Drug & supplement interaction

Indian Snakeroot + Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol brand name: Inderide.

Major Interaction
The bottom line Major

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol falls into 3 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
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Indian Snakeroot and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Indian Snakeroot interacts with whole categories of medication. Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Indian Snakeroot in 3 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 3

Why this applies to Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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

Your Inderide tablet combines two blood-pressure medicines: hydrochlorothiazide (a water pill) and propranolol (a beta-blocker that slows the heart and relaxes blood vessels). Indian snakeroot contains reserpine, which lowers blood pressure in its own way by depleting the nerve chemicals that keep your heart rate and blood pressure up. So you'd essentially have three forces all pushing blood pressure and heart rate downward at the same time.

Stacked together, this could leave you with a very low blood pressure or a slow heartbeat (bradycardia). Watch for dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, unusual fatigue, or feeling depressed or worn down. This concern is based on how these compounds work rather than firm studies, but it's still worth taking seriously. Please don't stop or change anything on your own. Loop in your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

2 of 3

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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 thing to keep in mind: your Inderide is already a two-in-one blood pressure pill. The hydrochlorothiazide is a water pill that lowers fluid and pressure, and the propranolol is a beta-blocker that slows your heart and relaxes the load on it. Indian snakeroot contains reserpine, which on its own lowers blood pressure too. Stack them together and you can simply get too much of the same effect.

That overlap could leave you with very low blood pressure, lightheadedness, fainting, an unusually slow heartbeat, or feeling tired and down. Reserpine can also worsen mood, which matters since beta-blockers sometimes do the same. This is a reasonable concern, not a sure thing, so please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

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
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

3 of 3

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, Indian snakeroot might inhibit CYP2D6 enzymes and reduce the metabolism of CYP2D6 substrates.
Indian snakeroot contains small amounts of the drug yohimbine. In vitro research shows that yohimbine inhibits CYP2D6 enzyme activity.
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 thing to keep in mind with Inderide (which combines propranolol and hydrochlorothiazide). The propranolol half is partly broken down by a liver enzyme called CYP2D6. Lab studies suggest Indian snakeroot may slow that enzyme down, so propranolol could clear out of your body more slowly and build up a bit. That could mean a stronger effect: a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, dizziness, or feeling unusually tired.

On top of that, both snakeroot (which contains reserpine) and this medication already lower blood pressure, so stacking them could push your pressure down too far. I'll be honest, the enzyme part is only theoretical and based on test-tube work, but since snakeroot is potent, please loop in your doctor or pharmacist before combining them.

References
  1. VandenBrink, B. M., Foti, R. S., Rock, D. A., Wienkers, L. C., and Wahlstrom, J. L. Prediction of CYP2D6 drug interactions from in vitro data: evidence for substrate-dependent inhibition. Drug Metab Dispos. 2012;40(1):47-53. 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

This page covers Indian Snakeroot only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol page lists 324 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 · 273 moderate · 40 minor.

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

“Inderide combines hydrochlorothiazide, a water pill, with propranolol, a beta blocker, so a supplement that also lowers blood pressure or pulls potassium out of the body hits the drug on its own turf. That describes most of this list, and I'd approach it with genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol
Top half

#1,014 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
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
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
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 Snakeroot and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Indian Snakeroot with Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol?
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 3 interactions listed for Indian Snakeroot and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol?
Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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

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