Drug & supplement interaction

Foxglove + Diltiazem

Diltiazem brand names: Cardizem, Cardizem SR, Diltiaz SR, Cardizem CD, Tiazac, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Foxglove and Diltiazem 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Foxglove and Diltiazem

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 Diltiazem and Foxglove 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.

Foxglove safety at a glance

Foxglove overall Avoid Foxglove is poisonous and can cause fatal heart rhythm problems; it should never be self-used.
Pregnancy Unsafe When used orally for self-medication; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Unsafe When used orally for self-medication; 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 Diltiazem and Foxglove? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Diltiazem

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Diltiazem is filed under 9 classifications — including calcium channel blockers, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inhibitors. Foxglove has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — the most serious being digoxin (lanoxin) (major), quinine (major) and diuretic drugs (moderate) — and none of Diltiazem’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

Foxglove Does Interact With Other Medications

Foxglove has 3 major, 130 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Diltiazem isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Foxglove

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Foxglove and Diltiazem May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on Additional detail

    Foxglove

    “Orally, acute poisoning of foxglove includes electrolyte disturbances, strong slow pulse, atrial arrhythmias, bradycardia, AV block, cardiovascular shock, and death (6,159,501,94836,94837,94838,102790,102791,105852). In some cases, the digoxin antibody or Digibind is administered to reverse foxglove-induced cardiac toxicity, but oftentimes it is not effective.”

    Foxglove · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in arrhythmia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
    2. 159. Gossel TA, Bricker JD. Principles of Clinical Toxicology. New York, NY:Raven Press, 1994.
    3. 501. De Smet PAGM, Keller K, Hansel R, Chandler RF, Eds. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 1. Verlag, Berlin: Springer, 1992. DOI
    4. 94836. Janssen RM, Berg M, Ovakim DH. Two cases of cardiac glycoside poisoning from accidental foxglove ingestion. CMAJ. 2016;188(10):747-50. PubMed
    5. 94837. Lin CC, Yang CC, Phua DH, Deng JF, Lu LH. An outbreak of foxglove leaf poisoning. J Chin Med Assoc. 2010;73(2):97-100. PubMed
    6. 94838. Wu IL, Yu JH, Lin CC, Seak CJ, Olson KR, Chen HY. Fatal cardiac glycoside poisoning due to mistaking foxglove for comfrey. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2017:1-4. PubMed

    Diltiazem

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Diltiazem. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Blurred vision Additional detail

    Foxglove

    “Orally, acute poisoning of foxglove includes contracted pupils and blurred vision (6,159,501,102791).”

    Foxglove · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in poisoning.

    4 sources cited
    1. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
    2. 159. Gossel TA, Bricker JD. Principles of Clinical Toxicology. New York, NY:Raven Press, 1994.
    3. 501. De Smet PAGM, Keller K, Hansel R, Chandler RF, Eds. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 1. Verlag, Berlin: Springer, 1992. DOI
    4. 102791. Maes KR, Depuydt P, Vermassen J, De Paepe P, Buylaert W, Lyphout C. Foxglove poisoning: diagnostic and therapeutic differences with medicinal digitalis glycosides overdose. Acta Clin Belg. 2020:1-7. PubMed

    Diltiazem

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Diltiazem. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Stomach upset / Nausea / Vomiting reported in 7.1% of FDA reports for Diltiazem Additional detail

    Foxglove

    “Orally, acute poisoning of foxglove includes nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal (GI) upset (6,159,501,102790,102791,105851,105852). Chronic use of foxglove can also lead to intoxication symptoms including GI upset (6).”

    Foxglove · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    6 sources cited
    1. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
    2. 159. Gossel TA, Bricker JD. Principles of Clinical Toxicology. New York, NY:Raven Press, 1994.
    3. 501. De Smet PAGM, Keller K, Hansel R, Chandler RF, Eds. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 1. Verlag, Berlin: Springer, 1992. DOI
    4. 102790. Negroni MS, Marengo A, Caruso D, et al. A case report of accidental intoxication following ingestion of foxglove confused with borage: High digoxinemia without major complications. Case Rep Cardiol. 2019;2019:9707428. PubMed
    5. 102791. Maes KR, Depuydt P, Vermassen J, De Paepe P, Buylaert W, Lyphout C. Foxglove poisoning: diagnostic and therapeutic differences with medicinal digitalis glycosides overdose. Acta Clin Belg. 2020:1-7. PubMed
    6. 105851. Lehmann A, Späni S, Harings-Kaim A, Probst C, Christ A, Leuppi-Taegtmeyer AB. A case of intoxication with tea made from Digitalis purpurea. Glob Cardiol Sci Pract 2021;2021(1):e202102. PubMed

    Diltiazem

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Diltiazem, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Tiredness / Dizziness reported in 7.9% of FDA reports for Diltiazem Additional detail

    Foxglove

    “Orally, acute poisoning of foxglove includes symptoms of dizziness, stupor, confusion, convulsions, fatigue and sometimes vision disturbances (6,159,501,102790,105852). Chronic use of foxglove can lead to intoxication symptoms including visual halos and yellow-green vision (6).”

