Drug & supplement interaction

Goldthread + Promethazine

Promethazine brand name: Phenergan.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Goldthread and Promethazine 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

Goldthread and Promethazine

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 Promethazine and Goldthread 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.

Goldthread safety at a glance

Goldthread overall Use caution May be tolerated short-term by some adults, but human safety data are limited and quality varies between products.
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 berberine.... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally. Berberine and other harmful constituents can be transferred to the infant through breast milk. 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 Promethazine and Goldthread? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Promethazine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Promethazine is filed under 4 classifications — including phenothiazines, anticholinergic drugs, photosensitizing drugs. Goldthread has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being cyclosporine (neoral, sandimmune) (moderate) and cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates (moderate) — and none of Promethazine’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

Goldthread Does Interact With Other Medications

Goldthread has 643 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Promethazine 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 Goldthread

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

What to actually watch for

What Promethazine’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Goldthread. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Promethazine’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Hallucinations Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • Wheezing Worth acting on
  • Confusion Worth acting on
  • Seizures Worth acting on
  • A low platelet count Worth acting on
  • Hives Worth acting on
  • A low white blood cell count Worth acting on
  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 26 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Promethazine. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 22,361 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Promethazine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Goldthread’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Goldthread side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Goldthread has no side effects.

Special populations

Goldthread 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 berberine. Preliminary evidence suggests that maternal intake of goldthread during the first trimester increases the risk of congenital malformations of the central nervous system.

Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Berberine and other harmful constituents can be transferred to the infant through breast milk.

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Goldthread or Promethazine

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

This page covers Goldthread only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Promethazine page lists 83 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Henbane (major), Scopolia (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angel's Trumpet (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 57 moderate · 23 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Promethazine page

“Promethazine (Phenergan) is a phenothiazine antihistamine used for allergies, nausea, and motion sickness, and it is strongly anticholinergic on its own, causing dry mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, and constipation. That is why the 83 supplements and herbs on this list deserve real attention, starting with the three rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Promethazine interaction page

One more smart check

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

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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Promethazine
Top half

#1,415 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 Goldthread reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Goldthread and Promethazine 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 Goldthread

What is Goldthread?

Goldthread
  • Digestive upset and diarrhea
  • Mouth sores and sore throat
  • Inflammation
  • Antimicrobial (fighting germs)
  • Blood sugar support
  • Skin and eye complaints

Goldthread is a traditional Chinese and East Asian herb whose root is rich in berberine, a compound being studied for blood sugar, cholesterol, and antimicrobial effects. Strong human evidence for goldthread itself is limited, and it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take other medicines.

Coptis chinensis · Ranunculaceae · Root and rhizome (the underground stem) · Dried root, powder, capsules, tinctures, teas, and topical preparations

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

Goldthread: dosing

There is no well-established standard dose for goldthread. Products differ widely in how they are made and how much active compound they contain, so it is hard to recommend a single safe amount.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed them.

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

Read the full Goldthread monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Promethazine

What Is Promethazine Used For?

Brand name: Phenergan

Promethazine is used for a wide range of conditions. Tablets, oral solution, and rectal suppositories (brands including Phenergan, Promethegan, and Phenadoz) are approved for seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis, vasomotor rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, hives (urticaria), angioedema, dermographism, and allergic reactions to blood or plasma. They are also used for motion sickness (both prevention and active treatment), nausea and vomiting related to anesthesia and surgery, sedation, and as a helper medication alongside pain relievers after surgery.

Promethazine hydrochloride injection (brands including Phenergan and Promethazine HCl injection) is used for many of the same purposes but is reserved for situations where oral treatment is not possible — including allergic emergencies as an adjunct to epinephrine, sedation during labor, and as an aid during certain surgical procedures such as bronchoscopy and eye surgery.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Promethazine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (22,614 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dependence 3,586 reports
Nausea 2,646 reports
Vomiting 1,802 reports
Fatigue 1,496 reports
Diarrhea 1,341 reports
See full Promethazine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Goldthread

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

0Major
643Moderate
0Minor
2,186No known interaction
Moderate

643 interactions

Showing 60 of 643 moderate interactions — see all 643 on the Goldthread page.

No interaction 2,186 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Goldthread References

The 3 references that drive our Goldthread 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. Wu X, Li Q, Xin H, Yu A, Zhong M. Effects of berberine on the blood concentration of cyclosporin A in renal transplanted recipients: clinical and pharmacokinetic study. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2005;61:567-72. PubMed
  3. Chuang CH, Doyle P, Wang JD, et al. Herbal medicines used during the first trimester and major congenital malformations: an analysis of data from a pregnancy cohort study. Drug Saf 2006;29:537-48. 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 Goldthread and Promethazine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Goldthread with Promethazine?
We do not list a known interaction between Goldthread and Promethazine. 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 Goldthread and Promethazine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Promethazine is filed under 4 classifications, and Goldthread has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Promethazine'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 Goldthread interact with any other medications?
Yes. Goldthread has 643 documented drug interactions in our database — Promethazine 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 Promethazine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Promethazine has documented interactions with 83 supplements in our database — Goldthread is not one of them. The Promethazine 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 Promethazine and Goldthread?

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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.