Drug & supplement interaction

Goldenseal + Gestodene

Gestodene brand name: Minesse.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Goldenseal and Gestodene 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.

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Interaction report

Goldenseal and Gestodene

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 Gestodene and Goldenseal 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.

Goldenseal safety at a glance

Goldenseal overall Use caution Generally used short-term by healthy adults, but human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally. Berberine is thought to cross the placenta and may cause harm to the fetus. Kernicterus has developed in newborn infants exposed to goldenseal... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid Avoid while breastfeeding because berberine may pass to the infant and cause harm.

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 Gestodene and Goldenseal? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Gestodene

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Gestodene is filed under 3 classifications — contraceptive drugs, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inhibitors, oral drugs. Goldenseal has documented interactions with 16 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and antihypertensive drugs (moderate) — and none of Gestodene’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

Goldenseal Does Interact With Other Medications

Goldenseal has 1,236 moderate, 1 minor known drug interactions in our database — Gestodene isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,236 Minor 1 No known interaction 1,593 (incl. Gestodene)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Goldenseal

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

What to actually watch for

What Goldenseal Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Gestodene. It is the side-effect record for Goldenseal on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Goldenseal, this list is the first place to look.

  • A change in taste / Bloating or gas / Constipation / Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting Additional detail

    “Orally, berberine, a constituent of goldenseal, may cause diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, and bitter taste. Theoretically, these effects may occur in patients taking goldenseal. However, this hasn't been reported in clinical research or case reports.”

    Goldenseal · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    6 sources cited
    1. 33648. Choudhry, V. P., Sabir, M., and Bhide, V. N. Berberine in giardiasis. Indian Pediatr. 1972;9(3):143-146.
    2. 33689. Sharda DC. Berberine in the treatment of diarrhoea of infancy and childhood. J Indian M A 1970;54(1):22-24.
    3. 34245. Zhang, Y., Li, X., Zou, D., Liu, W., Yang, J., Zhu, N., Huo, L., Wang, M., Hong, J., Wu, P., Ren, G., and Ning, G. Treatment of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia with the natural plant alkaloid berberine. J Clin Endocrinol.Metab 2008;93(7):2559-2565. PubMed
    4. 34247. Yin, J., Xing, H., and Ye, J. Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 2008;57(5):712-717. PubMed
    5. 34285. Meng, S., Wang, L. S., Huang, Z. Q., Zhou, Q., Sun, Y. G., Cao, J. T., Li, Y. G., and Wang, C. Q. Berberine ameliorates inflammation in patients with acute coronary syndrome following percutaneous coronary intervention. Clin Exp.Pharmacol Physiol 2012;39 PubMed
    6. 91953. Dong H, Zhao Y, Zhao L, Lu F. The effects of berberine on blood lipids: a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Planta Med 2013;79(6):437-46. PubMed
  • Headache Additional detail

    “Orally, berberine, a constituent of goldenseal, may cause headache when taken in a dose of 5 mg/kg daily. Theoretically, this may occur with goldenseal, but this hasn't been reported in clinical research or case reports.”

    Goldenseal · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    1 source cited
    1. 33648. Choudhry, V. P., Sabir, M., and Bhide, V. N. Berberine in giardiasis. Indian Pediatr. 1972;9(3):143-146.
  • Nausea Additional detail

    Recorded for Goldenseal in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A change in taste / Bloating or gas / Constipation / Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting above.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Goldenseal — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We haven’t matched Gestodene to its FDA label in our system yet, so we can’t compare its own side-effect list here — the leaflet that comes with your prescription is the authoritative list for Gestodene.

Special populations

Goldenseal in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Berberine is thought to cross the placenta and may cause harm to the fetus. Kernicterus has developed in newborn infants exposed to goldenseal.

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Gestodene

This page covers Goldenseal only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Gestodene page lists 59 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), St. John's Wort (major), Adrafinil (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate) and Anise (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 37 moderate · 20 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Gestodene page

“Gestodene, the progestin in the low-dose birth control pill Minesse, is a medication where a weakened dose has a real consequence: unintended pregnancy. So the 59 supplements and herbs on file deserve genuine vigilance, and the two rated major most of all.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Gestodene interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,726 real supplement products containing Goldenseal, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Goldenseal. Even though Goldenseal itself has no known interaction with Gestodene, 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 Goldenseal and Gestodene 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 Goldenseal
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Gestodene
Steady interest

#2,062 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 Goldenseal reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Goldenseal and Gestodene records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 Goldenseal

What is Goldenseal?

