Drug & supplement interaction

Indian Snakeroot + Atenolol

Atenolol brand names: Tenormin, Atenix.

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

Atenolol falls into 2 drug categories that Indian Snakeroot can interact with; the most serious is rated major. Theoretically, taking Indian snakeroot with beta-blockers might increase the risk of bradycardia and/or hypotension.

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

Indian Snakeroot and Atenolol

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Major

BETA-BLOCKERS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Atenolol

Atenolol falls under BETA-BLOCKERS — the group Indian Snakeroot interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Indian snakeroot with beta-blockers might increase the risk of bradycardia and/or hypotension.
Indian snakeroot contains small amounts of reserpine. Reserpine causes catecholamine-depletion. Concomitant use of Indian snakeroot and beta-blockers might increase the risk or bradycardia and/or hypotension.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to know if you take atenolol alongside Indian snakeroot. Both lower blood pressure and slow the heart, just by different routes. Atenolol is a beta-blocker that calms the heart's drive, while Indian snakeroot contains reserpine, which depletes the nerve chemicals (like norepinephrine) that normally keep your heart rate and pressure up. Stack the two, and their effects can pile on top of each other.

The realistic worry is your heart rate dropping too low (bradycardia) or your blood pressure falling too far (hypotension). That can leave you dizzy, tired, lightheaded, or faint, especially when standing. This concern is theoretical and based on how these compounds work rather than firm studies, but reserpine is potent, so please don't pair them without checking first with your doctor or pharmacist.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

2 of 2

Atenolol also falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS.

Theoretically, concomitant use of Indian snakeroot and antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.
Indian snakeroot, which contains reserpine, can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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: both atenolol and Indian snakeroot push your blood pressure in the same direction, downward. Atenolol slows your heart rate and relaxes blood vessels, while Indian snakeroot (through its reserpine content) lowers the nerve chemicals that keep your vessels tight. Stack the two and their effects can add up.

What that might feel like is too much of a good thing: dizziness, lightheadedness when you stand up, unusual tiredness, or a very slow pulse. Reserpine can also dampen mood, so watch for low feelings too. This is mostly a theoretical concern, but it's a reasonable one. Please don't change your atenolol on your own. Check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Lobay D. Rauwolfia in the Treatment of Hypertension. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2015 Jun;14(3):40-6.
  2. Sheldon MB, Kotte JH. Effect of Rauwolfia serpentina and reserpine on the blood pressure in essential hypertension; a long-term double-blind study. Circulation. 1957 Aug;16(2):200-6.
  3. Vakil RJ. A clinical trial of Rauwolfia serpentina in essential hypertension. Br Heart J. 1949 Oct;11(4):350-5. 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

Indian Snakeroot Also Interacts With Other Medications

Indian Snakeroot has 82 major, 760 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Atenolol one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 82 Moderate 760 No known interaction 1,988 (incl. Atenolol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Indian Snakeroot

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Indian Snakeroot or Atenolol

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

This page covers Indian Snakeroot only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Atenolol page lists 143 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), Tyramine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 5 major · 118 moderate · 20 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Atenolol page

“Atenolol lowers blood pressure and slows the heart, so I want you to treat this list with real care. Of the 143 supplements and herbs on file, 119 push on your blood pressure one way or another, either dropping it further alongside atenolol, as fish oil can, or working against it, as tyramine does.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Atenolol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 70 real supplement products containing Indian Snakeroot, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Indian Snakeroot. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Atenolol too, on top of Indian Snakeroot — 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 Snakeroot and Atenolol 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 Snakeroot
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Atenolol
Top 25%

#664 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 Snakeroot

What is Indian Snakeroot?

Indian Snakeroot
  • High blood pressure
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Insomnia
  • Agitation
  • Fever (traditional use)

Indian snakeroot is a traditional Ayurvedic plant that contains reserpine, a compound with real blood-pressure-lowering and sedative effects. Because its potent alkaloids can cause serious side effects like depression and very low blood pressure, it should never be used without medical supervision. It is not a safe or simple home remedy, and many countries restrict its use.

Read the full Indian Snakeroot monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Atenolol

What Is Atenolol Used For?

Brand names: Tenormin, Atenix

Atenolol tablets are used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and angina pectoris (chest pain caused by narrowed coronary arteries). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack. Long-term use helps manage chronic chest pain.

Atenolol is also used in hemodynamically stable patients with a definite or suspected acute heart attack (myocardial infarction) to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death. Treatment is started as soon as the patient's condition allows, typically in a hospital setting.

See full Atenolol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Indian Snakeroot

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

82Major
760Moderate
0Minor
1,987No known interaction
82 Major 760 Moderate 1,987 No interaction
Major

82 interactions

Showing 60 of 82 major interactions — see all 82 on the Indian Snakeroot page.

Moderate

760 interactions

Showing 60 of 760 moderate interactions — see all 760 on the Indian Snakeroot page.

No interaction 1,987 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,987 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Indian Snakeroot list.

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

Can you take Indian Snakeroot with Atenolol?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Indian Snakeroot and Atenolol?
Atenolol belongs to more than one drug category, and Indian Snakeroot 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 Indian Snakeroot and Atenolol interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Atenolol and Indian Snakeroot?

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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.