Drug & supplement interaction

Higenamine + Hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine brand name: Plaquenil.

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 Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine 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 Hydroxychloroquine 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

Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine

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 Hydroxychloroquine and Higenamine 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.

Higenamine safety at a glance

Higenamine overall Use caution It acts as a stimulant on the heart and is banned in competitive sports, so it should be used with caution if at all.
Pregnancy Avoid There is no safety data in pregnancy, so it should be avoided.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is no safety data during breastfeeding, so it should be avoided.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Hydroxychloroquine and Higenamine? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Hydroxychloroquine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Hydroxychloroquine is filed under 3 classifications — cytochrome p450 2d6 (cyp2d6) inhibitors, qt interval-prolonging drugs, oral drugs. Higenamine has documented interactions with 5 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), cytochrome p450 2d6 (cyp2d6) substrates (moderate) and cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates (moderate) — and none of Hydroxychloroquine’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

Higenamine Does Interact With Other Medications

Higenamine has 891 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Hydroxychloroquine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 891 No known interaction 1,939 (incl. Hydroxychloroquine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Higenamine

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

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.

  • An irregular heartbeat Worth acting on Additional detail

    Higenamine

    “Orally, the safety of higenamine has not been studied in high-quality clinical trials. However, higenamine has been shown to have cardiac stimulant effects due to its effect on beta2-adrenoreceptors. In animal models, it appears to significantly increase heart rate; however, it does not appear to increase blood pressure. Higenamine is one of the primary cardioactive constituents in aconite.”

    Higenamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in irregular heartbeat.

    6 sources cited
    1. 18027. Zhang Z, Liu X, Tao Z, et al. Effects of higeramine on hemodynamics and its tolerability and safety, an experimental study. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2002;82:352-5.
    2. 559. Tai YT, But PP, Young K, et al. Cardiotoxicity after accidental herb-induced aconite poisoning. Lancet 1992;340:1254-6. PubMed
    3. 3490. But PP, Tai YT, Young K. Three fatal cases of herbal aconite poisoning. Vet Hum Toxicol 1994;36:212-5.
    4. 15499. Lin CC, Chan TY, Deng JF. Clinical features and management of herb-induced aconitine poisoning. Ann Emerg Med 2004;43:574-9. PubMed
    5. 95552. Zhang N, Lian Z, Peng X, Li Z, Zhu H. Applications of Higenamine in pharmacology and medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;196:242-252. PubMed
    6. 97577. Cohen PA, Travis JC, Keizers PHJ, Boyer FE, Venhuis BJ. The stimulant higenamine in weight loss and sports supplements. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2018:1-6. PubMed

    Hydroxychloroquine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Hydroxychloroquine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A fast or pounding heartbeat Additional detail

    Higenamine

    “Orally and intravenously, higenamine may be unsafe. Research on the use of higenamine alone is limited; however, aconite, a plant that contains higenamine, can cause serious cardiovascular toxicity. It is unclear if higenamine alone might have similar effects.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Headache.

    Intravenously: Dizziness and headache.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Rhabdomyolysis.

    Intravenously: Dy…”

    Higenamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    Hydroxychloroquine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Hydroxychloroquine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Dizziness / Headache Additional detail

    Higenamine

    “Orally, higenamine may cause headache.

    Intravenously, higenamine may cause dizziness and headache.”

    Higenamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    2 sources cited
    1. 107431. Rasic JS, Ivanovic ND, Andjelkovic MS, et al. Influence of higenamine on exercise performance of recreational female athletes: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial. Front Psychol 2021;12:633110. PubMed
    2. 97577. Cohen PA, Travis JC, Keizers PHJ, Boyer FE, Venhuis BJ. The stimulant higenamine in weight loss and sports supplements. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2018:1-6. PubMed

    Hydroxychloroquine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Hydroxychloroquine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Higenamine but not commonly for Hydroxychloroquine: chest pain, severe muscle breakdown, muscle pain and shortness of breath.

Effects for Hydroxychloroquine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Higenamine 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.

How to take them

Some Hydroxychloroquine Products Have a Food Rule — Higenamine Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Hydroxychloroquine says to take it with food. If you take Higenamine on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Hydroxychloroquine 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 Hydroxychloroquine 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.

Rheumatoid Arthritis in Adults ( 2.3 ): Initial dosage: 400 mg to 600 mg daily Chronic dosage: 200 mg once daily or 400 mg once daily (or in two divided doses) Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adults ( 2.4 ): 200 mg once daily or 400 mg once daily (or in two divided doses) Chronic Discoid Lupus Erythematosus in Adults ( 2.5 ): 200 mg once daily or 400 mg once daily (or in two divided doses) 2.1 Imp

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Hydroxychloroquine — 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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Higenamine or Hydroxychloroquine

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

This page covers Higenamine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydroxychloroquine page lists 32 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: 7 major · 16 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Hydroxychloroquine page

“Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can stretch the QT interval on its own, the pause between heartbeats that, prolonged too far, can trigger a dangerous rhythm. Thirteen of the supplements and herbs on this page add to that same effect, grapefruit in large amounts among them, and that overlap is why this list calls for genuine care rather…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Hydroxychloroquine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 154 real supplement products containing Higenamine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Higenamine. Even though Higenamine itself has no known interaction with Hydroxychloroquine, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine 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 Higenamine
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydroxychloroquine
Top 25%

#359 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 Higenamine reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Higenamine

What is Higenamine?

