Drug & supplement interaction

European Mandrake + Retinol

Retinol brand name: Aquasol A.

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

European Mandrake has a moderate interaction with Retinol. Theoretically, concurrent use might increase absorption of some drugs because of inhibited gastrointestinal (GI) motility caused by European mandrake.

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

European Mandrake and Retinol

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

Moderate

ORAL DRUGS

Why this applies to Retinol

Retinol falls under ORAL DRUGS — the group European Mandrake interacts with.

Theoretically, concurrent use might increase absorption of some drugs because of inhibited gastrointestinal (GI) motility caused by European mandrake.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

First and most importantly: please don't take European mandrake at all. It's a poisonous plant that can cause dangerous problems with your heart, vision, and nervous system, and it has no safe medical use today.

As for the interaction itself, mandrake slows down how fast things move through your gut. In theory, that slower movement could let your body absorb a bit more of an oral vitamin A (retinol) dose than usual. Retinol isn't a prodrug, so this would simply mean a little more vitamin A getting in. The real concern is that too much vitamin A over time can cause headaches, dry skin, blurred vision, and liver strain. Keep in mind this is only a theoretical idea based on how these chemicals behave, not something proven in people. If you have questions about your vitamin A, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.

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

European Mandrake Also Interacts With Other Medications

European Mandrake has 2,041 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Retinol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 2,041 No known interaction 789 (incl. Retinol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against European Mandrake

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

From our Q&A

Questions About European Mandrake or Retinol

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

This page covers European Mandrake only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Retinol page lists 28 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), African Wild Potato (moderate), Breadfruit (moderate), Cannabidiol (cbd) (moderate) and Coffee Charcoal (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 16 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Retinol page

“Activated charcoal is the one interaction here rated major, and it deserves attention first. It binds drugs in the gut and can pull retinol (Aquasol A, prescription vitamin A) out of your system, cutting how much actually stays in circulation.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Retinol interaction page

How much people look this up

Where European Mandrake and Retinol 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 Mandrake
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Retinol
Steady interest

#2,437 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 European Mandrake

What is European Mandrake?

European Mandrake
  • Insomnia (traditional)
  • Pain relief (historical)
  • Anxiety or depression (folk use)
  • Gout and aches (traditional)
  • Sedation or anesthesia (historical)

European mandrake is a highly toxic plant from the nightshade family that was used in ancient and medieval times as a sedative and pain reliever. It contains powerful poisons that can cause serious harm or death, and there is no proof it safely treats any condition. We strongly recommend you do not consume mandrake in any form.

Read the full European Mandrake monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Vitamin A

What Is Vitamin A Used For?

Brand name: Aquasol A

Vitamin A is used to treat vitamin A deficiency. Aquasol A (intramuscular injection) is specifically indicated when a person cannot take vitamin A by mouth — for example, due to nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, or a condition that prevents the gut from absorbing nutrients properly (malabsorption syndrome).

Vitamin A D ointment is a topical product used on the skin to help treat chafed skin from diaper rash, temporarily protect minor cuts, scrapes, and burns, and relieve chapped or cracked skin and lips. It also helps protect skin from drying effects of wind and cold weather.

See full Vitamin A drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & European Mandrake

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

0Major
2,041Moderate
0Minor
788No known interaction
2,041 Moderate 788 No interaction
Moderate

2,041 interactions

Showing 60 of 2,041 moderate interactions — see all 2,041 on the European Mandrake page.

No interaction 788 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 788 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full European Mandrake list.

See the full European Mandrake interactions page
See every supplement checked against Retinol, 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
European Mandrake monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Retinol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Retinol, ranked by severity Vitamin A 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 European Mandrake and Retinol Together: Common Questions

Can you take European Mandrake with Retinol?
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 European Mandrake and Retinol 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 Retinol and European Mandrake?

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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.