Drug & supplement interaction

Japanese Apricot + Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone brand names: Decadron, Hexadrol, Dexone, Ozurdex, Dexycu, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Japanese Apricot and Dexamethasone in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Japanese Apricot and Dexamethasone

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Dexamethasone and Japanese Apricot in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Japanese Apricot safety at a glance

Japanese Apricot overall Use caution Generally considered safe as a food, but concentrated supplement evidence is limited and quality varies.
Pregnancy Use caution Food amounts are likely fine, but concentrated extracts have not been well studied; use caution and ask your doctor.
Breastfeeding Use caution Little safety data exists for supplement-strength products, so caution is advised.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Dexamethasone and Japanese Apricot? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Dexamethasone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Dexamethasone is filed under 8 classifications — including corticosteroids, cytochrome p450 2b6 (cyp2b6) substrates, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inducers. Japanese Apricot has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate) and antidiabetes drugs (moderate) — and none of Dexamethasone’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Japanese Apricot Does Interact With Other Medications

Japanese Apricot has 208 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Dexamethasone isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Japanese Apricot

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

What to actually watch for

What Japanese Apricot Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Dexamethasone. It is the side-effect record for Japanese Apricot on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Japanese Apricot, this list is the first place to look.

  • Constipation Additional detail

    “Orally, Japanese apricot dried fruit extract seems to be well tolerated. Side effects reported in clinical research include gastric intolerance. Diluted Japanese apricot juice concentrate may cause constipation. Allergies to Japanese apricot are rare. The raw fruit of Japanese apricot is thought to be toxic due to the cyanogenic glycosides prunasin and amygdalin.”

    Japanese Apricot · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    4 sources cited
    1. 100027. Beretta A, Accinni R, Dellanoce C, Tonini A, Cardot JM, Bussiére A. Efficacy of a standardized extract of Prunus mume in liver protection and redox homeostasis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Phytother Res. 2016;30(6):949-55.
    2. 100029. Nakajima S, Fujita K, Inoue Y, Nishio M, Seto Y. Effect of the folk remedy, Bainiku-ekisu, a concentrate of Prunus mume juice, on Helicobacter pylori infection in humans. Helicobacter. 2006;11(6):589-91.
    3. 100028. Iijima S, Ito M, Makabe K, Murakami Y, Yokooji T, Matsuo H. Case of food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis due to Japanese apricot and peach: Detection of causative antigens. J Dermatol. 2015;42(9):916-7. PubMed
    4. 13198. Chuda Y, Ono H, Ohnishi-Kameyama M, et al. Mumefural, citric acid derivative improving blood fluidity from fruit-juice concentrate of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc).J Agric Food Chem 1999;47:828-31. .

    “Orally, Japanese apricot dried fruit extract 300 mg daily has been reported to cause gastric intolerance in one patient in one clinical study. In other clinical research, dilute Japanese apricot juice concentrate has been reported to cause constipation in one patient.”

    Japanese Apricot · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    2 sources cited
    1. 100027. Beretta A, Accinni R, Dellanoce C, Tonini A, Cardot JM, Bussiére A. Efficacy of a standardized extract of Prunus mume in liver protection and redox homeostasis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Phytother Res. 2016;30(6):949-55.
    2. 100029. Nakajima S, Fujita K, Inoue Y, Nishio M, Seto Y. Effect of the folk remedy, Bainiku-ekisu, a concentrate of Prunus mume juice, on Helicobacter pylori infection in humans. Helicobacter. 2006;11(6):589-91.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Japanese Apricot — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Dexamethasone’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Dexamethasone column appears here.

From our Q&A

Questions About Japanese Apricot or Dexamethasone

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

This page covers Japanese Apricot only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dexamethasone page lists 221 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Lily-of-the-valley (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 182 moderate · 35 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dexamethasone page

“People take dexamethasone for serious reasons, a chemotherapy course, an autoimmune flare, brain swelling, so I want anyone on it to give its 221 supplement interactions genuine attention, starting with the four rated major. Grapefruit and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dexamethasone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 12 real supplement products containing Japanese Apricot, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Japanese Apricot. Even though Japanese Apricot itself has no known interaction with Dexamethasone, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Japanese Apricot and Dexamethasone 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 Japanese Apricot
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Dexamethasone
Top 25%

#362 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Japanese Apricot reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Japanese Apricot and Dexamethasone records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Japanese Apricot

What is Japanese Apricot?

  • Digestive upset
  • Fatigue and general wellness
  • Sore throat and cough
  • Antimicrobial support
  • Liver and detox support (traditional)

Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume) is a tart fruit used widely in East Asian foods and traditional medicine, often as pickled umeboshi or a concentrated extract. It has a long history of culinary and folk use, but high-quality human studies are limited, so most health claims remain unproven. The processed fruit is generally well tolerated as a food, but talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements.

Prunus mume · Rosaceae · Fruit (often unripe, smoked, or processed into extracts) · Pickled fruit (umeboshi), concentrated fruit extract, paste, juice, syrup, capsules, tea

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Japanese Apricot is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Japanese Apricot record says about it on its own.

Japanese Apricot: dosing

There is no well-established standard dose for Japanese Apricot supplements. The amount varies widely depending on the form, whether it is a food (like umeboshi), a syrup, a paste, or a concentrated extract.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Japanese Apricot monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Japanese Apricot monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dexamethasone

What Is Dexamethasone Used For?

