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Phenylephrine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Eastern Red Cedar in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Eastern red cedar is contraindicated in pregnancy due to reports of abortifacient activity. The specific part or dose of Eastern red cedar associated with its abortifacient activity is unclear; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Eastern Red Cedar or Phenylephrine

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

This page covers Eastern Red Cedar only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenylephrine page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Lithium (major), Peyote (major) and Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major).

By severity: 6 major · 60 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenylephrine page

“If you take phenylephrine (Sudafed PE, Biorphen) for congestion, treat this list as one that needs real attention, since six of its 81 entries carry a major rating. Phenylephrine tightens blood vessels to clear your nose, and more than half of the interactions here come from stimulant ingredients, ephedra above all, that can push blood…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenylephrine interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Eastern Red Cedar as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 8 real supplement products containing Eastern Red Cedar, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Eastern Red Cedar. Even though Eastern Red Cedar itself has no known interaction with Phenylephrine, 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 Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine 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 Red Cedar
Steady interest

#1,291 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylephrine
Top 25%

#444 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 Red Cedar reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 Red Cedar

What is Eastern Red Cedar?

  • Insect repellent
  • Aromatherapy and relaxation
  • Skin and minor wound care (topical, traditional)
  • Respiratory or congestion relief (traditional)
  • Antimicrobial and antifungal (lab-based interest)

Eastern Red Cedar is a North American evergreen tree whose wood and aromatic oil have long been used for fragrance, insect repelling, and folk remedies. Solid human research on its health benefits is very limited, and the essential oil can be toxic if swallowed, so it is mainly used externally or for aroma. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Juniperus virginiana · Cupressaceae · Leaves (needles), wood, berry-like cones, and essential oil · Essential oil, dried leaf, wood shavings/sachets, tinctures, and topical preparations

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

Eastern Red Cedar: dosing

There is no established, standardized medicinal dose for Eastern Red Cedar. It is not a well-studied oral supplement, and the essential oil is not meant to be taken by mouth.For aromatherapy or topical use, follow the directions on the specific product label and always dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil before applying to skin.

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

Read the full Eastern Red Cedar monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenylephrine

What Is Phenylephrine Used For?

Brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen

Phenylephrine is used in several different products, and each one has its own use.

Injection (IV): raises blood pressure in adults with clinically important hypotension (low blood pressure) caused mainly by widened blood vessels. Some injections are labeled for anesthesia only. Others are labeled for anesthesia and septic shock.

Eye drops: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is used to dilate the pupil.

Nasal products: temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion from the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Rectal suppositories: relieve itching, burning and discomfort from hemorrhoids and temporarily shrink hemorrhoidal tissue.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Phenylephrine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (221,388 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 20,609 reports
Headache 17,301 reports
Nausea 16,925 reports
Diarrhea 14,221 reports
Dyspnea 13,719 reports
See full Phenylephrine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Eastern Red Cedar

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

0Major
0Moderate
49Minor
2,780No known interaction
49 Minor 2,780 No interaction
Minor

49 interactions

No interaction 2,780 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,780 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Eastern Red Cedar list.

See the full Eastern Red Cedar interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Eastern Red Cedar References

The 4 references that drive our Eastern Red Cedar 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. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  2. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  3. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  4. Johnson W. Final report on the safety assessment of Juniperus communis Extract, Juniperus oxycedrus Extract, Juniperus oxycedrus Tar, Juniperus phoenicea extract, and Juniperus virginiana Extract. Int J Toxicol 2001;20 Suppl 2:41-56. PubMed

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 Red Cedar and Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Eastern Red Cedar with Phenylephrine?
We do not list a known interaction between Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine. 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 Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine 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.
How was the Eastern Red Cedar and Phenylephrine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Phenylephrine is filed under 5 classifications, and Eastern Red Cedar has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Phenylephrine's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Eastern Red Cedar interact with any other medications?
Yes. Eastern Red Cedar has 49 documented drug interactions in our database — Phenylephrine is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Phenylephrine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Phenylephrine has documented interactions with 81 supplements in our database — Eastern Red Cedar is not one of them. The Phenylephrine 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 Red Cedar monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Phenylephrine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Phenylephrine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, 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 4 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Phenylephrine and Eastern Red Cedar?

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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.