Greater Celandine + Mercaptopurine
Mercaptopurine brand name: Purixan.
Mercaptopurine falls into 2 drug categories that Greater Celandine can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. There is some concern that greater celandine can adversely affect the liver.
Read the full interaction reportGreater Celandine and Mercaptopurine
These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.
Why Are There 2 Interactions?
Greater Celandine interacts with whole categories of medication. Mercaptopurine falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Greater Celandine in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).
HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS
1 of 2Why this applies to Mercaptopurine
Mercaptopurine falls under HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS — the group Greater Celandine interacts with.
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.
Here's the main concern with pairing greater celandine and mercaptopurine: both can be hard on the liver. Mercaptopurine is already known to raise liver enzymes and, in some people, cause liver injury, so your care team checks bloodwork regularly while you take it. Greater celandine has been tied to its own reports of serious liver damage. Stacking the two could, in theory, add to that strain.
I'll be honest with you, this warning rests on case reports and reasoning, not strong studies, so it's not a proven hit. Still, with a chemotherapy drug like this one, I wouldn't take chances. Watch for yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, belly pain, or unusual tiredness, and please check with your oncologist or pharmacist before adding any herbal product.
- Benninger J, Schneider HT, Schuppan D, et al. Acute hepatitis induced by greater celandine (Chelidonium majus). Gastroenterology 1999;117:1234-7. PubMed
- Stickel F, Poschl G, Seitz HK, et al. Acute hepatitis induced by Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus). Scand J Gastroenterol 2003;38:565-8.
- Moro PA, Cassetti F, Giugliano G, et al. Hepatitis from greater celandine (Chelidonium majus L.): Review of literature and report of a new case. J Ethnopharmacol 2009;124:328-32. PubMed
- Stickel, F., Seitz, H. K., Hahn, E. G., and Schuppan, D. [Liver toxicity of drugs of plant origin]. Z.Gastroenterol. 2001;39(3):225-227.
- Hardeman, E., Van, Overbeke L., Ilegems, S., and Ferrante, M. Acute hepatitis induced by greater celandine (Chelidonium majus). Acta Gastroenterol.Belg. 2008;71(2):281-282.
- Gilca, M., Gaman, L., Panait, E., Stoian, I., and Atanasiu, V. Chelidonium majus--an integrative review: traditional knowledge versus modern findings. Forsch.Komplementmed. 2010;17(5):241-248. PubMed
- Teschke, R., Glass, X., and Schulze, J. Herbal hepatotoxicity by Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus): causality assessment of 22 spontaneous reports. Regul.Toxicol.Pharmacol. 2011;61(3):282-291. PubMed
- Teschke, R., Glass, X., Schulze, J., and Eickhoff, A. Suspected Greater Celandine hepatotoxicity: liver-specific causality evaluation of published case reports from Europe. Eur.J Gastroenterol.Hepatol. 2012;24(3):270-280. PubMed
- Teschke, R., Frenzel, C., Glass, X., Schulze, J., and Eickhoff, A. Greater Celandine hepatotoxicity: a clinical review. Ann.Hepatol. 2012;11(6):838-848. DOI
IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS
2 of 2Mercaptopurine also falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS.
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.
Here's the idea behind this pairing. Greater celandine contains compounds that, at least in early lab and small clinical work, may give the immune system a nudge upward. Since mercaptopurine works partly by dampening the immune response (and is used to knock down overactive white blood cells in leukemia), the worry is that the herb could theoretically push in the opposite direction and blunt some of the medication's benefit.
I want to be honest that this is a theoretical concern based on how these things behave, not strong proof in people. That said, the bigger reason I'd steer clear is separate: greater celandine itself has been tied to serious liver injury, and mercaptopurine can already stress the liver. Please don't start or stop anything on your own. Loop in your oncology team or pharmacist first.
- Staniszewski, A., Slesak, B., Kolodziej, J., Harlozinska-Szmyrka, A., and Nowicky, J. W. Lymphocyte subsets in patients with lung cancer treated with thiophosphoric acid alkaloid derivatives from Chelidonium majus L. (Ukrain). Drugs Exp.Clin Res 1992;18
- Nowicky, J. W., Staniszewski, A., Zbroja-Sontag, W., Slesak, B., Nowicky, W., and Hiesmayr, W. Evaluation of thiophosphoric acid alkaloid derivatives from Chelidonium majus L. ("Ukrain") as an immunostimulant in patients with various carcinomas. Drugs Ex
What These Ratings Mean
Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.
Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.
Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.
Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.
- 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.
- 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.
Greater Celandine Also Interacts With Other Medications
Greater Celandine has 624 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Mercaptopurine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Greater Celandine
We haven’t checked that one against Greater Celandine yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Greater Celandine. Pick one to open its full report.
