Drug & supplement interaction

Hawthorn + Sotalol

Sotalol brand names: Betapace AF, Betapace, Sotacor, Sorine.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Hawthorn has a moderate interaction with Sotalol. Theoretically, concomitant use might cause additive effects on blood pressure and heart rate.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Hawthorn and Sotalol

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

BETA-BLOCKERS

Why this applies to Sotalol

Sotalol falls under BETA-BLOCKERS — the group Hawthorn interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might cause additive effects on blood pressure and heart rate.
Some evidence shows that hawthorn might lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: sotalol already works to slow your heart rate and steady your rhythm, and it can nudge your blood pressure down too. Hawthorn appears to do some similar things, gently relaxing blood vessels and easing the heart's pace. Put them together and those effects could stack up.

What might that feel like? Possibly more lightheadedness, dizziness, fatigue, or a heart rate that runs lower than your doctor intends. Honestly, this concern is theoretical, based on how each one behaves rather than strong studies, so it isn't a reason to panic. But sotalol is a drug doctors watch closely, so please don't add hawthorn on your own. Check with your pharmacist or doctor first, and keep an eye on your pulse and how you feel.

References
  1. Chang Q, Zuo Z, Harrison F, Chow MS. Hawthorn. J Clin Pharmacol 2002;42:605-12.
  2. Walker AF, Marakis G, Simpson E, et al. Hypotensive effects of hawthorn for patients with diabetes taking prescription drugs: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Gen.Pract 2006;56:437-43.
  3. Palmer KG, Lebin JA, Cronin MT, Mazor SS, Burns RA. Crataegus mexicana (Tejocote) Exposure Associated with Cardiotoxicity and a Falsely Elevated Digoxin Level. J Med Toxicol. 2019;15(4):295-298. PubMed
  4. Espinosa J, Bassett R, Lucerna A, Finn D. Hawthorne root (Crataegus mexicana) toxicity. Am J Emerg Med. 2024;78:242.e5-242.e6. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • 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.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • 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.

Keep it in perspective

Hawthorn Also Interacts With Other Medications

Hawthorn has 14 major, 176 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Sotalol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Hawthorn

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Hawthorn or Sotalol

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

This page covers Hawthorn only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sotalol page lists 43 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 26 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sotalol page

“Sotalol controls heart rhythm by lengthening the heart's electrical reset time, the QT interval, which is why this list of 43 interacting supplements deserves a careful read, not a skim. Eight are rated major, and most of the serious entries stack further QT prolongation on top of what sotalol already causes, raising the risk of a dang…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sotalol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,624 real supplement products containing Hawthorn, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Hawthorn. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Sotalol too, on top of Hawthorn — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Hawthorn and Sotalol 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 Hawthorn
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sotalol
Top 25%

#548 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.

Supplement

About Hawthorn

What is Hawthorn?

Hawthorn
  • Heart failure symptoms
  • High blood pressure
  • Chest pain (angina)
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Digestive upset
  • Anxiety

Hawthorn is a plant traditionally used for heart-related complaints, and some studies suggest it may modestly help symptoms of mild heart failure when added to standard care. However, the evidence is mixed and it should never replace prescribed heart medicines. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using hawthorn, especially if you have a heart condition.

Read the full Hawthorn monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sotalol

What Is Sotalol Used For?

Brand names: Betapace AF, Betapace, Sotacor, Sorine

Sotalol is used to treat documented, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (dangerous irregular heart rhythms originating in the lower chambers of the heart), such as sustained ventricular tachycardia (a rapid, sustained abnormal heartbeat). Because it carries real risks of its own, it is generally reserved for arrhythmias serious enough to be life-threatening — not for mild or symptom-only rhythm problems.

It is not recommended for people with less severe arrhythmias, even if those arrhythmias cause symptoms, and it should be avoided in people with asymptomatic (no-symptom) extra heartbeats called ventricular premature contractions.

See full Sotalol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Hawthorn

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

14Major
176Moderate
0Minor
2,639No known interaction
Major

14 interactions

Moderate

176 interactions

Showing 60 of 176 moderate interactions — see all 176 on the Hawthorn page.

No interaction 2,639 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Hawthorn and Sotalol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Hawthorn with Sotalol?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Hawthorn and Sotalol interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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

Still Have a Question About Sotalol and Hawthorn?

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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.