Drug & supplement interaction

Hesperidin + Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone brand names: Cortef, Hydrocortone, Carmol HC cream, Hydrocortisone Iodoquinol Cream, Vytone Cream, and others.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated October 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Hesperidin has a moderate interaction with Hydrocortisone. Theoretically, hesperidin might inhibit P-glycoprotein-mediated drug efflux and potentially increase levels of drugs that are substrates of P-glycoprotein.

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

Hesperidin and Hydrocortisone

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Hesperidin interacts with.

Theoretically, hesperidin might inhibit P-glycoprotein-mediated drug efflux and potentially increase levels of drugs that are substrates of P-glycoprotein.
In vitro research shows that hesperidin can inhibit P-glycoprotein efflux. This effect has not been reported in humans.
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: your body uses a kind of cellular bouncer called P-glycoprotein to push certain drugs, including hydrocortisone, back out of cells and help clear them. In lab dish studies, hesperidin appears to slow that bouncer down. If that happened in people, a bit more hydrocortisone could hang around, which in theory might nudge up steroid-type effects like fluid retention, higher blood sugar, mood changes, or stomach upset.

The honest part: this is only seen in test tubes and animals, not in actual humans, so it's a theoretical concern, not a proven problem. Hydrocortisone is a real, active steroid (not a prodrug), so the direction would be slightly more effect rather than less. Everyday citrus from food won't matter. If you take concentrated hesperidin supplements regularly, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. El-Readi, M. Z., Hamdan, D., Farrag, N., El-Shazly, A., and Wink, M. Inhibition of P-glycoprotein activity by limonin and other secondary metabolites from Citrus species in human colon and leukaemia cell lines. Eur.J.Pharmacol. 1-25-2010;626(2-3):139-145 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

Hesperidin Also Interacts With Other Medications

Hesperidin has 702 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Hydrocortisone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 702 No known interaction 2,128 (incl. Hydrocortisone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Hesperidin

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Hesperidin or Hydrocortisone

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

This page covers Hesperidin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydrocortisone page lists 205 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Lily-of-the-valley (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 164 moderate · 37 minor.

Open the Hydrocortisone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,895 real supplement products containing Hesperidin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Hesperidin. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Hydrocortisone too, on top of Hesperidin — 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 Hesperidin and Hydrocortisone 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 Hesperidin
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydrocortisone
Top half

#1,041 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 Hesperidin

What is Hesperidin?

Hesperidin
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Varicose veins and poor circulation
  • Leg swelling (venous insufficiency)
  • High blood pressure
  • Antioxidant support

Hesperidin is a flavonoid found in citrus fruits that is often combined with diosmin and used for vein and circulation problems like hemorrhoids and varicose veins. Some evidence supports these uses, but data for many other claims is limited. It is generally well tolerated, but pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid it because safety has not been established.

Read the full Hesperidin monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Hydrocortisone

What Is Hydrocortisone Used For?

Brand names: Cortef, Hydrocortone, Carmol HC cream, Hydrocortisone Iodoquinol Cream, Vytone Cream, Massengil Medicated Towelettes, Dioderm, Efcortelan Cream, Mildison, Alphaderm, Calmurid HC, Efcortelan Ointment, Texacort, Alkindi Sprinkle

Hydrocortisone comes in many products, and each one is approved for different uses. Which one you get depends on the condition being treated.

Cortef tablets are used for adrenal insufficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, rheumatic disorders (such as rheumatoid arthritis and gouty arthritis) and collagen diseases such as lupus. Hydrocortisone sodium succinate and Solu-Cortef injections are used when oral therapy is not feasible, for severe allergic states, skin diseases, and adrenal insufficiency. Alkindi (oral granules) is used as replacement therapy in children with adrenocortical insufficiency. Cortenema, Hydrocortisone Rectal Suspension and Cortifoam are used for ulcerative colitis or ulcerative proctitis. Topical hydrocortisone butyrate and valerate products, including Evesse lotion, are used for itchy, inflamed skin conditions and atopic dermatitis.

See full Hydrocortisone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Hesperidin

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

0Major
702Moderate
0Minor
2,127No known interaction
702 Moderate 2,127 No interaction
Moderate

702 interactions

Showing 60 of 702 moderate interactions — see all 702 on the Hesperidin page.

No interaction 2,127 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,127 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Hesperidin list.

See the full Hesperidin interactions page
See every supplement checked against Hydrocortisone, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Hesperidin monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Hydrocortisone supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Hydrocortisone, ranked by severity Hydrocortisone drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Hesperidin and Hydrocortisone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Hesperidin with Hydrocortisone?
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 Hesperidin and Hydrocortisone 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 Hydrocortisone and Hesperidin?

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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.