Drug & supplement interaction

Goldthread + Riluzole

Riluzole brand names: Rilutek, Tiglutik, Exservan.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Goldthread and Riluzole 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 Riluzole

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 Riluzole 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 Riluzole and Goldthread? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Riluzole

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Riluzole is filed under 5 classifications — including cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, hepatotoxic 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 Riluzole’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 — Riluzole 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 Riluzole’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 Riluzole’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. 5 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on
  • A low white blood cell count Worth acting on
  • Liver problems Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on
  • Bloating or gas
  • Dry mouth
  • A fast or pounding heartbeat
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Cough

Showing the 10 most notable of 21 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 Riluzole. Read the label on DailyMed › 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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Riluzole

This page covers Goldthread only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Riluzole page lists 141 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 106 moderate · 31 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Riluzole page

“Riluzole (Rilutek, Tiglutik, Exservan) slows the progression of ALS, and it already works the liver hard, which is where this list turns genuinely serious. The four major-rated entries among 141 documented interactions cluster around two hazards: extra liver strain (Siberian cocklebur has caused liver failure, and heavy alcohol from be…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Riluzole 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 Riluzole, 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 Riluzole 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Riluzole
Steady interest

#2,061 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 Riluzole 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 Riluzole

What Is Riluzole Used For?

Brand names: Rilutek, Tiglutik, Exservan

Riluzole is approved to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — the progressive neurological disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. This indication is shared across all available riluzole products, including tablets (Rilutek, riluzole), the dissolving oral film (Exservan), and the oral suspension (Tiglutik).

Tiglutik oral suspension is notable in that it can also be given through a PEG-tube (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube) for patients who have difficulty swallowing.

See full Riluzole 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 Riluzole Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Goldthread with Riluzole?
We do not list a known interaction between Goldthread and Riluzole. 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 Riluzole combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Riluzole is filed under 5 classifications, and Goldthread has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Riluzole'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 — Riluzole 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 Riluzole interact with any supplements?
Yes. Riluzole has documented interactions with 141 supplements in our database — Goldthread is not one of them. The Riluzole 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 Riluzole 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.