Drug & supplement interaction

Gamboge + Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol

Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol brand name: Viskazide.

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

Gamboge has a moderate interaction with Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol. Overuse of gamboge might compound diuretic-induced potassium loss.

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

Gamboge and Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol

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

Moderate

DIURETIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol

Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol falls under DIURETIC DRUGS — the group Gamboge interacts with.

Overuse of gamboge might compound diuretic-induced potassium loss. There is some concern that people taking gamboge along with potassium depleting diuretics might have an increased risk for hypokalemia. Initiation of potassium supplementation or an increase in potassium supplement dose may be necessary for some patients.
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 in mind with Viskazide. One half of it, hydrochlorothiazide, is a water pill that makes your body flush out fluid, and along with that it pulls out potassium. Gamboge works as a harsh laxative that irritates your gut and causes watery stools, which can flush out potassium too. Stacking the two could push your potassium too low, a state called hypokalemia.

Low potassium can show up as muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue, or a fluttering heartbeat, which matters even more since this combo also contains the beta blocker pindolol that affects heart rhythm. That said, this concern is theoretical and based on how these things work rather than real-world reports. Honestly, gamboge isn't safe to take orally at all, so I'd steer clear of it. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding anything new.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol 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. Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol)
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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol

This page covers Gamboge only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol page lists 276 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), Asarabacca (major) and Dolomite (major).

By severity: 11 major · 234 moderate · 31 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol page

“Viskazide is a two-in-one blood pressure treatment, hydrochlorothiazide (a water pill) plus pindolol (a beta blocker), which means supplements that touch blood pressure, fluid balance, or potassium can hit it from both directions. This combination deserves genuine caution, since 11 of the 276 interactions on file are rated major, and m…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Gamboge and Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol 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
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol
Top 5%

#90 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
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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol, 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol, 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 Gamboge and Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Gamboge with Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol?
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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Pindolol 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.