Drug & supplement interaction

Hoodia + Esmolol

Esmolol brand name: Brevibloc.

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

Esmolol falls into 2 drug categories that Hoodia can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Clinical research shows that hoodia can increase blood pressure.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Hoodia and Esmolol

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Hoodia interacts with whole categories of medication. Esmolol falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Hoodia in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Esmolol

Esmolol falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Hoodia interacts with.

Clinical research shows that hoodia can increase blood pressure. Theoretically, concomitant use of hoodia with antihypertensive drugs might decrease the effectiveness of the antihypertensive drugs and increase the risk of hypertension. Some antihypertensive drugs include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), Amlodipine (Norvasc), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDiuril), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.
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

Esmolol (Brevibloc) is a short-acting beta-blocker given through an IV, usually in a hospital to quickly calm a fast heart rate or bring down blood pressure during surgery or an emergency. Here's the concern with hoodia: some research suggests it can actually raise blood pressure. If that happens, it could push against the very effect esmolol is working to produce, making it a little harder to get your numbers where they need to be.

The good news is this is a theoretical concern based on how hoodia behaves, not proven cases of trouble with esmolol. And since esmolol is given in a closely monitored hospital setting where your blood pressure and heart rate are watched constantly, your care team can adjust on the spot. Still, always tell them about any supplements you take.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Blom WAM, Abrahamse SL, Bradford R, et al. Effects of 15-d repeated consumption of Hoodia gordonii purified extract on safety, ad libitum energy intake, and body weight in healthy, overweight women: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;94(5) PubMed
Moderate

BETA-BLOCKERS

2 of 2

Esmolol also falls under BETA-BLOCKERS.

Evidence from in vitro research shows that hoodia may stimulate beta-adrenergic receptors. Also, clinical research shows that hoodia can increase blood pressure and heart rate. Theoretically, using hoodia with beta-blockers might decrease the effects of these medications. Some beta-blocker drugs include atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), and propranolol (Inderal).
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. Esmolol is a fast-acting beta-blocker, usually given by IV in a hospital to slow down a racing heart or bring down high blood pressure. Hoodia, which people take to curb appetite, may do the opposite in your body. Lab studies suggest it can nudge those same beta receptors and possibly raise heart rate and blood pressure a bit.

So in theory, hoodia could push against what esmolol is trying to do, making it work less well. I want to be honest though: this is theoretical, based on how the two act in the body rather than real cases in people. Since esmolol is given in carefully monitored settings, mention any supplement you take to your care team so they can keep an eye on your numbers.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Blom WAM, Abrahamse SL, Bradford R, et al. Effects of 15-d repeated consumption of Hoodia gordonii purified extract on safety, ad libitum energy intake, and body weight in healthy, overweight women: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;94(5) PubMed
  2. Roza O, Lovász N, Zupkó I, Hohmann J, Csupor D. Sympathomimetic activity of a Hoodia gordonii product: a possible mechanism of cardiovascular side effects. Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:171059.

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

Hoodia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Hoodia has 261 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Esmolol one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 261 No known interaction 2,569 (incl. Esmolol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Hoodia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Esmolol

This page covers Hoodia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Esmolol page lists 139 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Indian Snakeroot (major) and Tyramine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 113 moderate · 21 minor.

Open the Esmolol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 283 real supplement products containing Hoodia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Hoodia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Esmolol too, on top of Hoodia — 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 Hoodia and Esmolol 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 Hoodia
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Esmolol
Steady interest

#1,683 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 Hoodia

What is Hoodia?

Hoodia
  • Appetite suppression
  • Weight loss
  • Reducing food cravings
  • Traditional use for hunger and thirst on long journeys

Hoodia is a succulent plant from southern Africa that is marketed as an appetite suppressant for weight loss, but solid human evidence that it actually works is lacking. The few quality studies done have not shown meaningful weight loss, and some products on the market may not even contain real hoodia. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Read the full Hoodia monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Hoodia

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

0Major
261Moderate
0Minor
2,568No known interaction
261 Moderate 2,568 No interaction
Moderate

261 interactions

Showing 60 of 261 moderate interactions — see all 261 on the Hoodia page.

No interaction 2,568 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,568 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Hoodia list.

See the full Hoodia interactions page
See every supplement checked against Esmolol, 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
Hoodia monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Esmolol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Esmolol, 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 Hoodia and Esmolol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Hoodia with Esmolol?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Hoodia and Esmolol?
Esmolol belongs to more than one drug category, and Hoodia interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Hoodia and Esmolol 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 Esmolol and Hoodia?

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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.