Drug & supplement interaction

Elderflower + 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 Elderflower 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.

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Interaction report

Elderflower 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 Elderflower 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.

Elderflower safety at a glance

Elderflower overall Use caution Properly prepared flowers are generally well tolerated, but raw plant parts can be toxic.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough reliable safety information, so it is best to avoid.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety has not been studied, so avoid unless your doctor approves.

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

Still wondering about combining Phenylephrine and Elderflower? 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. Elderflower has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate) — 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

Elderflower Does Interact With Other Medications

Elderflower has 86 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Phenylephrine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 86 No known interaction 2,744 (incl. Phenylephrine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Elderflower

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

What to actually watch for

What Elderflower Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Phenylephrine. It is the side-effect record for Elderflower on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Elderflower, this list is the first place to look.

  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    “Diarrhea and colic have been reported after drinking a tea made from elderflower, anise fruit, fennel fruit, and senna flowers. It is not clear if these effects were due to elderflower or the other ingredients.”

    Elderflower · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    1 source cited
    1. 49494. Picon, P. D., Picon, R. V., Costa, A. F., Sander, G. B., Amaral, K. M., Aboy, A. L., and Henriques, A. T. Randomized clinical trial of a phytotherapic compound containing Pimpinella anisum, Foeniculum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, and Cassia augustifolia for

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Elderflower — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Phenylephrine’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Phenylephrine column appears here.

Overlapping uses

What Phenylephrine Is Prescribed For, and What Elderflower Has Been Studied For

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

Phenylephrine is prescribed for: 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.

Read the rest of what Phenylephrine is prescribed for

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.

Elderflower has been studied for:

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

    Elderflower for common cold

    Although there has been interest in using oral elderflower for the common cold, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of elderflower for this purpose.

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 Phenylephrine on your own; if you are taking Elderflower for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Elderflower 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 Elderflower 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 Elderflower 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

How much people look this up

Where Elderflower 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 Elderflower
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylephrine
Top 25%

#681 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 Elderflower reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Elderflower and Phenylephrine 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 Elderflower

What is Elderflower?

  • Colds and flu
  • Sinus congestion
  • Fever and sweating
  • Sore throat
  • Coughs

Elderflower comes from the elder plant (Sambucus nigra) and is traditionally used as a tea or extract for colds, sinus congestion, and fever. Good-quality human evidence is limited, so it should be seen as a soothing traditional remedy rather than a proven treatment. Raw or unripe parts of the plant can be toxic, so use only properly prepared products, and check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Sambucus nigra · Adoxaceae · Dried flowers · Tea, liquid extract, tincture, capsules, syrups, lozenges

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

Elderflower: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for elderflower. The right amount depends on the product, its strength, and how it is prepared (tea, extract, or tincture).The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Elderflower 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 & Elderflower

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

0Major
86Moderate
0Minor
2,743No known interaction
86 Moderate 2,743 No interaction
Moderate

86 interactions

Showing 60 of 86 moderate interactions — see all 86 on the Elderflower page.

No interaction 2,743 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,743 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Elderflower list.

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

Elderflower References

The 2 references that drive our Elderflower 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. Gray AM, Abdel-Wahab YH, Flatt PR. The traditional plant treatment, Sambucus nigra (elder), exhibits insulin-like and insulin-releasing actions in vitro. J Nutr 2000;130:15-20. PubMed
  2. Picon, P. D., Picon, R. V., Costa, A. F., Sander, G. B., Amaral, K. M., Aboy, A. L., and Henriques, A. T. Randomized clinical trial of a phytotherapic compound containing Pimpinella anisum, Foeniculum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, and Cassia augustifolia for

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 Elderflower and Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Elderflower with Phenylephrine?
We do not list a known interaction between Elderflower 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.
Are Elderflower and Phenylephrine 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 Elderflower in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Phenylephrine is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Elderflower and Phenylephrine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Phenylephrine is filed under 5 classifications, and Elderflower 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 Elderflower interact with any other medications?
Yes. Elderflower has 86 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 — Elderflower 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

Elderflower 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 2 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Phenylephrine and Elderflower?

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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.