Drug & supplement interaction

Malic Acid + Ethacrynic Acid

Ethacrynic Acid brand name: Edecrin.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Malic Acid has a moderate interaction with Ethacrynic Acid. Theoretically, malic acid might increase the risk of hypotension when taken with antihypertensive drugs.

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

Malic Acid and Ethacrynic Acid

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Ethacrynic Acid

Ethacrynic Acid falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Malic Acid interacts with.

Theoretically, malic acid might increase the risk of hypotension when taken with antihypertensive drugs.
Animal research shows that malic acid isolated from tagetes roots can reduce mean arterial blood pressure.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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: ethacrynic acid (Edecrin) is a strong water pill that pulls extra fluid and salt out through your urine, which already nudges your blood pressure down. The concern on file is that malic acid might lower blood pressure a little too, so stacking the two could, in theory, drop it more than expected.

I want to be honest about how thin this evidence is. It comes from animal research, not people, so it's really just a theoretical caution. Still, if you take concentrated malic acid supplements alongside Edecrin, watch for dizziness, lightheadedness when you stand up, or feeling unusually drained. Food amounts (like apples) shouldn't matter. Before adding any malic acid supplement, run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Saleem R, Ahmad M, Naz A, et al. Hypotensive and toxicological study of citric acid and other constituents from Tagetes patula roots. Arch Pharm Res 2004;27(10):1037-42.

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

Malic Acid Also Interacts With Other Medications

Malic Acid has 171 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ethacrynic Acid one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Malic Acid

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Malic Acid or Ethacrynic Acid

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

This page covers Malic Acid only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ethacrynic Acid page lists 201 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 · 170 moderate · 24 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ethacrynic Acid page

“Ethacrynic acid (Edecrin) is a potent loop diuretic, a water pill used to pull off serious fluid buildup, and its supplement list deserves genuine care, starting with the seven entries rated major. Most of the 201 interactions on file either stack with its blood-pressure-lowering effect, risking dizziness or faintness, or work against…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ethacrynic Acid interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 678 real supplement products containing Malic Acid, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Malic Acid. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ethacrynic Acid too, on top of Malic Acid — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Malic Acid and Ethacrynic Acid 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 Malic Acid
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ethacrynic Acid
Top half

#1,021 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 Malic Acid

What is Malic Acid?

Malic Acid
  • Fibromyalgia symptoms
  • Muscle pain and fatigue
  • Dry mouth (used in some lozenges)
  • Skin exfoliation (topical)
  • Flavoring and food additive

Malic acid is a natural acid found in apples and other fruits, often combined with magnesium in supplements marketed for fibromyalgia and muscle pain. The evidence for its health benefits is weak and limited, and it is mostly used as a food flavoring. It is generally well tolerated in food amounts, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using supplement doses.

Read the full Malic Acid monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ethacrynic Acid

What Is Ethacrynic Acid Used For?

Brand name: Edecrin

Ethacrynic acid tablets (sold as Edecrin and Ethacrynic Acid) are used to treat edema — excess fluid that builds up in the body — when other, milder diuretics aren't strong enough. It treats edema related to congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney disease, including nephrotic syndrome (a kidney condition that causes protein loss and swelling).

It is also used for short-term management of fluid buildup from malignancy (cancer-related ascites), idiopathic edema (swelling with no clear cause), and lymphedema (swelling from a blocked lymph system). In hospitalized children (not infants), it may be used short-term for edema related to congenital heart disease or nephrotic syndrome.

See full Ethacrynic Acid drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Malic Acid

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

0Major
171Moderate
0Minor
2,658No known interaction
Moderate

171 interactions

Showing 60 of 171 moderate interactions — see all 171 on the Malic Acid page.

No interaction 2,658 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Malic Acid and Ethacrynic Acid Together: Common Questions

Can you take Malic Acid with Ethacrynic Acid?
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 Malic Acid and Ethacrynic Acid 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 Ethacrynic Acid and Malic Acid?

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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.