Brand names: Decadron, Hexadrol, Dexone, Ozurdex, Dexycu, Hemady, Dextenza

Dexamethasone is used to treat a wide range of conditions depending on the form and route. Oral tablets and solutions treat severe allergic reactions (such as asthma, contact dermatitis, and seasonal allergic rhinitis), inflammatory skin diseases, endocrine disorders including adrenal insufficiency and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis and regional enteritis, blood disorders, rheumatic conditions, kidney disease, and respiratory conditions including tuberculosis complications. Hemady (oral tablet) is specifically approved, in combination with other medicines, for multiple myeloma in adults. TaperDex (6-day and 12-day oral tablet packs) are used for the same broad range of allergic, inflammatory, and endocrine conditions.

Injectable forms (intramuscular and intravenous) are used when oral treatment is not possible, covering endocrine emergencies, shock, rheumatic disorders, and more. Eye-specific products treat different conditions: Dextenza (intracanalicular insert) treats eye inflammation and pain after eye surgery and itching from allergic conjunctivitis. Ozurdex (intravitreal implant) treats macular edema from retinal vein occlusion and diabetic macular edema, and non-infectious uveitis in the back of the eye. Dexycu (intraocular injection) treats inflammation after eye surgery. Maxidex (ophthalmic suspension) and dexamethasone sodium phosphate eye drops treat steroid-responsive inflammatory conditions of the eye. The ophthalmic/otic solution also treats steroid-responsive inflammation of the outer ear canal. A topical ointment (Seacall) is used for skin conditions including contact dermatitis, eczema, and neurodermatitis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Dexamethasone

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (308,307 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 17,772 reports
Diarrhea 17,597 reports
Nausea 14,727 reports
Plasma cell myeloma 14,363 reports
Pneumonia 14,122 reports
See full Dexamethasone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Japanese Apricot

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

0Major
208Moderate
0Minor
2,621No known interaction
Moderate

208 interactions

Showing 60 of 208 moderate interactions — see all 208 on the Japanese Apricot page.

No interaction 2,621 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Japanese Apricot References

The 10 references that drive our Japanese Apricot monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Chuda Y, Ono H, Ohnishi-Kameyama M, et al. Mumefural, citric acid derivative improving blood fluidity from fruit-juice concentrate of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc).J Agric Food Chem 1999;47:828-31. .
  2. Matsuda H, Morikawa T, Ishiwada T, et al. Medicinal flowers. VIII. Radical scavenging constituents from the flowers of Prunus mume: structure of prunose III. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2003;51:440-3.. PubMed
  3. Maekita T, Kato J, Enomoto S, et al. Japanese apricot improves symptoms of gastrointestinal dysmotility associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(26):8170-7. PubMed
  4. Takemura S, Yoshimasu K, Fukumoto J, et al. Safety and adherence of Umezu polyphenols in the Japanese plum (Prunus mume) in a 12-week double-blind randomized placebo-controlled pilot trial to evaluate antihypertensive effects. Environ Health Prev Med. 2 PubMed
  5. Shin EJ, Hur HJ, Sung MJ, et al. Ethanol extract of the Prunus mume fruits stimulates glucose uptake by regulating PPAR-γ in C2C12 myotubes and ameliorates glucose intolerance and fat accumulation in mice fed a high-fat diet. Food Chem. 2013;141(4):
  6. Hokari A, Ishikawa T, Tajiri H, et al. Efficacy of MK615 for the treatment of patients with liver disorders. World J Gastroenterol. 2012;18(31):4118-26. PubMed
  7. Enomoto S, Yanaoka K, Utsunomiya H, et al. Inhibitory effects of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Siebold et Zucc.; Ume) on Helicobacter pylori-related chronic gastritis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010;64(7):714-9. PubMed
  8. Beretta A, Accinni R, Dellanoce C, Tonini A, Cardot JM, Bussiére A. Efficacy of a standardized extract of Prunus mume in liver protection and redox homeostasis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Phytother Res. 2016;30(6):949-55.
  9. Iijima S, Ito M, Makabe K, Murakami Y, Yokooji T, Matsuo H. Case of food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis due to Japanese apricot and peach: Detection of causative antigens. J Dermatol. 2015;42(9):916-7. PubMed
  10. Nakajima S, Fujita K, Inoue Y, Nishio M, Seto Y. Effect of the folk remedy, Bainiku-ekisu, a concentrate of Prunus mume juice, on Helicobacter pylori infection in humans. Helicobacter. 2006;11(6):589-91.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Japanese Apricot and Dexamethasone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Japanese Apricot with Dexamethasone?
We do not list a known interaction between Japanese Apricot and Dexamethasone. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
How was the Japanese Apricot and Dexamethasone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Dexamethasone is filed under 8 classifications, and Japanese Apricot has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Dexamethasone's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Japanese Apricot interact with any other medications?
Yes. Japanese Apricot has 208 documented drug interactions in our database — Dexamethasone is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Dexamethasone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Dexamethasone has documented interactions with 221 supplements in our database — Japanese Apricot is not one of them. The Dexamethasone interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Dexamethasone and Japanese Apricot?

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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.