Drug & supplement interaction

Hibiscus Sabdariffa + Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate

Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate brand name: Aralen / Primaquine.

Major Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Major

Hibiscus Sabdariffa has a major interaction with Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate. Taking Hibiscus sabdariffa tea along with chloroquine seems to reduce levels of chloroquine.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Hibiscus Sabdariffa and Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate

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

Major

CHLOROQUINE (Aralen)

Taking Hibiscus sabdariffa tea along with chloroquine seems to reduce levels of chloroquine.
When taken together, Hibiscus sabdariffa tea significantly reduces the bioavailability of chloroquine. This may reduce its clinical effects. People taking chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of malaria should avoid Hibiscus sabdariffa tea.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

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

Here's the concern with pairing hibiscus tea and your chloroquine. A small clinical study found that drinking hibiscus tea lowered the amount of chloroquine that actually made it into the bloodstream. In plain terms, less of the drug gets absorbed, so you end up with weaker levels working in your body.

That matters a lot because chloroquine is fighting or preventing malaria. If its levels drop, the medicine may not work as well, and that can mean the malaria isn't properly treated or prevented. This isn't about new side effects, it's about losing the protection you're counting on. I'd skip hibiscus tea while you're on this, but please check with your pharmacist or doctor first so they can guide you safely.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Mahmoud, B. M., Ali, H. M., Homeida, M. M., and Bennett, J. L. Significant reduction in chloroquine bioavailability following coadministration with the Sudanese beverages Aradaib, Karkadi and Lemon. J.Antimicrob.Chemother. 1994;33(5):1005-1009.

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

Hibiscus Sabdariffa Also Interacts With Other Medications

Hibiscus Sabdariffa has 1 major, 266 moderate, 819 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 266 Minor 819 No known interaction 1,744 (incl. Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Hibiscus Sabdariffa

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate

This page covers Hibiscus Sabdariffa only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate page lists 30 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Biofeedback (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), Dendrobium (moderate) and European Mandrake (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 19 moderate · 9 minor.

Open the Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Hibiscus Sabdariffa and Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate 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 Hibiscus Sabdariffa
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate
Top 25%

#681 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 Hibiscus Sabdariffa

What is Hibiscus Sabdariffa?

Hibiscus Sabdariffa
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart and cholesterol health
  • Digestive upset
  • Antioxidant support
  • Fever and general wellness

Hibiscus sabdariffa is a tart, cranberry-flavored plant most often consumed as a tea, and its best-studied use is for mildly lowering blood pressure. Evidence for other uses is limited, and while hibiscus tea is generally well tolerated in food amounts, concentrated supplements should be used cautiously and avoided in pregnancy. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it for a medical condition.

Read the full Hibiscus Sabdariffa monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Hibiscus Sabdariffa

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

1Major
266Moderate
819Minor
1,743No known interaction
1 Major 266 Moderate 819 Minor 1,743 No interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

266 interactions

Showing 60 of 266 moderate interactions — see all 266 on the Hibiscus Sabdariffa page.

Minor

819 interactions

Showing 60 of 819 minor interactions — see all 819 on the Hibiscus Sabdariffa page.

No interaction 1,743 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,743 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Hibiscus Sabdariffa list.

See the full Hibiscus Sabdariffa interactions page
See every supplement checked against Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate, 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
Hibiscus Sabdariffa monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Hibiscus Sabdariffa and Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Hibiscus Sabdariffa with Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Hibiscus Sabdariffa and Chloroquine, Primaquine Phosphate interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

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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.