Drug & supplement interaction

Honeysuckle + Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel brand name: Plavix.

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

Honeysuckle has a moderate interaction with Clopidogrel. Theoretically, honeysuckle might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

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

Honeysuckle and Clopidogrel

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Honeysuckle interacts with.

Theoretically, honeysuckle might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro research shows that polyphenols extracted from honeysuckle can inhibit platelet aggregation.
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 simple version. Clopidogrel (Plavix) already works by making your platelets less sticky so clots are less likely to form. Honeysuckle, in lab studies, seems to do a little of the same thing on its own, meaning it may also nudge platelets toward being less sticky. Stack the two together and you could, in theory, tip a bit further toward easy bleeding.

What might that look like in real life? Things like bruising more easily, nosebleeds, gums that bleed when you brush, or cuts that take longer to stop. I want to be honest though: this concern comes only from test-tube research, not from studies in people, so the real-world risk is uncertain and likely small with an occasional cup of tea. Still, since Plavix is a serious heart-protection medicine, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding honeysuckle, especially in concentrated supplement form.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Chang WC, Hsu FL. Inhibition of platelet activation and endothelial cell injury by polyphenolic compounds isolated from Lonicera japonica Thunb. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1992;45:307-12. 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

Honeysuckle Also Interacts With Other Medications

Honeysuckle has 121 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Clopidogrel one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 121 No known interaction 2,709 (incl. Clopidogrel)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Honeysuckle

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Honeysuckle or Clopidogrel

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

This page covers Honeysuckle only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Clopidogrel page lists 309 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 5 major · 258 moderate · 46 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Clopidogrel page

“Clopidogrel (Plavix) keeps platelets from sticking together after a stent, heart attack, or stroke, which makes this a list to take carefully. Of the 309 supplements and herbs on file, 202 carry blood-thinning or antiplatelet activity of their own and can stack bleeding risk on top of the drug's, while most of the rest change how the l…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Clopidogrel interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 41 real supplement products containing Honeysuckle, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Honeysuckle. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Clopidogrel too, on top of Honeysuckle — 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 Honeysuckle and Clopidogrel 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 Honeysuckle
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Clopidogrel
Top 1%

#14 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 Honeysuckle

What is Honeysuckle?

  • Colds and sore throat
  • Fever
  • Inflammation
  • Skin rashes and sores
  • Digestive upset

Honeysuckle, especially Japanese honeysuckle flower (Lonicera japonica), is a staple of traditional Chinese medicine used mainly for colds, sore throat, and inflammation. Modern human evidence for these uses is limited, so it should be seen as a traditional remedy rather than a proven treatment. It is generally well tolerated as a tea, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking other medicines.

Read the full Honeysuckle monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Clopidogrel

What Is Clopidogrel Used For?

Brand name: Plavix

Clopidogrel tablets are used to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) — including unstable angina and non-ST-elevation or ST-elevation heart attacks — and in people with a history of recent heart attack, recent stroke, or established peripheral arterial disease. For ACS, it is typically given alongside aspirin.

It works by preventing platelets (blood cells that trigger clotting) from clumping together, which helps keep arteries open and lowers the chance of a dangerous clot forming.

See full Clopidogrel drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Honeysuckle

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

0Major
121Moderate
0Minor
2,708No known interaction
121 Moderate 2,708 No interaction
Moderate

121 interactions

Showing 60 of 121 moderate interactions — see all 121 on the Honeysuckle page.

No interaction 2,708 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,708 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Honeysuckle list.

See the full Honeysuckle interactions page
See every supplement checked against Clopidogrel, 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
Honeysuckle monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Clopidogrel supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Clopidogrel, ranked by severity Clopidogrel 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 Honeysuckle and Clopidogrel Together: Common Questions

Can you take Honeysuckle with Clopidogrel?
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 Honeysuckle and Clopidogrel 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 Clopidogrel and Honeysuckle?

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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.