Drug & supplement interaction

Lotus + Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Oct 4, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Lotus and Phenylephrine 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

Lotus and Phenylephrine

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 Phenylephrine and Lotus 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.

Lotus safety at a glance

Lotus overall Use caution Common as a food, but supplement safety has not been well studied in humans.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data for medicinal amounts, so avoid concentrated supplements.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety has not been established, so avoid supplement use while breastfeeding.

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

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

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Phenylephrine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Phenylephrine is filed under 5 classifications — including alpha-adrenergic agonists, stimulant drugs, serotonergic drugs. Lotus has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and pentobarbital (nembutal) (moderate) — and none of Phenylephrine’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

Lotus Does Interact With Other Medications

Lotus has 212 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Phenylephrine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 212 No known interaction 2,618 (incl. Phenylephrine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Lotus

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

What to actually watch for

What Lotus Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Phenylephrine. It is the side-effect record for Lotus on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Lotus, this list is the first place to look. One entry is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Hives / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally and topically, lotus root can cause allergic reactions such as urticaria and contact dermatitis. In a case report, a 6-year-old female developed urticaria after ingesting lotus root. She had also developed contact dermatitis on body areas that had been in contact with the lotus root.”

    Lotus · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 99738. Hiraguchi Y, Tokuda R, Gen M, et al. Identification of a novel food allergen in lotus root. Allergol Int. 2018;67(1):141-143. PubMed
  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Recorded for Lotus in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Hives / An allergic reaction above.

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

Overlapping uses

What Phenylephrine Is Prescribed For, and What Lotus Has Been Studied For

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

Phenylephrine is prescribed for: Phenylephrine is used in several different products, and each one has its own use. Injection (IV): raises blood pressure in adults with clinically important hypotension (low blood pressure) caused mainly by widened blood vessels. Some injections are labeled for anesthesia only. Others are labeled for anesthesia and septic shock.

Read the rest of what Phenylephrine is prescribed for

Eye drops: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is used to dilate the pupil. Nasal products: temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion from the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies. Rectal suppositories: relieve itching, burning and discomfort from hemorrhoids and temporarily shrink hemorrhoidal tissue.

Lotus has been studied for:

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

    Lotus for hemorrhoids

    Although there has been interest in using topical lotus seeds for hemorrhoids, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of lotus for this purpose.

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 Phenylephrine on your own; if you are taking Lotus for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Lotus or Phenylephrine

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

This page covers Lotus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenylephrine page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Lithium (major), Peyote (major) and Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major).

By severity: 6 major · 60 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenylephrine page

“If you take phenylephrine (Sudafed PE, Biorphen) for congestion, treat this list as one that needs real attention, since six of its 81 entries carry a major rating. Phenylephrine tightens blood vessels to clear your nose, and more than half of the interactions here come from stimulant ingredients, ephedra above all, that can push blood…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenylephrine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 256 real supplement products containing Lotus, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Lotus. Even though Lotus itself has no known interaction with Phenylephrine, 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 Lotus and Phenylephrine 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 Lotus
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylephrine
Top 25%

#668 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 Lotus reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Lotus and Phenylephrine 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 Lotus

What is Lotus?

Lotus
  • Digestive upset and diarrhea
  • Anxiety and relaxation
  • Sleep support
  • Blood sugar and cholesterol support
  • Skin and general wellness

Lotus is an edible aquatic plant used in food and traditional medicine across Asia, with parts like the seeds, leaves, and flowers taken for digestion, calm, and overall wellness. Most health claims come from laboratory and animal research rather than strong human studies, so its benefits as a supplement are not well proven. Eating lotus as food is generally safe, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking other medicines.

Nelumbo nucifera · Nelumbonaceae · Seeds, leaves, flowers, rhizome (root), and stamens · Tea, capsules, powders, dried seeds, extracts, and culinary foods

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

Lotus: dosing

There is no standardized or officially established dose for lotus supplements. The right amount depends on the part of the plant used, the form, and how concentrated the product is.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed them. Because human research is limited, no proven "effective dose" exists.

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

Read the full Lotus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenylephrine

What Is Phenylephrine Used For?

Brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen

Phenylephrine is used in several different products, and each one has its own use.

Injection (IV): raises blood pressure in adults with clinically important hypotension (low blood pressure) caused mainly by widened blood vessels. Some injections are labeled for anesthesia only. Others are labeled for anesthesia and septic shock.

Eye drops: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is used to dilate the pupil.

Nasal products: temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion from the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Rectal suppositories: relieve itching, burning and discomfort from hemorrhoids and temporarily shrink hemorrhoidal tissue.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Phenylephrine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (221,388 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 20,609 reports
Headache 17,301 reports
Nausea 16,925 reports
Diarrhea 14,221 reports
Dyspnea 13,719 reports
See full Phenylephrine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lotus

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

0Major
212Moderate
0Minor
2,617No known interaction
212 Moderate 2,617 No interaction
Moderate

212 interactions

Showing 60 of 212 moderate interactions — see all 212 on the Lotus page.

No interaction 2,617 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,617 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Lotus list.

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

Lotus References

The 5 references that drive our Lotus 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. Yu, J. and Hu, W. S. [Effects of neferine on platelet aggregation in rabbits]. Yao Xue.Xue.Bao. 1997;32(1):1-4.
  2. Yang, J. and Zhou, K. NMR spectroscopic analysis of neferine and isoliensinine. Magn Reson.Chem 2004;42(11):994-997. PubMed
  3. Mukherjee, P. K., Saha, K., Balasubramanian, R., Pal, M., and Saha, B. P. Studies on psychopharmacological effects of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. rhizome extract. J Ethnopharmacol. 1996;54(2-3):63-67. PubMed
  4. Mukherjee, P. K., Saha, K., Pal, M., and Saha, B. P. Effect of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome extract on blood sugar level in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 1997;58(3):207-213. PubMed
  5. Hiraguchi Y, Tokuda R, Gen M, et al. Identification of a novel food allergen in lotus root. Allergol Int. 2018;67(1):141-143. 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 Lotus and Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Lotus with Phenylephrine?
We do not list a known interaction between Lotus and Phenylephrine. 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.
Are Lotus and Phenylephrine 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 Lotus in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Phenylephrine is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Lotus and Phenylephrine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Phenylephrine is filed under 5 classifications, and Lotus has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Phenylephrine'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 Lotus interact with any other medications?
Yes. Lotus has 212 documented drug interactions in our database — Phenylephrine 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 Phenylephrine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Phenylephrine has documented interactions with 81 supplements in our database — Lotus is not one of them. The Phenylephrine 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

Lotus monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Phenylephrine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Phenylephrine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, 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 5 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Phenylephrine and Lotus?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.