    Foxglove · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in fatigue.

    5 sources cited
    1. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
    2. 159. Gossel TA, Bricker JD. Principles of Clinical Toxicology. New York, NY:Raven Press, 1994.
    3. 501. De Smet PAGM, Keller K, Hansel R, Chandler RF, Eds. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 1. Verlag, Berlin: Springer, 1992. DOI
    4. 102790. Negroni MS, Marengo A, Caruso D, et al. A case report of accidental intoxication following ingestion of foxglove confused with borage: High digoxinemia without major complications. Case Rep Cardiol. 2019;2019:9707428. PubMed
    5. 105852. Rouault E, Ghnassia C, Filippi-Codaccioni E, Maillard N. Dose and efficacy of repeated administrations of digoxin-specific antibody fragments: Case report of foxglove poisoning. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2021;128(1):183-186. PubMed

    Diltiazem

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Diltiazem, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Foxglove but not commonly for Diltiazem: an electrolyte imbalance, muscle weakness, seizures and confusion.

Effects for Diltiazem come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Foxglove come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 34,400 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Diltiazem that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Foxglove in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Unsafe

When used orally for self-medication; 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

Overlapping uses

What Diltiazem Is Prescribed For, and What Foxglove Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Diltiazem is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Foxglove is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Diltiazem is prescribed for: Oral extended-release forms of diltiazem — including Matzim LA, Cardizem LA, Cartia, Cartia XT, Tiadylt ER, and various generic capsules and tablets — are used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and chronic stable angina (chest pain brought on by activity). Some capsule formulations, including Cartia, Cartia XT, and certain generics, are also approved for angina due to coronary artery spasm (sudden chest pain caused by a sudden tightening of a coronary artery). Injectable forms of diltiazem are used in hospital settings to temporarily slow a dangerously fast heart rate in atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (rapid, irregular heart rhythms), and to restore a normal heart rhythm in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) — sudden episodes of a very fast but regular heartbeat originating above the heart's lower chambers.

Foxglove has been studied for:

  • Atrial fibrillation Natural Medicines rates the evidence for Foxglove: Possibly Effective Read what the research shows

    Foxglove for atrial fibrillation

    Limited clinical research shows that foxglove is effective at treating atrial fibrillation; however, it can also be severely toxic.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Diltiazem on your own; if you are taking Foxglove for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Foxglove or Diltiazem

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

This page covers Foxglove only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Diltiazem page lists 260 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), Coleus (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 7 major · 214 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Diltiazem page

“Someone on diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac) is usually managing blood pressure, angina, or a fast heart rhythm, so this list deserves genuine care. Seven of the 260 ingredients on file carry a major rating, and two of those are things people actually buy: grapefruit, which blocks the enzyme that clears diltiazem and can push its blood leve…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Diltiazem interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Foxglove, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Foxglove. Even though Foxglove itself has no known interaction with Diltiazem, 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 Foxglove and Diltiazem 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 Foxglove
Steady interest

#1,008 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Diltiazem
Top 10%

#201 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 Foxglove reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Foxglove and Diltiazem 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 Foxglove

What is Foxglove?

  • Heart failure (historical/medical use)
  • Irregular heartbeat (historical/medical use)
  • Fluid retention or 'dropsy' (historical use)
  • Ornamental garden plant

Foxglove is a beautiful but highly poisonous plant that contains powerful heart-affecting compounds called cardiac glycosides. It should never be used as a home remedy or supplement because even small amounts can cause life-threatening heart problems. The purified prescription drugs derived from it (like digoxin) are used only under close medical supervision.

Digitalis purpurea · Plantaginaceae · Leaves (the dried leaf was historically the source of medicine) · Not recommended in any form; historically used as dried leaf, tincture, or purified drug (digoxin/digitoxin)

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

Foxglove: dosing

There is no safe home dose of foxglove. Because the strength of the natural plant cannot be measured reliably, it should not be taken in any amount as a supplement, tea, or tincture.If your doctor decides you need the heart medicine derived from this plant, you will receive a purified, prescription product with a precise dose and regular blood tests and monitoring.

