Drug & supplement interaction

Gamboge + Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone brand names: Decadron, Hexadrol, Dexone, Ozurdex, Dexycu, and others.

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

Gamboge has a moderate interaction with Dexamethasone. Theoretically, prolonged use might have additive effects with drugs that deplete potassium, including corticosteroids.

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

Gamboge and Dexamethasone

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

Moderate

CORTICOSTEROIDS

Why this applies to Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone falls under CORTICOSTEROIDS — the group Gamboge interacts with.

Theoretically, prolonged use might have additive effects with drugs that deplete potassium, including corticosteroids.
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 gist for combining gamboge with dexamethasone. This isn't about gamboge changing how your body breaks down the steroid. Instead, both can lower your potassium in their own way. Dexamethasone, like other corticosteroids, can push potassium out of the body, and gamboge acts as a harsh laxative that causes watery stools, which also flushes out potassium and fluid. Stacked together, they could drop your potassium too far.

Low potassium can show up as muscle weakness, cramps, fatigue, or an irregular heartbeat. I'll be honest though, this is a theoretical concern based on how each one works, not from strong studies. The bigger issue is that gamboge is genuinely toxic and isn't safe to swallow at all. Please skip the oral resin and check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  2. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 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

Gamboge Also Interacts With Other Medications

Gamboge has 121 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Dexamethasone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 121 No known interaction 2,709 (incl. Dexamethasone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Gamboge

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Gamboge or Dexamethasone

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

This page covers Gamboge only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dexamethasone page lists 221 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 4 major · 182 moderate · 35 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dexamethasone page

“People take dexamethasone for serious reasons, a chemotherapy course, an autoimmune flare, brain swelling, so I want anyone on it to give its 221 supplement interactions genuine attention, starting with the four rated major. Grapefruit and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dexamethasone interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Gamboge and Dexamethasone 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 Gamboge
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Dexamethasone
Top 10%

#179 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 Gamboge

What is Gamboge?

  • Laxative (purgative)
  • Expelling intestinal worms
  • Traditional wound care
  • Use as a yellow dye/pigment

Gamboge is a bright yellow tree resin used historically as a strong laxative and as an artists' pigment, but it is toxic in even modest amounts and is not a safe dietary supplement. Modern interest centers on its compound gambogic acid in laboratory cancer research, which does not make the raw resin safe to take. We recommend avoiding oral use of gamboge.

Read the full Gamboge monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dexamethasone

What Is Dexamethasone Used For?

Brand names: Decadron, Hexadrol, Dexone, Ozurdex, Dexycu, Hemady, Dextenza

Dexamethasone is used to treat a wide range of conditions depending on the form and route. Oral tablets and solutions treat severe allergic reactions (such as asthma, contact dermatitis, and seasonal allergic rhinitis), inflammatory skin diseases, endocrine disorders including adrenal insufficiency and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis and regional enteritis, blood disorders, rheumatic conditions, kidney disease, and respiratory conditions including tuberculosis complications. Hemady (oral tablet) is specifically approved, in combination with other medicines, for multiple myeloma in adults. TaperDex (6-day and 12-day oral tablet packs) are used for the same broad range of allergic, inflammatory, and endocrine conditions.

Injectable forms (intramuscular and intravenous) are used when oral treatment is not possible, covering endocrine emergencies, shock, rheumatic disorders, and more. Eye-specific products treat different conditions: Dextenza (intracanalicular insert) treats eye inflammation and pain after eye surgery and itching from allergic conjunctivitis. Ozurdex (intravitreal implant) treats macular edema from retinal vein occlusion and diabetic macular edema, and non-infectious uveitis in the back of the eye. Dexycu (intraocular injection) treats inflammation after eye surgery. Maxidex (ophthalmic suspension) and dexamethasone sodium phosphate eye drops treat steroid-responsive inflammatory conditions of the eye. The ophthalmic/otic solution also treats steroid-responsive inflammation of the outer ear canal. A topical ointment (Seacall) is used for skin conditions including contact dermatitis, eczema, and neurodermatitis.

See full Dexamethasone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Gamboge

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

0Major
121Moderate
0Minor
2,708No known interaction
121 Moderate 2,708 No interaction
Moderate

121 interactions

Showing 60 of 121 moderate interactions — see all 121 on the Gamboge page.

No interaction 2,708 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,708 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Gamboge list.

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

Can you take Gamboge with Dexamethasone?
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 Gamboge and Dexamethasone 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 Dexamethasone and Gamboge?

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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.