Drug & supplement interaction

Groundsel + Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone

Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone brand names: Femhrt, Loestrin 21, Ovcon 35 21, Ovcon 50 28, Necon 0.5 35 21, and others.

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 Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone 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. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone

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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone and Groundsel 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.

Groundsel safety at a glance

Groundsel overall Avoid Groundsel contains liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids and is generally considered unsafe to ingest.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally. Groundsel products can contain pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) constituents, which might be teratogenic and hepatotoxic. There is insufficient rel... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally. Hepatotoxic PA constituents in groundsel are excreted in milk. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of using... 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone and Groundsel? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone is filed under 13 classifications — including progestin, contraceptive drugs, estrogens. Groundsel has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inducers (moderate) — and none of Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone’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

Groundsel Does Interact With Other Medications

Groundsel has 87 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 87 No known interaction 2,743 (incl. Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Groundsel

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone May Share a Side Effect

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on Additional detail

    Groundsel

    “Groundsel contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA), which might cause pneumotoxicity. Animal research shows that PA-associated pneumotoxicity occurs as pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy.”

    Groundsel · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypertension.

    2 sources cited
    1. 12841. Chojkier M. Hepatic sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome: toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. J Hepatol 2003;39:437-46. PubMed
    2. 12842. Roeder E. Medicinal plants in Europe containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pharmazie 1995;50:83-98.

    Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Groundsel but not commonly for Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone: liver problems, vomiting and diarrhea.

Effects for Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Groundsel come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Groundsel in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Groundsel products can contain pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) constituents, which might be teratogenic and hepatotoxic. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of using groundsel products that do not contain hepatotoxic PAs during pregnancy. However, dietary supplements sold in the US are not required to include the amount of PAs they contain; therefore, all preparations used orally containing groundsel should be considered likely unsafe.

Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Hepatotoxic PA constituents in groundsel are excreted in milk. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of using groundsel products that do not contain hepatotoxic PAs during lactation. However, dietary supplements sold in the US are not required to include the amount of PAs they contain; therefore, all preparations used orally containing groundsel should be considered likely unsafe.

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

How to take them

Some Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone Products Have a Food Rule — Groundsel Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone says to take it with food. If you take Groundsel on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Tablets should be taken regularly with a meal or at bedtime.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone

This page covers Groundsel only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone page lists 240 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 6 major · 196 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone page

“If you take a birth control pill or hormone therapy containing ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Loestrin, Femhrt, and others), a few supplements can genuinely undermine it, so read this page with care. Six of the 240 ingredients on file are rated major, and those six come first.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone 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 Groundsel
Steady interest

#1,095 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone
Top 25%

#450 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 Groundsel reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone 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 Groundsel

What is Groundsel?

  • Menstrual complaints
  • Digestive upset
  • Minor wounds (topical)
  • Sore gums or mouth
  • Mild aches

Groundsel is a common weed traditionally used as a folk remedy, but it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause serious liver damage. There is no reliable evidence that it works for any condition, and most health authorities consider it unsafe to take internally. We do not recommend using it.

Senecio vulgaris · Asteraceae · Aerial parts (leaves, stems, flowers) · Tea, dried herb, tincture, topical poultice

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

Groundsel: dosing

There is no established safe dose for groundsel. Because of its toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, no standardized, tested dosing exists, and we do not recommend taking it internally.If you come across a product that contains groundsel, do not assume any amount is safe.

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

Read the full Groundsel monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Groundsel

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

0Major
87Moderate
0Minor
2,742No known interaction
87 Moderate 2,742 No interaction
Moderate

87 interactions

Showing 60 of 87 moderate interactions — see all 87 on the Groundsel page.

No interaction 2,742 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,742 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Groundsel list.

See the full Groundsel interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Groundsel References

The 6 references that drive our Groundsel 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. Klepser TB, Klepser ME. Unsafe and potentially safe herbal therapies. Am J Health Syst Pharm 1999;56:125-38. PubMed
  2. WHO working group. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Environmental Health Criteria, 80. WHO: Geneva, 1988.
  3. Fox DW, Hart MC, Bergeson PS, et al. Pyrrolizidine (Senecio) intoxication mimicking Reye syndrome. J Pediatr 1978;93:980-2. PubMed
  4. Chojkier M. Hepatic sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome: toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. J Hepatol 2003;39:437-46. PubMed
  5. Roeder E. Medicinal plants in Europe containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pharmazie 1995;50:83-98.
  6. Wang YP, Yan J, Fu PP, Chou MW. Human liver microsomal reduction of pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides to form the corresponding carcinogenic parent alkaloid. Toxicol Lett 2005;155:411-20. 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 Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Groundsel with Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone?
We do not list a known interaction between Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone. 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.
Do Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone says to take it with food. If you take Groundsel on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Groundsel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone is filed under 13 classifications, and Groundsel has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone'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 Groundsel interact with any other medications?
Yes. Groundsel has 87 documented drug interactions in our database — Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone has documented interactions with 240 supplements in our database — Groundsel is not one of them. The Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone 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

Groundsel monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Ethinyl Estradiol, Norethindrone, 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 6 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.