Drug & supplement interaction

Masterwort + Tretinoin

Tretinoin brand names: Vesanoid, Retin-A, Renova, Altreno.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2025
The bottom line Moderate

Masterwort has a moderate interaction with Tretinoin. The use of masterwort in conjunction with photosensitizing drugs is contraindicated due to the potential for additive photosensitizing effects.

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

Masterwort and Tretinoin

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

Moderate

PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS

Why this applies to Tretinoin

Tretinoin falls under PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS — the group Masterwort interacts with.

The use of masterwort in conjunction with photosensitizing drugs is contraindicated due to the potential for additive photosensitizing effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: both masterwort and tretinoin can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Masterwort contains furanocoumarins (the same family of compounds that makes grapefruit and wild parsnip touchy in the sun), and tretinoin (whether you're using the topical creams like Retin-A and Renova or taking it for leukemia) already tends to leave skin more prone to burning. Stack the two and you may sunburn faster than expected, with redness, stinging, or irritation even after short time outdoors.

This concern is based on how these compounds behave, not on strong human studies, so it's more of a theoretical caution than a proven reaction. Still, it's an easy one to take seriously. Use sunscreen, cover up, and check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 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

Masterwort Also Interacts With Other Medications

Masterwort has 334 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Tretinoin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 334 No known interaction 2,496 (incl. Tretinoin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Masterwort

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tretinoin

This page covers Masterwort only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tretinoin page lists 52 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Vitamin A (major), African Wild Potato (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 37 moderate · 13 minor.

Open the Tretinoin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Masterwort and Tretinoin 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 Masterwort
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tretinoin
Steady interest

#2,323 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 Masterwort

What is Masterwort?

Masterwort
  • Digestive upset
  • Mild anxiety and tension
  • Skin complaints
  • Respiratory and cough relief
  • Traditional tonic

Masterwort (Heracleum sphondylium), a plant in the carrot family, has a long folk-medicine history for digestion, nerves, and skin. Modern scientific evidence to support these uses is very limited, and the plant can cause skin reactions to sunlight, so use it cautiously and talk with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Masterwort monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tretinoin

What Is Tretinoin Used For?

Brand names: Vesanoid, Retin-A, Renova, Altreno

Tretinoin cream 0.02% is approved to help lessen the look of fine facial wrinkles in people who also follow a comprehensive skin care and sun-avoidance program — including daily sunscreen, protective clothing, and moisturizers.

It's important to know what tretinoin does not do: it will not erase wrinkles, reverse sun damage, repair deeply weathered skin, or restore younger-looking skin. It has also not been shown to help with coarse or deep wrinkles, rough skin texture, dark spots, or sagging skin.

See full Tretinoin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Masterwort

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

0Major
334Moderate
0Minor
2,495No known interaction
334 Moderate 2,495 No interaction
Moderate

334 interactions

Showing 60 of 334 moderate interactions — see all 334 on the Masterwort page.

No interaction 2,495 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,495 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Masterwort list.

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

Can you take Masterwort with Tretinoin?
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 Masterwort and Tretinoin 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 Tretinoin and Masterwort?

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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.