Drug & supplement interaction

Kudzu + Clonidine

Clonidine brand name: Catapres.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Kudzu and Clonidine 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. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Kudzu and Clonidine

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 Clonidine and Kudzu 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.

Kudzu safety at a glance

Kudzu overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in short-term studies, but long-term safety is not well established.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data and possible hormone-like effects, so avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is too little safety information to recommend use while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Clonidine and Kudzu? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Clonidine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Clonidine is filed under 4 classifications — including alpha-adrenergic agonists, antihypertensive drugs, oral drugs. Kudzu has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), caffeine (moderate) and estrogens (moderate) — and none of Clonidine’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

Kudzu Does Interact With Other Medications

Kudzu has 512 moderate, 72 minor known drug interactions in our database — Clonidine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 512 Minor 72 No known interaction 2,246 (incl. Clonidine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Kudzu

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Kudzu and Clonidine May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Kudzu

    “Orally, a side effect of kudzu reported in one clinical trial has included urticaria; however, this effect did not occur more frequently than with placebo. There is one case report of allergic reaction following use of a combination herbal product (Kakkonto) containing kudzu involving a maculopapular eruption starting on the thighs and spreading over the entire body.”

    Kudzu · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in urticaria.

    3 sources cited
    1. 57924. Manonai, J., Chittacharoen, A., Theppisai, U., and Theppisai, H. Effect of Pueraria mirifica on vaginal health. Menopause. 2007;14(5):919-924. PubMed
    2. 13111. Akita H, Sowa J, Makiura M, et al. Maculopapular drug eruption due to the Japanese herbal medicine Kakkonto (kudzu or arrowroot decoction). Contact Dermatitis 2003;48:348-9. PubMed
    3. 57886. Akita, H., Sowa, J., Makiura, M., Akamatsu, H., and Matsunaga, K. Maculopapular drug eruption due to the Japanese herbal medicine Kakkonto (kudzu or arrowroot decoction). Contact Dermatitis 2003;48(6):348-349. PubMed

    Clonidine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Clonidine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    Kudzu

    “Orally, a side effect of kudzu reported in one clinical trial has included dizziness; however, this effect did not occur more frequently than with placebo.”

    Kudzu · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in vertigo.

    1 source cited
    1. 57924. Manonai, J., Chittacharoen, A., Theppisai, U., and Theppisai, H. Effect of Pueraria mirifica on vaginal health. Menopause. 2007;14(5):919-924. PubMed

    Clonidine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Clonidine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Nausea reported in 6.1% of FDA reports for Clonidine Additional detail

    Kudzu

    “Orally, some side effects of kudzu reported in clinical trials have included nausea, dyspepsia, and bloating; however, these effects did not occur more frequently than with placebo.”

    Kudzu · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dyspepsia.

    2 sources cited
    1. 57927. Chandeying, V. and Sangthawan, M. Efficacy comparison of Pueraria mirifica (PM) against conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) with/without medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in the treatment of climacteric symptoms in perimenopausal women: phase III study. J M
    2. 57942. Virojchaiwong, P., Suvithayasiri, V., and Itharat, A. Comparison of Pueraria mirifica 25 and 50 mg for menopausal symptoms. Arch.Gynecol.Obstet. 2011;284(2):411-419. PubMed

    Clonidine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Clonidine, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Kudzu but not commonly for Clonidine: stomach upset, hives and bloating or gas.

Effects for Clonidine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Kudzu come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 57,112 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Clonidine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Overlapping uses

What Clonidine Is Prescribed For, and What Kudzu Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Clonidine is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Kudzu is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Clonidine is prescribed for: Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Several products — including Clonidine Hydrochloride tablets, Javadin oral solution, Nexiclon XR extended-release tablets, and Catapres-TTS skin patches — are approved for this use, either alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines. Extended-release formulations — including Onyda XR oral suspension and clonidine hydrochloride extended-release tablets (such as Kapvay) — are approved to treat ADHD in children and teenagers ages 6 to 17, either on their own or alongside stimulant medications. Separately, clonidine injection products (Duraclon and others) are used alongside opioid pain medicines to treat severe cancer pain that opioids alone cannot control adequately.

Kudzu has been studied for:

  • Stroke studied, not established Kudzu has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Kudzu for stroke

    Although there is interest in using the injectable kudzu constituent puerarin for stroke, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of oral kudzu for this condition.

  • Hypertension studied, not established Kudzu has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Kudzu for hypertension

    It is unclear if oral kudzu is beneficial for hypertension.

  • Heart failure studied, not established Kudzu has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Kudzu for heart failure

    Although there is interest in using the kudzu constituent puerarin for heart failure, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of kudzu for this condition.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Clonidine on your own; if you are taking Kudzu for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Kudzu or Clonidine

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

This page covers Kudzu only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Clonidine page lists 138 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: 4 major · 113 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Clonidine page

“American hellebore is the ingredient I would want a clonidine (Catapres) patient to know about first. Its alkaloids lower blood pressure even in small doses and slow the heart, both things clonidine already does, so the combination can drop someone dangerously low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Clonidine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 536 real supplement products containing Kudzu, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Kudzu. Even though Kudzu itself has no known interaction with Clonidine, 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 Kudzu and Clonidine 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 Kudzu
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Clonidine
Top half

#1,006 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 Kudzu reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Kudzu and Clonidine records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Kudzu

What is Kudzu?

Kudzu
  • Alcohol cravings and reduction
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Hangover relief
  • Traditional Chinese medicine (Ge Gen)

Kudzu is a fast-growing vine whose root has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine and is now studied mostly for reducing alcohol intake. Early research is promising for cutting back on drinking, but evidence for most other uses is weak. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Pueraria montana var. lobata · Fabaceae · Root and flower · Capsules, tablets, extracts, powders, teas

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

Kudzu: dosing

There is no official or standardized dose of kudzu. The amount used in studies has varied depending on the form and the strength of the extract.If you choose to use kudzu, follow the directions on the product label and do not take more than recommended.

