Drug & supplement interaction

Goat's Rue + Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel brand name: Plavix.

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

Goat's Rue has a moderate interaction with Clopidogrel. Laboratory research suggests that goat's rue extract can inhibit platelet aggregation.

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

Goat's Rue and Clopidogrel

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Goat's Rue interacts with.

Laboratory research suggests that goat's rue extract can inhibit platelet aggregation. Theoretically, goat's rue might increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs. Some anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
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 Plavix (clopidogrel). This medicine works by keeping your platelets from clumping together, which is exactly how it helps prevent clots after a stroke, heart attack, or stent. The concern here is that goat's rue, in lab studies, also seems to slow platelets down. Stack the two and you could, in theory, get too much of that blood-thinning effect.

I'll be honest with you: this is a theoretical worry based on test-tube research, not real patient reports, so don't panic. Still, the possible result would be easier bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or harder-to-stop cuts. Because Plavix is already a serious clot-prevention drug, please loop in your pharmacist or doctor before adding goat's rue rather than starting it on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Atanasov AT. Effect of Galega officinalis L. extract on platelet aggregation in rats. J Herbs Spices Med Plants 1995;3:71-6.
  2. Atanasov, A. T. and Spasov, V. Inhibiting effect of desalted extract from Galega officinalis L. on platelet aggregation. Folia Med.(Plovdiv.) 1999;41(1):46-50.
  3. Atanasov, A. T. and Spasov, V. Inhibiting and disaggregating effect of gel-filtered Galega officinalis L. herbal extract on platelet aggregation. J.Ethnopharmacol. 2000;69(3):235-240. PubMed
  4. Atanasov, A. T. and Tchorbanov, B. Anti-platelet fraction from Galega officinalis L. inhibits platelet aggregation. J.Med.Food 2002;5(4):229-234.
  5. Atanasov, A. T. and Tchorbanov, B. J. Antiplatelet aggregation activity of a fraction isolated from Galega officinalis L. J Herbs Spices Medicinal Plant 2002;10(2):63-71.

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

Goat's Rue Also Interacts With Other Medications

Goat's Rue has 121 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Clopidogrel 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. Clopidogrel)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Goat's Rue

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Goat's Rue. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Goat's Rue or Clopidogrel

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Goat's Rue or Clopidogrel, 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 Clopidogrel

This page covers Goat's Rue only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Clopidogrel page lists 309 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Grapefruit (major), Piracetam (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 258 moderate · 46 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Clopidogrel page

“Clopidogrel (Plavix) keeps platelets from sticking together after a stent, heart attack, or stroke, which makes this a list to take carefully. Of the 309 supplements and herbs on file, 202 carry blood-thinning or antiplatelet activity of their own and can stack bleeding risk on top of the drug's, while most of the rest change how the l…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Clopidogrel interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Goat's Rue as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 80 real supplement products containing Goat's Rue, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Goat's Rue. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Clopidogrel too, on top of Goat's Rue — 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 Goat's Rue and Clopidogrel 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 Goat's Rue
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Clopidogrel
Top 1%

#14 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 Goat's Rue

What is Goat's Rue?

Goat's Rue
  • Boosting breast milk supply
  • Blood sugar support
  • Traditional digestive remedy
  • General tonic

Goat's rue is a traditional herb most often used by nursing parents to try to increase milk supply, and it has a historical link to diabetes research. Solid human evidence for either use is limited, and the plant can be toxic in larger amounts, so use it only under the guidance of a pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Goat's Rue monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Clopidogrel

What Is Clopidogrel Used For?

Brand name: Plavix

Clopidogrel tablets are used to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) — including unstable angina and non-ST-elevation or ST-elevation heart attacks — and in people with a history of recent heart attack, recent stroke, or established peripheral arterial disease. For ACS, it is typically given alongside aspirin.

It works by preventing platelets (blood cells that trigger clotting) from clumping together, which helps keep arteries open and lowers the chance of a dangerous clot forming.

See full Clopidogrel drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Goat's Rue

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Goat's Rue — 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 Goat's Rue page.

No interaction 2,708 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Goat's Rue 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 Goat's Rue list.

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

Can you take Goat's Rue with Clopidogrel?
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 Goat's Rue and Clopidogrel 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 Clopidogrel and Goat's Rue?

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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.