Questions About Greater Celandine or Mercaptopurine
These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Greater Celandine or Mercaptopurine, 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.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Mercaptopurine
This page covers Greater Celandine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Mercaptopurine page lists 106 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 Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).
By severity: 4 major · 92 moderate · 10 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Mercaptopurine page
“Mercaptopurine (Purixan) works by deliberately suppressing the immune system, whether for leukemia or inflammatory bowel disease, and the supplement interactions on this page deserve genuine care rather than a quick skim. Two problems dominate.”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Taking Greater Celandine as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 11 real supplement products containing Greater Celandine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Greater Celandine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Mercaptopurine too, on top of Greater Celandine — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Greater Celandine and Mercaptopurine 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.
#445 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#2,303 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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.
About Greater Celandine
What is Greater Celandine?
- Digestive and gallbladder complaints
- Stomach cramps and bloating
- Topical use for warts and skin growths
- Liver and gallbladder 'cleansing'
- Mild pain relief
Greater celandine is a traditional herb most often promoted for digestive and gallbladder complaints, but solid human evidence for any use is lacking. More importantly, it has been linked to serious and sometimes severe liver injury, so most experts advise against taking it by mouth. If you are considering it, talk with your pharmacist or doctor first.
About Mercaptopurine
What Is Mercaptopurine Used For?
Brand name: Purixan
Mercaptopurine — available as a tablet and as an oral suspension — is used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer. It is given as part of a combination chemotherapy maintenance regimen, meaning it works alongside other cancer medicines to keep leukemia in remission.
Both the tablet form and the oral suspension form carry this indication for adult and pediatric patients. The oral suspension is particularly useful for patients who cannot swallow tablets.
Other Drugs & Greater Celandine
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Greater Celandine — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
624 interactions
- Diclofenac Sodium ›
- Nifedipine ›
- Hydrocortisone ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Minocycline ›
- Propranolol ›
- Tetracycline ›
- Lidocaine ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Testosterone ›
- Verapamil ›
- Fenofibrate ›
- Levonorgestrel ›
- Prednisone ›
- Quinidine ›
- Cyclosporine ›
- Dexamethasone ›
- Glyburide ›
- Methyltestosterone ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Fentanyl ›
- Oxycodone ›
- Phenytoin ›
- Prednisolone ›
- Tacrolimus ›
- Triamcinolone ›
- Allopurinol ›
- Carbamazepine ›
- Dextromethorphan ›
- Diclofenac Potassium ›
- Formoterol ›
- Morphine Sulfate ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Lofepramine ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Nitrofurantoin ›
- Nortriptyline ›
- Ofloxacin ›
- Propoxyphene ›
- Rifampin ›
- Selegiline ›
- Testosterone Undecanoate ›
- Acarbose ›
- Aripiprazole ›
- Betamethasone ›
- Ciclesonide ›
- Cyclobenzaprine ›
- Dapsone ›
- Desipramine ›
- Doxepin ›
- Doxycycline Hyclate ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Eltrombopag ›
- Fluphenazine ›
- Interferon Alfa-2b ›
- Interferon Beta-1b ›
- Isoniazid ›
- Itraconazole ›
- Levofloxacin ›
Showing 60 of 624 moderate interactions — see all 624 on the Greater Celandine page.
No interaction 2,205 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Greater Celandine against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Sertraline ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Aspirin ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Docusate ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Metformin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Bupropion ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Letrozole ›
- Naproxen ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Candesartan Cilexetil ›
- Diazepam ›
- Cyclopentolate ›
- Cephalexin ›
- Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Doxylamine ›
- Mannitol ›
- Roxithromycin ›
- Levetiracetam ›
- Ezetimibe ›
- Finasteride ›
- Pegunigalsidase Alfa-iwxj ›
- Levothyroxine Sodium ›
- Phentermine, Topiramate ›
- Estrogen ›
- Dexmethylphenidate ›
- Daptomycin ›
- Spironolactone ›
- Amlodipine Besylate, Benazepril ›
- Valsartan ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,205 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Greater Celandine list.
Sources & How We Checked
Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.
- Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — Evidence-graded clinical reference for vitamins, herbs and supplements — the basis for our interaction data.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine — NIH consumer drug information, used for the medication overviews.
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) — Official supplement product labels.
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
Mercaptopurine Is Linked to Lower Levels of One Nutrient
Natural Medicines records Mercaptopurine as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Greater Celandine — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Mercaptopurine nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Greater Celandine and Mercaptopurine Together: Common Questions
Can you take Greater Celandine with Mercaptopurine?
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Greater Celandine and Mercaptopurine?
How serious is the Greater Celandine and Mercaptopurine interaction?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
Still Have a Question About Mercaptopurine and Greater Celandine?
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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.