Goldenseal
  • Digestive upset and diarrhea
  • Colds and respiratory infections
  • Sore throat and mouth sores
  • Skin and eye irritation (topical/traditional)
  • Antimicrobial support

Goldenseal is a popular North American herb that contains berberine, a compound studied for antimicrobial effects. However, strong human evidence for its many traditional uses is largely lacking, and it should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Hydrastis canadensis · Ranunculaceae · Root and rhizome (underground stem) · Capsules, tablets, dried root, liquid extracts, tinctures, teas, and topical preparations

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

Goldenseal: dosing

There is no well-established standardized dose for goldenseal. Studies have used different products, extracts, and amounts, making it hard to recommend a single dose.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount. Because supplements are not tightly regulated, the actual berberine content can vary a lot between brands.Goldenseal is best used short-term rather than continuously.

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

Read the full Goldenseal monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Goldenseal

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

0Major
1,236Moderate
1Minor
1,592No known interaction
1,236 Moderate 1 Minor 1,592 No interaction
Moderate

1,236 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,236 moderate interactions — see all 1,236 on the Goldenseal page.

Minor

1 interaction

No interaction 1,592 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,592 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Goldenseal list.

See the full Goldenseal interactions page
See every supplement checked against Gestodene, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Goldenseal References

The 34 references that drive our Goldenseal 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. Chan E. Displacement of bilirubin from albumin by berberine. Biol Neonate 1993;63:201-8. PubMed
  2. Budzinski JW, Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, Arnason JT. An in vitro evaluation of human cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibition by selected commercial herbal extracts and tinctures. Phytomedicine 2000;7:273-82. PubMed
  3. Sandhu RS, Prescilla RP, Simonelli TM, Edwards DJ. Influence of goldenseal root on the pharmacokinetics of indinavir. J Clin Pharmacol 2003;43:1283-8.. PubMed
  4. Janbaz KH, Gilani AH. Studies on preventive and curative effects of berberine on chemical-induced hepatotoxicity in rodents. Fitoterapia 2000;71:25-33.. PubMed
  5. Gurley BJ, Gardner SF, Hubbard MA, et al. In vivo effects of goldenseal, kava kava, black cohosh, and valerian on human cytochrome P450 1A2, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A4/5 phenotypes. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2005;77:415-26. PubMed
  6. Gurley BJ, Swain A, Barone GW, et al. Effect of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) and kava kava (Piper methysticum) supplementation on digoxin pharmacokinetics in humans. Drug Metab Dispos 2007;35:240-5. PubMed
  7. Gurley BJ, Swain A, Hubbard MA, et al. Clinical assessement of CYP2D6-mediated herb-drug interactions in humans: Effects of milk-thistle, black cohosh, goldenseal, kava kava, St. John's wort, and Echinacea. Mol Nutr Food Res 2008;52:755-63.
  8. Zhang Y, Li X, Zou D, et al. Treatment of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia with the natural plant alkaloid berberine. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008;93:2559-65. PubMed
  9. Chatterjee P, Franklin MR. Human cytochrome p450 inhibition and metabolic-intermediate complex formation by goldenseal extract and its methylenedioxyphenyl components. Drug Metab Dispos 2003;31:1391-7. PubMed
  10. Choudhry, V. P., Sabir, M., and Bhide, V. N. Berberine in giardiasis. Indian Pediatr. 1972;9(3):143-146.
  11. Shanbhag, S. M., Kulkarni, H. J., and Gaitonde, B. B. Pharmacological actions of berberine on the central nervous system. Jpn.J Pharmacol 1970;20(4):482-487. PubMed
  12. Wu, J. F. and Liu, T. P. [Effects of berberine on platelet aggregation and plasma levels of TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in rats with reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion]. Yao Xue.Xue.Bao. 1995;30(2):98-102.
  13. Peng, W. H., Hsieh, M. T., and Wu, C. R. Effect of long-term administration of berberine on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats. Jpn J Pharmacol 1997;74(3):261-266. DOI
  14. Sharda DC. Berberine in the treatment of diarrhoea of infancy and childhood. J Indian M A 1970;54(1):22-24.
  15. Sabir M and Bhide NK. Study of some pharmacological actions of berberine. Ind J Physiol & Pharmac 1971;15(3):111-132.

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 Goldenseal and Gestodene Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Goldenseal with Gestodene?
We do not list a known interaction between Goldenseal and Gestodene. 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.
How was the Goldenseal and Gestodene combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Gestodene is filed under 3 classifications, and Goldenseal has documented interactions with 16 drug classes — none of Gestodene'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 Goldenseal interact with any other medications?
Yes. Goldenseal has 1,237 documented drug interactions in our database — Gestodene 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 Gestodene interact with any supplements?
Yes. Gestodene has documented interactions with 59 supplements in our database — Goldenseal is not one of them. The Gestodene interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Goldenseal monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Gestodene supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Gestodene, 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 References The 34 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

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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.