Drug & supplement interaction

Evodia + Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline brand name: Tedral.

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

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline falls into 2 drug categories that Evodia can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, evodia might decrease the levels and clinical effects of theophylline.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Evodia and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Evodia interacts with whole categories of medication. Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Evodia in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

THEOPHYLLINE

1 of 2

Why this applies to Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline falls under THEOPHYLLINE — the group Evodia interacts with.

Theoretically, evodia might decrease the levels and clinical effects of theophylline.
The evodia constituent rutaecarpine decreases theophylline levels and half-life by about 70% in animal models. This constituent appears to induce hepatic cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) enzyme activity, of which theophylline is a substrate. Rutaecarpine is the primary active constituent of evodia; however, it is not known if the whole crude extract of evodia also causes this interaction.
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

Here's the piece I'd focus on with your Tedral: the theophylline part. Your liver clears theophylline using an enzyme called CYP1A2, and a compound in evodia (rutaecarpine) seems to speed that enzyme up. In animal studies it dropped theophylline levels and shortened its half-life by roughly 70%. If the same thing happens in people, your theophylline could fall too low, and that may mean less control of your breathing symptoms, like more wheezing or shortness of breath.

Theophylline is a tricky drug where the right blood level matters a lot, so even modest changes can count. That said, this is theoretical and based on lab and animal work, using the isolated compound, not whole evodia. I wouldn't panic, but please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Ueng YF, Tsai TH, Don MJ, et al. Alteration of the pharmacokinetics of theophylline by rutaecarpine, an alkaloid of the medicinal herb Evodia rutaecarpa, in rats. J Pharm Pharmacol 2005;57:227-32.
  2. Ueng YF, Jan WC, Lin LC, et al. The alkaloid rutaecarpine is a selective inhibitor of cytochrome P450 1A in mouse and human liver microsomes. Drug Metab Dispos 2002;30:349-53. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INDUCERS

2 of 2

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INDUCERS.

Theoretically, taking CYP3A4 inducers might decrease the levels and clinical effects of evodia.
Animal research shows that concomitant administration of dexamethasone, a known CYP3A4 inducer, with the alkaloid constituents of evodia significantly reduces the area under the curve (AUC), maximum concentration (Cmax), and half-life of these constituents.
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 thing to know about combining Evodia with this Tedral-type product (which blends theophylline, ephedrine, and phenobarbital). The phenobarbital in it is a well-known liver enzyme booster, meaning it speeds up the CYP3A4 enzyme. In this case, that faster enzyme activity works against the Evodia, not the medicine. So your body may clear Evodia's active compounds more quickly, which could leave you getting less benefit from the herb.

This is based only on animal and lab research, so it's more of a theoretical concern than a proven problem in people. Your asthma and breathing medicine should keep working as usual. Still, since these are serious medications, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding Evodia.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Zhang W, Guo J, Wang D, et al. Effect of CYP3A inducer/inhibitor on pharmacokinetics of five alkaloids in Evodiae Fructus. Chem Biol Interact 2020;327:109146. 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

Evodia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Evodia has 949 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 949 No known interaction 1,881 (incl. Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Evodia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

This page covers Evodia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline page lists 184 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Black Tea (major) and Caffeine (major).

By severity: 22 major · 140 moderate · 22 minor.

Open the Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 182 real supplement products containing Evodia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Evodia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline too, on top of Evodia — 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 Evodia and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline 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 Evodia
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline
Top 25%

#366 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 Evodia

What is Evodia?

  • Digestive upset and nausea
  • Headaches
  • Menstrual cramps
  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea

Evodia is a fruit used in traditional Chinese medicine, most often for digestive complaints, headaches, and menstrual pain. Human evidence for these uses is very limited, and it is mostly studied in laboratory and animal research. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Evodia monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Evodia

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

0Major
949Moderate
0Minor
1,880No known interaction
949 Moderate 1,880 No interaction
Moderate

949 interactions

Showing 60 of 949 moderate interactions — see all 949 on the Evodia page.

No interaction 1,880 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,880 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Evodia list.

See the full Evodia interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline, 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
Evodia monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Evodia and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Evodia with Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Evodia and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline?
Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline belongs to more than one drug category, and Evodia interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Evodia and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline 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

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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.