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

Read the full Foxglove monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Diltiazem

What Is Diltiazem Used For?

Brand names: Cardizem, Cardizem SR, Diltiaz SR, Cardizem CD, Tiazac, Diltiaz XT, Diltiaz CD, Dilacor, Diltiaz, Cardizem LA, Dilacor XR, Cartia XT, Tiamate, Adizem-SR, Adizem-XL, Angitil SR, Angitil XL, Calcicard CR, Dilcardia SR, Dilzem SR, Dilzem XL, Slozem, Tildiem LA, Tildiem Retard, Viazem XL, Zemtard 120XL, Zemtard 180XL, Zemtard 240XL, Zemtard 300XL

Oral extended-release forms of diltiazem — including Matzim LA, Cardizem LA, Cartia, Cartia XT, Tiadylt ER, and various generic capsules and tablets — are used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and chronic stable angina (chest pain brought on by activity). Some capsule formulations, including Cartia, Cartia XT, and certain generics, are also approved for angina due to coronary artery spasm (sudden chest pain caused by a sudden tightening of a coronary artery).

Injectable forms of diltiazem are used in hospital settings to temporarily slow a dangerously fast heart rate in atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (rapid, irregular heart rhythms), and to restore a normal heart rhythm in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) — sudden episodes of a very fast but regular heartbeat originating above the heart's lower chambers.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Diltiazem

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (34,400 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dyspnea 3,309 reports
Fatigue 2,733 reports
Nausea 2,454 reports
Dizziness 2,174 reports
Diarrhea 2,113 reports
See full Diltiazem drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Foxglove

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

3Major
130Moderate
0Minor
2,696No known interaction
Major

3 interactions

Moderate

130 interactions

Showing 60 of 130 moderate interactions — see all 130 on the Foxglove page.

No interaction 2,696 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Foxglove References

The 19 references that drive our Foxglove 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. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  3. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  4. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
  5. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  6. Gossel TA, Bricker JD. Principles of Clinical Toxicology. New York, NY:Raven Press, 1994.
  7. De Smet PAGM, Keller K, Hansel R, Chandler RF, Eds. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 1. Verlag, Berlin: Springer, 1992. DOI
  8. Burnham TH, ed. Drug Facts and Comparisons, Updated Monthly. Facts and Comparisons, St. Louis, MO.
  9. Ramlakhan, S. L. and Fletcher, A. K. It could have happened to Van Gogh: a case of fatal purple foxglove poisoning and review of the literature. Eur.J Emerg.Med 2007;14(6):356-359. PubMed
  10. Yaginuma, M., Orimo, S., Kurosawa, T., Arai, M., and Hiyamuta, E. [Muscle weakness of the upper arms in the last trimester of administering digitalis]. Rinsho Shinkeigaku 1988;28(3):338-341.
  11. Friedman, P. L. and Smith, T. W. Foxglove and Fab: immunological approaches to digitalis intoxication. Int.J.Cardiol. 1983;3(2):237-240. PubMed
  12. Rich, S. A., Libera, J. M., and Locke, R. J. Treatment of foxglove extract poisoning with digoxin-specific Fab fragments. Ann.Emerg.Med 1993;22(12):1904-1907. PubMed
  13. Janssen RM, Berg M, Ovakim DH. Two cases of cardiac glycoside poisoning from accidental foxglove ingestion. CMAJ. 2016;188(10):747-50. PubMed
  14. Lin CC, Yang CC, Phua DH, Deng JF, Lu LH. An outbreak of foxglove leaf poisoning. J Chin Med Assoc. 2010;73(2):97-100. PubMed
  15. Wu IL, Yu JH, Lin CC, Seak CJ, Olson KR, Chen HY. Fatal cardiac glycoside poisoning due to mistaking foxglove for comfrey. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2017:1-4. 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 Foxglove and Diltiazem Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Foxglove with Diltiazem?
We do not list a known interaction between Foxglove and Diltiazem. 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.
Do Foxglove and Diltiazem have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Foxglove and Diltiazem used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Foxglove in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Diltiazem is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Foxglove and Diltiazem combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Diltiazem is filed under 9 classifications, and Foxglove has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — none of Diltiazem'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 Foxglove interact with any other medications?
Yes. Foxglove has 133 documented drug interactions in our database — Diltiazem 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 Diltiazem interact with any supplements?
Yes. Diltiazem has documented interactions with 260 supplements in our database — Foxglove is not one of them. The Diltiazem interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Diltiazem and Foxglove?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.