Drug & supplement interaction

English Ivy + Verapamil

Verapamil brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, and others.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

English Ivy has a moderate interaction with Verapamil. Theoretically, English ivy might increase the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C8.

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

English Ivy and Verapamil

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C8 (CYP2C8) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Verapamil

Verapamil falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C8 (CYP2C8) SUBSTRATES — the group English Ivy interacts with.

Theoretically, English ivy might increase the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C8.
In vitro research shows that English ivy inhibits CYP2C8 enzymes. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 gist for English ivy and verapamil. Lab studies (done in a dish, not in people) suggest the saponins in ivy might slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2C8. In theory, if that enzyme helps clear verapamil, blocking it could let verapamil build up a bit more than usual. Verapamil is an active drug, not a prodrug, so higher levels would mean a stronger effect.

What might that look like in real life? Lower blood pressure, dizziness, a slower heartbeat, tiredness, or constipation. The honest truth is this has never actually been reported in humans, and it's only a theoretical concern from test-tube work. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since verapamil affects your heart and pressure, just give your pharmacist or doctor a heads-up before adding an ivy cough product.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Rehman SU, Kim IS, Choi MS, Kim SH, Zhang Y, Yoo HH. Time-dependent Inhibition of CYP2C8 and CYP2C19 by Hedera helix Extracts, A Traditional Respiratory Herbal Medicine. Molecules. 2017;22(7). PubMed

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

English Ivy Also Interacts With Other Medications

English Ivy has 279 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Verapamil one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 279 No known interaction 2,551 (incl. Verapamil)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against English Ivy

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

From our Q&A

Questions About English Ivy or Verapamil

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

This page covers English Ivy only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Verapamil page lists 295 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), Beer (major) and Coleus (major).

By severity: 10 major · 245 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Verapamil page

“This is one of the longer interaction lists we publish, and with verapamil (Calan, Verelan) it warrants genuine care, starting with the ten major-rated entries. Verapamil lowers blood pressure and slows the heart, so most of the 295 ingredients on file either push that effect further than intended or change how much of the drug reaches…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Verapamil interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 118 real supplement products containing English Ivy, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides English Ivy. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Verapamil too, on top of English Ivy — 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 English Ivy and Verapamil 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 English Ivy
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Verapamil
Top 25%

#658 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 English Ivy

What is English Ivy?

English Ivy
  • Cough and chest congestion
  • Bronchitis
  • Asthma symptoms
  • Sore throat
  • Skin irritation

English ivy leaf extract is most commonly used in cough and cold syrups to help loosen mucus and ease coughing, and it is a popular ingredient in many European herbal products. Some research suggests it may help with certain coughs, but the evidence is still limited and mixed. The raw plant is poisonous if eaten and can irritate skin, so only use properly prepared commercial products and check with your pharmacist first.

Read the full English Ivy monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Verapamil

What Is Verapamil Used For?

Brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, Calan, Covera HS, Verap, Veramil

Verapamil tablets and film-coated tablets are used to treat angina — including vasospastic (Prinzmetal's) angina, unstable angina, and chronic stable angina — as well as certain abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and high blood pressure (essential hypertension). For arrhythmias, regular-release tablets are used alongside digoxin to control heart rate in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation, and to help prevent episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a type of rapid heartbeat.

Extended-release and sustained-release oral forms (tablets and capsules) are indicated specifically for high blood pressure. Verapamil hydrochloride injection is used in hospital settings for rapid conversion of SVT to normal rhythm and for temporary control of fast heart rates in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation.

See full Verapamil drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & English Ivy

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

0Major
279Moderate
0Minor
2,550No known interaction
279 Moderate 2,550 No interaction
Moderate

279 interactions

Showing 60 of 279 moderate interactions — see all 279 on the English Ivy page.

No interaction 2,550 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,550 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full English Ivy list.

See the full English Ivy interactions page
See every supplement checked against Verapamil, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
English Ivy monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Verapamil supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Verapamil, ranked by severity Verapamil drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking English Ivy and Verapamil Together: Common Questions

Can you take English Ivy with Verapamil?
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.
How serious is the English Ivy and Verapamil 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 Verapamil and English Ivy?

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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.