Drug & supplement interaction

Indian Cassia + Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide

Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide brand name: Lotensin HCT.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Indian Cassia has a moderate interaction with Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide. Theoretically, Indian cassia might increase the risk of potassium depletion in patients taking diuretic drugs.

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

Indian Cassia and Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide

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

Moderate

DIURETIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide

Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide falls under DIURETIC DRUGS — the group Indian Cassia interacts with.

Theoretically, Indian cassia might increase the risk of potassium depletion in patients taking diuretic drugs. However, this has not been shown in humans. Indian cassia leaf extract 200-400 mg/kg body weight has shown mild diuretic activity in animal research. The effect of Indian cassia on urine volume and electrolyte loss was similar to that of furosemide. Until more is known, use with caution.
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 quick version: your Lotensin HCT already contains a water pill (hydrochlorothiazide), which is designed to make you pee out extra fluid and some sodium. The concern with Indian cassia is that, in animal studies only, concentrated leaf extracts acted a bit like a diuretic themselves. Stacking two things that both flush fluid could, in theory, drop your potassium a little lower or leave you more dehydrated than the medicine alone would.

I want to be honest about the evidence though: this has never been shown in people, and it took large extract doses in animals to see any effect. Using a bay leaf or two to flavor your food is very unlikely to matter. The caution is really aimed at concentrated supplements or oils. If you're considering those, or you notice muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness, or a fast heartbeat, check in with your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

References
  1. Rahman M, Khatun A, Islam MM, et al. Evaluation of antimicrobial, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, diuretic properties and total phenolic content of Cinnamomum tamala. International Journal of Green Pharmacy. 2013 Jul 1;7(3):236. DOI

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

Indian Cassia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Indian Cassia has 160 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Indian Cassia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide

This page covers Indian Cassia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide page lists 238 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), Asarabacca (major) and Dolomite (major).

By severity: 11 major · 200 moderate · 27 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide page

“Lotensin HCT (benazepril with hydrochlorothiazide) lowers blood pressure two ways at once, and that is exactly why this list deserves a careful read rather than a skim. Most of the interacting supplements either stack on that effect and drop pressure too far, or push against it and undo the control the drug provides.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 31 real supplement products containing Indian Cassia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Indian Cassia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide too, on top of Indian Cassia — 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 Indian Cassia and Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide 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 Indian Cassia
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide
Top 10%

#250 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 Indian Cassia

What is Indian Cassia?

  • Flavoring food
  • Digestive upset
  • Blood sugar support
  • Cold and cough relief
  • Antimicrobial

Indian Cassia (Cinnamomum tamala), also known as Indian bay leaf or tejpat, is an aromatic leaf used widely as a cooking spice and in traditional medicine across South Asia. Human evidence for its health benefits is very limited, so it is best enjoyed as a culinary spice rather than relied on to treat any condition. Used as food it is generally well tolerated, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements or oils.

Read the full Indian Cassia monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Indian Cassia

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

0Major
160Moderate
0Minor
2,669No known interaction
Moderate

160 interactions

Showing 60 of 160 moderate interactions — see all 160 on the Indian Cassia page.

No interaction 2,669 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Indian Cassia and Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Indian Cassia with Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide?
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 Indian Cassia and Benazepril, Hydrochlorothiazide 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

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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.