Drug & supplement interaction

Hordenine + Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride

Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride brand names: Afrin, Rhofade, Upneeq.

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

Hordenine has a moderate interaction with Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride. Hordenine is structurally similar to N-methyltyramine and synephrine, constituents in bitter orange known to have stimulant properties.

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

Hordenine and Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride

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

Moderate

STIMULANT DRUGS

Why this applies to Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride

Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride falls under STIMULANT DRUGS — the group Hordenine interacts with.

Hordenine is structurally similar to N-methyltyramine and synephrine, constituents in bitter orange known to have stimulant properties. Theoretically, taking hordenine with drugs with stimulant properties might increase the risk of hypertension and other adverse cardiovascular effects.
Some of these drugs include amphetamine, caffeine, methylphenidate, pseudoephedrine, 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

Here's the basic idea with Hordenine and oxymetazoline. Hordenine is thought to act like a mild stimulant and may nudge up norepinephrine, your body's 'fight-or-flight' chemical. Oxymetazoline works in a similar lane, since it's an alpha-adrenergic medicine that tightens blood vessels. Stack two things that lean in the same direction and, in theory, you could see a bit more cardiovascular stimulation, things like higher blood pressure, a faster or pounding heartbeat, or feeling jittery.

I want to be honest though: this is a theoretical concern based on how these compounds look on paper, not strong human studies. The risk with skin or eye forms of oxymetazoline is likely small since little gets into the bloodstream. Still, if you have any heart or blood pressure issues, please check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Nelson BC, Putzbach K, Sharpless KE, Sander LC. Mass spectrometric determination of the predominant adrenergic protoalkaloids in bitter orange (Citrus aurantium). J Agric Food Chem 2007;55(24):9769-75. 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

Hordenine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Hordenine has 179 moderate, 149 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 179 Minor 149 No known interaction 2,502 (incl. Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Hordenine

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride

This page covers Hordenine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride page lists 48 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Ephedra (major), Peyote (major), Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major), Sida Cordifolia (major) and 1,3-dmaa (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 39 moderate · 5 minor.

Open the Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 339 real supplement products containing Hordenine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Hordenine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride too, on top of Hordenine — 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 Hordenine and Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride 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 Hordenine
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride
Steady interest

#1,419 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 Hordenine

What is Hordenine?

Hordenine
  • Energy and stimulation
  • Athletic and workout performance
  • Weight loss/fat burning
  • Focus and mood
  • Appetite control

Hordenine is a natural alkaloid found in barley and some cacti that is marketed as a stimulant for energy, focus, and fat loss, but solid human evidence for these benefits is lacking. Its safety in people has not been well studied, so caution is warranted, and it should be avoided in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and by people with heart conditions.

Read the full Hordenine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Oxymetazoline Topical

What Is Oxymetazoline Topical Used For?

Brand names: Afrin, Rhofade, Upneeq

Rhofade (oxymetazoline hydrochloride cream, 1%) is approved to treat persistent facial erythema (redness) associated with rosacea in adults. It is applied directly to the face once daily.

Other oxymetazoline topical products — including Afrin spray and Medix Nasal Decongestant Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride and Tukol Max Action solutions — are available for nasal use. Uses for those products are not covered in the current prescribing information provided here.

See full Oxymetazoline Topical drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Hordenine

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

0Major
179Moderate
149Minor
2,501No known interaction
179 Moderate 149 Minor 2,501 No interaction
Moderate

179 interactions

Showing 60 of 179 moderate interactions — see all 179 on the Hordenine page.

Minor

149 interactions

Showing 60 of 149 minor interactions — see all 149 on the Hordenine page.

No interaction 2,501 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,501 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Hordenine list.

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

Can you take Hordenine with Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride?
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 Hordenine and Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride 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 Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride and Hordenine?

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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.