Drug & supplement interaction

European Buckthorn + Ospemifene

Ospemifene brand name: Osphena.

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 European Buckthorn and Ospemifene 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 label for Ospemifene states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

European Buckthorn and Ospemifene

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 Ospemifene and European Buckthorn 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.

European Buckthorn safety at a glance

European Buckthorn overall Use caution It is a harsh stimulant laxative and raw berries can be toxic, so use only with professional guidance.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full breastfeeding detail

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 Ospemifene and European Buckthorn? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Ospemifene

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Ospemifene is filed under 3 classifications — thyroid hormone, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates, oral drugs. European Buckthorn has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being digoxin (lanoxin) (major), diuretic drugs (moderate) and stimulant laxatives (moderate) — and none of Ospemifene’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

European Buckthorn Does Interact With Other Medications

European Buckthorn has 1 major, 98 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Ospemifene isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 98 No known interaction 2,731 (incl. Ospemifene)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against European Buckthorn

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

What to actually watch for

What European Buckthorn Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Ospemifene. It is the side-effect record for European Buckthorn on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add European Buckthorn, this list is the first place to look. One entry is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Muscle weakness / Low potassium Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, European buckthorn seems to be well tolerated, short term. It can cause abdominal pain, cramps, or watery diarrhea (12). Chronic use or abuse of the berry can lead to potassium depletion, albuminuria, and hematuria. Potassium depletion can lead to disturbed heart function and muscle weakness (2).”

    European Buckthorn · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in albuminuria.

    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. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    3. 6138. Nusko G, Schneider B, Schneider I, et al. Anthranoid laxative use is not a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia: results of a prospective case control study. Gut 2000;46:651-5. PubMed
  • Stomach pain / Diarrhea Additional detail

    “Orally, European buckthorn can cause abdominal pain, cramps, or watery diarrhea (12). Chronic use can cause pseudomelanosis coli (pigment spots in intestinal mucosa) which is harmless, usually reverses with discontinuation (2), and is not associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal adenoma or carcinoma.”

    European Buckthorn · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in colorectal adenoma.

    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. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    3. 6138. Nusko G, Schneider B, Schneider I, et al. Anthranoid laxative use is not a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia: results of a prospective case control study. Gut 2000;46:651-5. PubMed

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

Special populations

European Buckthorn in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally; 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

How to take them

Some Ospemifene Products Have a Food Rule — European Buckthorn Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Ospemifene says to take it with food. If you take European Buckthorn on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Ospemifene with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Ospemifene products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

One tablet taken orally once daily with food.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Ospemifene — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. See the Ospemifene drug page ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ospemifene

This page covers European Buckthorn only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ospemifene page lists 155 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Tiratricol (major) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 112 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ospemifene page

“Women prescribed ospemifene (Osphena) for painful intercourse after menopause are often the same women reaching for St. John's wort for mood or grapefruit juice at breakfast, and both sit among the four major-rated interactions on this page, so the list deserves genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ospemifene interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 20 real supplement products containing European Buckthorn, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides European Buckthorn. Even though European Buckthorn itself has no known interaction with Ospemifene, 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 European Buckthorn and Ospemifene 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 European Buckthorn
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ospemifene
Steady interest

#1,913 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 European Buckthorn reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 27, 2026. The European Buckthorn and Ospemifene 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 European Buckthorn

What is European Buckthorn?

  • Constipation
  • Occasional laxative use
  • Digestive complaints
  • Traditional 'detox' remedies

European Buckthorn is a shrub whose bark and berries contain compounds that act as a strong, irritant-type laxative. Because it can cause cramping, fluid and electrolyte loss, and the berries can be toxic if eaten raw, it is rarely recommended today and safer constipation options are usually preferred. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Rhamnus cathartica · Rhamnaceae · Bark and berries (fruit) · Dried bark, tinctures, teas, and liquid extracts (rarely sold as a modern standardized supplement)

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

European Buckthorn: dosing

There is no well-established, standardized dose for European Buckthorn supplements, and the strength of homemade preparations can vary widely. This is one reason it is hard to use safely.If a product is used at all, it should be a properly labeled commercial preparation, taken exactly as directed and only for short-term use.

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

Read the full European Buckthorn monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ospemifene

What Is Ospemifene Used For?

Brand name: Osphena

Osphena (ospemifene) is used to treat two specific symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy — the thinning and drying of vaginal tissues that can happen after menopause. The first is moderate to severe dyspareunia (painful intercourse), and the second is moderate to severe vaginal dryness.

Both of these uses are for postmenopausal women only. Osphena is not used in children or in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant.

See full Ospemifene drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & European Buckthorn

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

1Major
98Moderate
0Minor
2,730No known interaction
1 Major 98 Moderate 2,730 No interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

98 interactions

Showing 60 of 98 moderate interactions — see all 98 on the European Buckthorn page.

No interaction 2,730 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,730 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full European Buckthorn list.

See the full European Buckthorn interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ospemifene, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

European Buckthorn References

The 7 references that drive our European Buckthorn 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. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Tyler VE. Herbs of Choice. Binghamton, NY: Pharmaceutical Products Press, 1994.
  3. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  4. Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy: A Physician's Guide to Herbal Medicine. Terry C. Telger, transl. 3rd ed. Berlin, GER: Springer, 1998.
  5. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  6. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  7. Nusko G, Schneider B, Schneider I, et al. Anthranoid laxative use is not a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia: results of a prospective case control study. Gut 2000;46:651-5. 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 European Buckthorn and Ospemifene Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take European Buckthorn with Ospemifene?
We do not list a known interaction between European Buckthorn and Ospemifene. 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.
Should I take European Buckthorn and Ospemifene at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Ospemifene says to take it with food. If you take European Buckthorn on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Ospemifene with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Ospemifene products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the European Buckthorn and Ospemifene combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Ospemifene is filed under 3 classifications, and European Buckthorn has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Ospemifene'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 European Buckthorn interact with any other medications?
Yes. European Buckthorn has 99 documented drug interactions in our database — Ospemifene 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 Ospemifene interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ospemifene has documented interactions with 155 supplements in our database — European Buckthorn is not one of them. The Ospemifene 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

European Buckthorn monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Ospemifene drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Ospemifene supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Ospemifene, 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 7 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Ospemifene and European Buckthorn?

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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.