Drug & supplement interaction

Marsh Labrador Tea + Ethosuximide

Ethosuximide brand name: Zarontin.

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

Marsh Labrador Tea has a moderate interaction with Ethosuximide. Marsh Labrador tea can potentiate effects of barbiturates and alcohol.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Marsh Labrador Tea and Ethosuximide

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Ethosuximide

Ethosuximide falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Marsh Labrador Tea interacts with.

Marsh Labrador tea can potentiate effects of barbiturates and alcohol.
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 gist: Marsh Labrador tea is thought to add to the sedating side of central nervous system drugs, and ethosuximide (Zarontin) falls into that group. Ethosuximide isn't a prodrug, so we're not worried about it being switched on or off. The concern is simpler. Both can make you drowsy, so combining them might leave you sleepier, dizzier, or more foggy-headed than usual, which are already common ethosuximide complaints.

One honest note: this interaction is theoretical, based on the plant's chemistry rather than solid human studies. On top of that, this tea contains grayanotoxins that can be outright toxic, so it really isn't a safe everyday remedy. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing them, and don't change your seizure medicine on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.

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

Marsh Labrador Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Marsh Labrador Tea has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ethosuximide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 247 No known interaction 2,583 (incl. Ethosuximide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Marsh Labrador Tea

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ethosuximide

This page covers Marsh Labrador Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ethosuximide page lists 226 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 9 major · 179 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ethosuximide page

“Ethosuximide (Zarontin) prevents absence seizures, and a steady blood level is what keeps them away, so I treat this list of 226 interacting supplements and herbs with real care, especially the nine rated major. More than half of the entries can change how the liver clears the drug; grapefruit can raise its level while St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ethosuximide interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Marsh Labrador Tea and Ethosuximide 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 Marsh Labrador Tea
Steady interest

#1,327 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ethosuximide
Steady interest

#2,341 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 Marsh Labrador Tea

What is Marsh Labrador Tea?

Marsh Labrador Tea
  • Colds and respiratory complaints
  • Cough and congestion
  • Mild aches and joint discomfort
  • Topical relief of skin irritation, swelling, and insect bites
  • Traditional use as a diuretic

Marsh Labrador tea is a bog-growing shrub used in folk medicine for coughs, colds, and skin problems, but high-quality human evidence for any use is lacking. Because it contains grayanotoxins (andromedotoxin) that can be poisonous, it is not considered safe for routine use, and pregnant or breastfeeding people should avoid it.

Read the full Marsh Labrador Tea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ethosuximide

What Is Ethosuximide Used For?

Brand name: Zarontin

Ethosuximide — sold as Zarontin and also available as generic Ethosuximide — is used to control absence (petit mal) epilepsy. Absence seizures are brief episodes where a person loses awareness for a few seconds, often mistaken for daydreaming.

Both Zarontin and Ethosuximide products (capsule and oral solution forms) are approved for this use. Either may also be used alongside other seizure medicines when a patient has absence seizures together with other types of epilepsy.

See full Ethosuximide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Marsh Labrador Tea

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

0Major
247Moderate
0Minor
2,582No known interaction
247 Moderate 2,582 No interaction
Moderate

247 interactions

Showing 60 of 247 moderate interactions — see all 247 on the Marsh Labrador Tea page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,582 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Marsh Labrador Tea list.

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

Can you take Marsh Labrador Tea with Ethosuximide?
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 Marsh Labrador Tea and Ethosuximide 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 Ethosuximide and Marsh Labrador Tea?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.