  • Weight loss and fat burning
  • Pre-workout energy and performance
  • Appetite suppression
  • Athletic stimulant
  • Traditional medicine remedies

Higenamine is a plant-based stimulant compound added to many weight-loss and pre-workout supplements, but there is very little human evidence that it works and real concerns about heart and blood pressure effects. It is banned in sports by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and product labels often list inaccurate amounts, so most people should approach it with caution and talk to a pharmacist or doctor first.

Plant-derived alkaloid (found in plants such as Aconitum, Nelumbo/lotus, and Annona species) · Capsules, tablets, powders, pre-workout and fat-burner blends

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

Higenamine: dosing

There is no established or proven safe dose of higenamine. Supplement products vary widely, and testing has shown that the labeled amount is often unreliable, so it is hard to know how much you are actually taking.Because of this uncertainty and the potential heart effects, we do not recommend a specific dose.

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

Read the full Higenamine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Hydroxychloroquine

What Is Hydroxychloroquine Used For?

Brand name: Plaquenil

Hydroxychloroquine tablets are used to treat uncomplicated malaria and to help prevent malaria in areas where the parasite has not developed resistance to it — in both adults and children. It is also used in adults to treat rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and chronic discoid lupus erythematosus.

There are important limits: it is not recommended for complicated or drug-resistant malaria, malaria acquired in regions where resistance is known, or to prevent malaria relapses caused by P. vivax or P. ovale. Its use for the autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid arthritis and lupus) is approved for adults only.

See full Hydroxychloroquine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Higenamine

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

0Major
891Moderate
0Minor
1,938No known interaction
891 Moderate 1,938 No interaction
Moderate

891 interactions

Showing 60 of 891 moderate interactions — see all 891 on the Higenamine page.

No interaction 1,938 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,938 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Higenamine list.

See the full Higenamine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Hydroxychloroquine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Higenamine References

The 14 references that drive our Higenamine 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. Tai YT, But PP, Young K, et al. Cardiotoxicity after accidental herb-induced aconite poisoning. Lancet 1992;340:1254-6. PubMed
  2. But PP, Tai YT, Young K. Three fatal cases of herbal aconite poisoning. Vet Hum Toxicol 1994;36:212-5.
  3. Lin CC, Chan TY, Deng JF. Clinical features and management of herb-induced aconitine poisoning. Ann Emerg Med 2004;43:574-9. PubMed
  4. Wagner H, Reiter M, Ferstl W. New drugs with cardiotonic activity. Part 1. Chemistry and pharmacology of the cardiotonic active principle of Annona squamosa L. Planta Med 1980;40:77-85.
  5. Park CW, Chang KC, Lim JK. Effects of higenamine on isolated heart adrenoceptor of rabbit. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 1984;267:279-88.
  6. Liu WH, Zhou YP, Zeng GY. Effects of dl-demethylcoclaurine on experimental heart failure. Acta Pharm Sinica 1988;23:81-5.
  7. Yun-Choi HS, Pyo MK, Park KM, et al. Anti-thrombotic effects of higenamine. Planta Med 2001;67:619-22. PubMed
  8. Zhang Z, Liu X, Tao Z, et al. Effects of higeramine on hemodynamics and its tolerability and safety, an experimental study. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2002;82:352-5.
  9. Kam SC, Do JM, Choi JH, et al. The relaxation effect and mechanism of action of higenamine in the rat corpus cavernosum. Int J Impot Res 2012;24:77-83. PubMed
  10. Liu Y, Santillo MF. Cytochrome P450 2D6 and 3A4 enzyme inhibition by amine stimulants in dietary supplements. Drug Test Anal. 2016;8(3-4):307-10. PubMed
  11. Jeter J, DeZee KJ, Kennedy L. A Case of Paraspinal Muscle Rhabdomyolysis in a 22-Year-Old Male After Ingesting a Supplement Containing Higenamine. Mil Med. 2015;180(7):e847-9. PubMed
  12. Zhang N, Lian Z, Peng X, Li Z, Zhu H. Applications of Higenamine in pharmacology and medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017;196:242-252. PubMed
  13. Cohen PA, Travis JC, Keizers PHJ, Boyer FE, Venhuis BJ. The stimulant higenamine in weight loss and sports supplements. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2018:1-6. PubMed
  14. Rasic JS, Ivanovic ND, Andjelkovic MS, et al. Influence of higenamine on exercise performance of recreational female athletes: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial. Front Psychol 2021;12:633110. 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 Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Higenamine with Hydroxychloroquine?
We do not list a known interaction between Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine. 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 Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 4 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 Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Hydroxychloroquine says to take it with food. If you take Higenamine on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Hydroxychloroquine with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Hydroxychloroquine products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Higenamine and Hydroxychloroquine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Hydroxychloroquine is filed under 3 classifications, and Higenamine has documented interactions with 5 drug classes — none of Hydroxychloroquine'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 Higenamine interact with any other medications?
Yes. Higenamine has 891 documented drug interactions in our database — Hydroxychloroquine 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 Hydroxychloroquine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Hydroxychloroquine has documented interactions with 32 supplements in our database — Higenamine is not one of them. The Hydroxychloroquine 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

Higenamine monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Hydroxychloroquine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Hydroxychloroquine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Hydroxychloroquine, 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 14 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Hydroxychloroquine and Higenamine?

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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.