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

Read the full Kudzu monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Clonidine

What Is Clonidine Used For?

Brand name: Catapres

Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Several products — including Clonidine Hydrochloride tablets, Javadin oral solution, Nexiclon XR extended-release tablets, and Catapres-TTS skin patches — are approved for this use, either alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines.

Extended-release formulations — including Onyda XR oral suspension and clonidine hydrochloride extended-release tablets (such as Kapvay) — are approved to treat ADHD in children and teenagers ages 6 to 17, either on their own or alongside stimulant medications. Separately, clonidine injection products (Duraclon and others) are used alongside opioid pain medicines to treat severe cancer pain that opioids alone cannot control adequately.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Clonidine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (57,112 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 3,519 reports
Nausea 3,475 reports
Headache 3,432 reports
Hypertension 3,275 reports
Dyspnea 2,748 reports
See full Clonidine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Kudzu

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

0Major
512Moderate
72Minor
2,245No known interaction
512 Moderate 72 Minor 2,245 No interaction
Moderate

512 interactions

Showing 60 of 512 moderate interactions — see all 512 on the Kudzu page.

Minor

72 interactions

Showing 60 of 72 minor interactions — see all 72 on the Kudzu page.

No interaction 2,245 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,245 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Kudzu list.

See the full Kudzu interactions page
See every supplement checked against Clonidine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Kudzu References

The 21 references that drive our Kudzu 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. Woo J, Lau E, Ho SC, et al. Comparison of Pueraria lobata with hormone replacement therapy in treating the adverse health consequences of menopause. Menopause 2003;10:352-61. PubMed
  2. Akita H, Sowa J, Makiura M, et al. Maculopapular drug eruption due to the Japanese herbal medicine Kakkonto (kudzu or arrowroot decoction). Contact Dermatitis 2003;48:348-9. PubMed
  3. Luo ZR, Zheng B. [Effect of Puerarin on platelet activating factors CD63 and CD62P, plasminogen activator inhibitor and C-reactive protein in patients with unstable angia pectoris]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi 2001;21:31-3 .
  4. Lee KT, Sohn IC, Kim DH, et al. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of tectorigenin and kaikasaponin III in the streptozotocin-lnduced diabetic rat and their antioxidant activity in vitro. Arch Pharm Res 2000;23:461-6.
  5. Yu Z, Zhang G, Zhao H. [Effects of Puerariae isoflavone on blood viscosity, thrombosis and platelet function]. Zhong Yao Cai 1997;20:468-9.
  6. Hsu FL, Liu IM, Kuo DH, et al. Antihyperglycemic effect of puerarin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Nat Prod 2003;66:788-92. PubMed
  7. Chiang HM, Fang SH, Wen KC, et al. Life-threatening interaction between the root extract of Pueraria lobata and methotrexate in rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2005;209:263-8.
  8. Zheng, J., Chen, B., Jiang, B., Zeng, L., Tang, Z. R., Fan, L., and Zhou, H. H. The effects of puerarin on CYP2D6 and CYP1A2 activities in vivo. Arch Pharm Res 2010;33(2):243-246. PubMed
  9. Hsu, H. H., Chang, C. K., Su, H. C., Liu, I. M., and Cheng, J. T. Stimulatory effect of puerarin on alpha1A-adrenoceptor to increase glucose uptake into cultured C2C12 cells of mice. Planta Med 2002;68(11):999-1003.
  10. Zheng, G., Zhang, X., Zheng, J., Meng, Q., and Zheng, D. [Estrogen-like effects of puerarin and total isoflavones from Pueraria lobata]. Zhong.Yao Cai. 2002;25(8):566-568.
  11. Qi, B. L. and Qi, B. M. [Effect of the purariae-isofiavones on estrogen level in normal and ovariectomized rats]. Zhongguo Zhong.Yao Za Zhi. 2002;27(11):850-852.
  12. Akita, H., Sowa, J., Makiura, M., Akamatsu, H., and Matsunaga, K. Maculopapular drug eruption due to the Japanese herbal medicine Kakkonto (kudzu or arrowroot decoction). Contact Dermatitis 2003;48(6):348-349. PubMed
  13. Manonai, J., Chittacharoen, A., Theppisai, U., and Theppisai, H. Effect of Pueraria mirifica on vaginal health. Menopause. 2007;14(5):919-924. PubMed
  14. Chandeying, V. and Sangthawan, M. Efficacy comparison of Pueraria mirifica (PM) against conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) with/without medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in the treatment of climacteric symptoms in perimenopausal women: phase III study. J M
  15. Virojchaiwong, P., Suvithayasiri, V., and Itharat, A. Comparison of Pueraria mirifica 25 and 50 mg for menopausal symptoms. Arch.Gynecol.Obstet. 2011;284(2):411-419. PubMed

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 Kudzu and Clonidine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Kudzu with Clonidine?
We do not list a known interaction between Kudzu and Clonidine. 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.
Do Kudzu and Clonidine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 3 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Kudzu and Clonidine used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Kudzu in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Clonidine is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Kudzu and Clonidine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Clonidine is filed under 4 classifications, and Kudzu has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — none of Clonidine'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 Kudzu interact with any other medications?
Yes. Kudzu has 584 documented drug interactions in our database — Clonidine 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 Clonidine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Clonidine has documented interactions with 138 supplements in our database — Kudzu is not one of them. The Clonidine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Kudzu monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Clonidine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Clonidine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Clonidine, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 21 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Clonidine and Kudzu?

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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.