Drug & supplement interaction

Maidenhair Fern + Sodium Oxybate

Sodium Oxybate brand name: Xyrem.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Maidenhair Fern and Sodium Oxybate 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 label for Sodium Oxybate states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Maidenhair Fern and Sodium Oxybate

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 Sodium Oxybate and Maidenhair Fern 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Maidenhair Fern at all — not against Sodium Oxybate, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Maidenhair Fern safety at a glance

Maidenhair Fern overall Use caution Used traditionally in foods and teas, but modern safety data in humans are limited.
Pregnancy Unsafe When used orally. Maidenhair fern is contraindicated in pregnancy. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Sodium Oxybate and Maidenhair Fern? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Sodium Oxybate’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Maidenhair Fern. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Sodium Oxybate’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low mood Worth acting on
  • Weight loss
  • Tremor or shakiness
  • Dry mouth
  • Drowsiness
  • Reduced appetite
  • Stomach pain
  • Dizziness
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting

Showing the 10 most notable of 12 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sodium Oxybate. Read the label on DailyMed › Maidenhair Fern’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Maidenhair Fern side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Maidenhair Fern has no side effects.

Special populations

Maidenhair Fern in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Unsafe

When used orally. Maidenhair fern is contraindicated in pregnancy.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Sodium Oxybate Products Have a Food Rule — Maidenhair Fern Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium Oxybate says to take it with food. If you take Maidenhair Fern on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Sodium Oxybate with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Sodium Oxybate products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

• Allow 2 hours after eating before dosing ( 2.3 ).

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Sodium Oxybate — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

From our Q&A

Questions About Maidenhair Fern or Sodium Oxybate

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

This page covers Maidenhair Fern only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sodium Oxybate page lists 25 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Biofeedback (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), Dendrobium (moderate) and European Mandrake (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 15 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sodium Oxybate page

“Activated charcoal is the single major-rated interaction with sodium oxybate (Xyrem), and it earns that rating because the drug only works if each dose is fully absorbed; charcoal can bind it in the gut and weaken the nighttime control it provides for narcolepsy. Treat this list with genuine care, since 17 of the 25 ingredients on file…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sodium Oxybate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 18 real supplement products containing Maidenhair Fern, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Maidenhair Fern. Even though Maidenhair Fern itself has no known interaction with Sodium Oxybate, 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 Maidenhair Fern and Sodium Oxybate 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 Maidenhair Fern
Steady interest

#1,249 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Sodium Oxybate
Steady interest

#2,374 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 Maidenhair Fern reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Maidenhair Fern and Sodium Oxybate 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 Maidenhair Fern

What is Maidenhair Fern?

  • Cough and respiratory complaints
  • Hair and scalp health
  • Cold and flu symptoms
  • Mild urinary complaints
  • Menstrual complaints

Maidenhair fern is a traditional herb used mainly in teas and syrups for coughs and respiratory complaints, but high-quality human studies are lacking. Because its safety has not been well studied, it is best to use it cautiously and to avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Adiantum capillus-veneris · Pteridaceae · Fronds (leaves) and the whole above-ground plant · Tea (infusion), syrup, dried herb, liquid extract, and as an ingredient in traditional cough preparations

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

Maidenhair Fern: dosing

There is no standardized or well-established dose for maidenhair fern. Traditional use is mostly as a tea made from the dried fronds or as a syrup, but exact safe and effective amounts have not been confirmed by research.If you choose to use it, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the suggested amount. A pharmacist can help you decide whether it is appropriate for you and review it alongside your other medicines and supplements.

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

Read the full Maidenhair Fern monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sodium Oxybate

What Is Sodium Oxybate Used For?

Brand name: Xyrem

Sodium oxybate treats two major symptoms of narcolepsy: cataplexy (sudden muscle weakness triggered by emotion) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). It is available in several products, each approved for these uses.

Xyrem (oral solution) and the generic sodium oxybate oral solution are approved for cataplexy or EDS in patients with narcolepsy. Lumryz (extended-release oral suspension) is specifically approved for cataplexy or EDS in patients 7 years of age and older with narcolepsy. The generic sodium oxybate oral solution label does not include the pediatric indication due to marketing exclusivity held by Xyrem.

See full Sodium Oxybate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Maidenhair Fern

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Maidenhair Fern References

The 2 references that drive our Maidenhair Fern 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. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.

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 Maidenhair Fern and Sodium Oxybate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Maidenhair Fern with Sodium Oxybate?
We do not list a known interaction between Maidenhair Fern and Sodium Oxybate. 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.
Should I take Maidenhair Fern and Sodium Oxybate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium Oxybate says to take it with food. If you take Maidenhair Fern on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Sodium Oxybate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Sodium Oxybate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Sodium Oxybate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Sodium Oxybate has documented interactions with 25 supplements in our database — Maidenhair Fern is not one of them. The Sodium Oxybate 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 Sodium Oxybate and Maidenhair Fern?

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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.