Drug & supplement interaction

Fo-ti + Dantrolene

Dantrolene brand names: Dantrium, Dantrium Intravenous.

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

Fo-ti has a moderate interaction with Dantrolene. Theoretically, fo-ti might increase the risk of liver damage when taken with hepatotoxic drugs.

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

Fo-ti and Dantrolene

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

Moderate

HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Dantrolene

Dantrolene falls under HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS — the group Fo-ti interacts with.

Theoretically, fo-ti might increase the risk of liver damage when taken with hepatotoxic drugs.
Fo-ti has been linked to liver damage in many reports.
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 keep on your radar with this pairing: it's not about how your body breaks down dantrolene. It's about your liver itself. Dantrolene already carries a real risk of liver injury, especially when used regularly for muscle stiffness, and it's something doctors monitor with blood tests. Fo-ti has been linked to liver damage in a number of case reports too.

So the worry is simple: two things that can stress the liver, stacked together. Watch for warning signs like yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, belly pain, nausea, or unusual tiredness. This concern is theoretical and based on scattered reports, not strong studies, so don'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. Park GJ, Mann SP, Ngu MC. Acute hepatitis induced by Shou-Wu-Pian, a herbal product derived from Polygonum multiflorum. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001;16:115-7.
  2. But PP, Tomlinson B, Lee KL. Hepatitis related to the Chinese medicine Shou-wu-pian manufactured from Polygonum multiflorum. Vet Hum Toxicol 1996;38:280-2.
  3. UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Polygonum multiflorum and liver reactions. April 2006. Available at: www.mhra.gov.uk/home/idcplg?IdcService= SS_GET_PAGE&useSecondary=true&ssDocName= CON2023590&ssTargetNodeId= 833 (Accessed 10 May 2
  4. Panis B, Wong DR, Hooymans PM, De Smet PA, Rosias PP. Recurrent toxic hepatitis in a Caucasian girl related to the use of Shou-Wu-Pian, a Chinese herbal preparation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2005;41:256-8. PubMed
  5. Mazzanti G, Battinelli L, Daniele C, et al. New case of acute hepatitis following the consumption of Shou Wu Pian, a Chinese herbal product derived from Polygonum multiflorum. Ann Intern Med 2004;140:E589-90.
  6. Cardenas A, Restrepo JC, Sierra F, Correa G. Acute hepatitis due to shen-min: a herbal product derived from Polygonum multiflorum. J Clin Gastroenterol 2006;40:629-32. PubMed
  7. Laird AR, Ramchandani N, deGoma EM, et al. Acute hepatitis associated with the use of an herbal supplement (Polygonum multiflorum) mimicking iron-overload syndrome. J Clin Gastroenterol 2008;42:861-2. PubMed
  8. Jung KA, Min HJ, Yoo SS, et al. Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Twenty Five Cases of Acute Hepatitis Following Ingestion of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. Gut Liver 2011;5(4):493-9. PubMed
  9. Yuen, M. F., Tam, S., Fung, J., Wong, D. K., Wong, B. C., and Lai, C. L. Traditional Chinese medicine causing hepatotoxicity in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection: a 1-year prospective study. Aliment.Pharmacol.Ther 10-15-2006;24(8):1179-1186. PubMed
  10. Bae, S. H., Kim, D. H., Bae, Y. S., Lee, K. J., Kim, D. W., Yoon, J. B., Hong, J. H., and Kim, S. H. [Toxic hepatitis associated with Polygoni multiflori]. Korean J.Hepatol. 2010;16(2):182-186. PubMed
  11. Furukawa, M., Kasajima, S., Nakamura, Y., Shouzushima, M., Nagatani, N., Takinishi, A., Taguchi, A., Fujita, M., Niimi, A., Misaka, R., and Nagahara, H. Toxic hepatitis induced by show-wu-pian, a Chinese herbal preparation. Intern.Med. 2010;49(15):1537-1 PubMed
  12. Dong H, Slain D, Cheng J, Ma W, Liang W. Eighteen cases of liver injury following ingestion of Polygonum multiflorum. Complement Ther Med 2014;22(1):70-4. PubMed
  13. Lei X, Chen J, Ren J, et al. Liver damage associated with Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.: a systematic review of case reports and case series. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:459749.

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

Fo-ti Also Interacts With Other Medications

Fo-ti has 1,256 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Dantrolene one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,256 No known interaction 1,574 (incl. Dantrolene)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Fo-ti

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Dantrolene

This page covers Fo-ti only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dantrolene page lists 77 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Procaine (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and Wine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 62 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dantrolene page

“People take dantrolene (Dantrium) for muscle spasticity from multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury, and the drug already carries a boxed warning for liver injury. That is why its supplement interactions deserve genuine respect.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dantrolene interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Fo-ti as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 976 real supplement products containing Fo-ti, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Fo-ti. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Dantrolene too, on top of Fo-ti — 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 Fo-ti and Dantrolene 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 Fo-ti
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Dantrolene
Top half

#1,112 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 Fo-ti

What is Fo-ti?

  • Anti-aging and longevity
  • Hair graying and hair loss
  • General tonic for vitality
  • Constipation
  • High cholesterol

Fo-ti (He Shou Wu) is a root used in traditional Chinese medicine, often promoted for healthy aging and hair. High-quality human evidence for these benefits is limited, and processed Fo-ti has been linked to reports of liver injury, so caution and professional guidance are important.

Read the full Fo-ti monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dantrolene

What Is Dantrolene Used For?

Brand names: Dantrium, Dantrium Intravenous

Dantrolene sodium capsules (Dantrium, Dantrolene Sodium) are used by mouth to control spasticity — painful or disabling muscle stiffness and spasms — caused by upper motor neuron disorders such as spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, or multiple sclerosis. They are not used for muscle spasm from arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. Oral capsules are also used before and after surgery to prevent or reduce the risk of malignant hyperthermia in patients known to be susceptible.

For an active malignant hyperthermia crisis — a sudden, dangerous overheating of the muscles triggered by certain anesthetics — the intravenous (IV) forms are given in the hospital. Dantrium Intravenous, Revonto, Ryanodex, and Dantrolene injection are all indicated to treat a malignant hyperthermia crisis and may also be given before surgery to help prevent one in high-risk patients.

See full Dantrolene drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fo-ti

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

0Major
1,256Moderate
0Minor
1,573No known interaction
1,256 Moderate 1,573 No interaction
Moderate

1,256 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,256 moderate interactions — see all 1,256 on the Fo-ti page.

No interaction 1,573 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,573 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Fo-ti list.

See the full Fo-ti interactions page
See every supplement checked against Dantrolene, 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
Fo-ti monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Dantrolene supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Dantrolene, ranked by severity Dantrolene 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 Fo-ti and Dantrolene Together: Common Questions

Can you take Fo-ti with Dantrolene?
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 Fo-ti and Dantrolene 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 Dantrolene and Fo-ti?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.