Drug & supplement interaction

Khat + Spironolactone

Spironolactone brand names: Aldactone, Spiroton, Carospir.

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

Khat has a moderate interaction with Spironolactone. Human research shows that khat and its constituent, cathinone, can increase blood pressure.

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

Khat and Spironolactone

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Spironolactone

Spironolactone falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Khat interacts with.

Human research shows that khat and its constituent, cathinone, can increase blood pressure. Theoretically, khat might reduce the effect of antihypertensive drug therapy. Some antihypertensive drugs include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), amlodipine (Norvasc), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDiuril), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.
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: khat acts like a stimulant and can push your blood pressure up. If you're taking spironolactone to help control high blood pressure or to manage fluid buildup from heart, liver, or kidney problems, khat works against what your medicine is trying to do. The likely result is that your blood pressure isn't as well controlled, and you may notice more fluid retention or swelling that your spironolactone was helping with.

This is rated a moderate, possible interaction, and the evidence is on the weaker side, so it's more of a heads-up than an emergency. Still, khat is illegal in the U.S. and risky for your heart on its own. Please don't stop or change your spironolactone. Just talk it over with your pharmacist or doctor so your blood pressure stays on track.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Hassan, N. A., Gunaid, A. A., Abdo-Rabbo, A. A., Abdel-Kader, Z. Y., al Mansoob, M. A., Awad, A. Y., and Murray-Lyon, I. M. The effect of Qat chewing on blood pressure and heart rate in healthy volunteers. Trop.Doct. 2000;30(2):107-108. PubMed
  2. Hassan, N. A., Gunaid, A. A., El Khally, F. M., Al Noami, M. Y., and Murray-Lyon, I. M. Khat chewing and arterial blood pressure. A randomized controlled clinical trial of alpha-1 and selective beta-1 adrenoceptor blockade. Saudi.Med J 2005;26(4):537-541 DOI
  3. Brenneisen, R., Fisch, H. U., Koelbing, U., Geisshusler, S., and Kalix, P. Amphetamine-like effects in humans of the khat alkaloid cathinone. Br.J.Clin.Pharmacol. 1990;30(6):825-828. 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

Khat Also Interacts With Other Medications

Khat has 4 major, 400 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Spironolactone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 4 Moderate 400 No known interaction 2,426 (incl. Spironolactone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Khat

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Khat or Spironolactone

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

This page covers Khat only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Spironolactone page lists 206 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), Lithium (major) and Oleander (major).

By severity: 7 major · 174 moderate · 25 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Spironolactone page

“Potassium is the supplement I check first for anyone on spironolactone (Aldactone, Carospir), because this water pill works by holding potassium in the body, and supplementing more on top of that can push blood levels too high. It is one of 206 supplement and herbal ingredients with documented interactions here, and the list warrants g…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Spironolactone interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Khat and Spironolactone 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 Khat
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Spironolactone
Top 10%

#278 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 Khat

What is Khat?

Khat
  • Stimulant for energy and alertness
  • Euphoria and mood elevation
  • Reducing fatigue
  • Appetite suppression
  • Social and traditional ceremonies

Khat is a plant chewed for its amphetamine-like stimulant effects, but it carries serious risks including high blood pressure, heart problems, mental health effects, and dependence. It is a controlled substance and illegal in the United States and many other countries, so it should not be used.

Read the full Khat monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Spironolactone

What Is Spironolactone Used For?

Brand names: Aldactone, Spiroton, Carospir

Spironolactone tablets (including Aldactone) are used to treat moderate-to-severe heart failure, high blood pressure, and fluid retention (edema) caused by liver cirrhosis or nephrotic syndrome. They are also used to diagnose and manage primary hyperaldosteronism — a condition where the adrenal glands produce too much of the hormone aldosterone.

Spironolactone oral suspension shares several of these uses — heart failure, high blood pressure, and edema from liver cirrhosis — but is not the same as Aldactone and is not therapeutically interchangeable with it. Your prescriber will choose the right form for your situation.

See full Spironolactone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Khat

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

4Major
400Moderate
0Minor
2,425No known interaction
4 Major 400 Moderate 2,425 No interaction
Major

4 interactions

Moderate

400 interactions

Showing 60 of 400 moderate interactions — see all 400 on the Khat page.

No interaction 2,425 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,425 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Khat list.

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

Can you take Khat with Spironolactone?
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 Khat and Spironolactone 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 Spironolactone and Khat?

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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.