Drug & supplement interaction

Motherwort + Docetaxel

Docetaxel brand name: Taxotere.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Motherwort and Docetaxel 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Motherwort and Docetaxel

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 Docetaxel and Motherwort 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.

Motherwort safety at a glance

Motherwort overall Use caution May be tolerated short-term by healthy adults, but human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally or by injection. Alkaloids present in motherwort have uterine stimulant effects. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety information is available, so it is best avoided.

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 Docetaxel and Motherwort? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Docetaxel

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Docetaxel is filed under 2 classifications — including cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates. Motherwort has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being cns depressants (moderate) — and none of Docetaxel’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

Motherwort Does Interact With Other Medications

Motherwort has 248 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Docetaxel isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 248 No known interaction 2,582 (incl. Docetaxel)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Motherwort

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Motherwort and Docetaxel May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Motherwort

    “Motherwort can also cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals (4). Intramuscularly and via intrauterine injection, transient fever and chills lasting less than 24 hours have been reported.”

    Motherwort · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in fever.

    2 sources cited
    1. 4. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
    2. 104855. Cao Shan DOSOGC, Zhang W, Zhao Z, et al. Post-marketing safety surveillance and reevaluation of Motherwort injection: A clinical study of 10 094 cases. J Tradit Chin Med. 2018 Aug;38(4):625-635. DOI

    Docetaxel

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Docetaxel. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Fever Additional detail

    Motherwort

    “Orally or via intramuscular or intrauterine injection, motherwort appears to be generally well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Diarrhea, stomach irritation.

    Topically: Contact dermatitis, photosensitivity.

    Intramuscular / Intrauterine: Abdominal pain, erythema, eyelid edema, fever, nausea, pruritus, rash.”

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

    Docetaxel

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Docetaxel. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Motherwort

    “Intramuscularly and via intrauterine injection, transient eyelid edema lasting less than 24 hours has been reported.”

    Motherwort · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pregnancy-related edema.

    1 source cited
    1. 104855. Cao Shan DOSOGC, Zhang W, Zhao Z, et al. Post-marketing safety surveillance and reevaluation of Motherwort injection: A clinical study of 10 094 cases. J Tradit Chin Med. 2018 Aug;38(4):625-635. DOI

    Docetaxel

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Docetaxel. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Nausea Additional detail

    Motherwort

    “Orally, use of motherwort in amounts greater than 3 grams can cause diarrhea and stomach irritation (12). Intramuscularly and via intrauterine injection, abdominal pain and nausea have been reported.”

    Motherwort · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    2 sources cited
    1. 12. 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. 104855. Cao Shan DOSOGC, Zhang W, Zhao Z, et al. Post-marketing safety surveillance and reevaluation of Motherwort injection: A clinical study of 10 094 cases. J Tradit Chin Med. 2018 Aug;38(4):625-635. DOI

    Docetaxel

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Docetaxel. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Motherwort but not commonly for Docetaxel: stomach upset, sun sensitivity, a skin rash and itching.

Effects for Docetaxel come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Motherwort come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Motherwort in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally or by injection. Alkaloids present in motherwort have uterine stimulant effects.

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

Overlapping uses

What Docetaxel Is Prescribed For, and What Motherwort Has Been Studied For

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

Docetaxel is prescribed for: Docetaxel Injection is used to treat a number of serious cancers. Beizray (docetaxel injection) is approved as a single agent for locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after prior chemotherapy has stopped working, and in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as adjuvant (after-surgery) treatment for operable node-positive breast cancer. It is also used as a single agent for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after platinum-based chemotherapy has failed, and with cisplatin for chemotherapy-naive advanced NSCLC. Beizray is used with prednisone for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Read the rest of what Docetaxel is prescribed for

It is also used with cisplatin and fluorouracil for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (including gastroesophageal junction cancer) in patients who have not received prior chemotherapy for advanced disease, and for induction treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

Motherwort has been studied for:

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

    Motherwort for cancer

    Although there has been interest in using oral motherwort for cancer, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of motherwort 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 Docetaxel on your own; if you are taking Motherwort for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Motherwort or Docetaxel

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

This page covers Motherwort only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Docetaxel page lists 121 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Adrafinil (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 87 moderate · 32 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Docetaxel page

“Grapefruit is the first thing I would take off the menu during docetaxel (Taxotere) chemotherapy. It blocks CYP3A4, the liver enzyme that clears docetaxel, and higher levels of a chemotherapy drug mean harsher side effects, not better results.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Docetaxel interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 400 real supplement products containing Motherwort, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Motherwort. Even though Motherwort itself has no known interaction with Docetaxel, 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 Motherwort and Docetaxel 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 Motherwort
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Docetaxel
Top half

#763 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 Motherwort reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Motherwort and Docetaxel 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 Motherwort

What is Motherwort?

Motherwort
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Heart palpitations
  • Menstrual discomfort
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Insomnia

Motherwort is a traditional herb in the mint family long used for anxiety, heart palpitations, and women's reproductive complaints, but solid human evidence is very limited. It should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and anyone with a heart condition or taking heart or blood-thinning medicines should talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using it.

Leonurus cardiaca · Lamiaceae · Aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowering tops) · Tea, tincture, liquid extract, capsules, dried herb

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

Motherwort: dosing

There is no well-established standard dose for motherwort. Traditional preparations include teas made from the dried herb and liquid tinctures or extracts, and products vary widely in strength.Because doses are not standardized and product quality differs, the safest approach is to follow the directions on the specific product label and not exceed the suggested amount.

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

Read the full Motherwort monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Docetaxel Injection

What Is Docetaxel Injection Used For?

Brand name: Taxotere

Docetaxel Injection is used to treat a number of serious cancers. Beizray (docetaxel injection) is approved as a single agent for locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after prior chemotherapy has stopped working, and in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as adjuvant (after-surgery) treatment for operable node-positive breast cancer. It is also used as a single agent for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after platinum-based chemotherapy has failed, and with cisplatin for chemotherapy-naive advanced NSCLC.

Beizray is used with prednisone for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. It is also used with cisplatin and fluorouracil for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (including gastroesophageal junction cancer) in patients who have not received prior chemotherapy for advanced disease, and for induction treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

Most-Reported Side Effects for Docetaxel

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Alopecia 16,970 reports
Madarosis 6,717 reports
Hair texture abnormal 5,993 reports
Hair colour changes 5,874 reports
Hair disorder 5,625 reports
See full Docetaxel Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Motherwort

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

0Major
248Moderate
0Minor
2,581No known interaction
248 Moderate 2,581 No interaction
Moderate

248 interactions

Showing 60 of 248 moderate interactions — see all 248 on the Motherwort page.

No interaction 2,581 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,581 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Motherwort list.

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

Motherwort References

The 6 references that drive our Motherwort 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. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  3. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  4. Wojtyniak K, Szymanski M, Matlawska I. Leonurus cardiaca L. (motherwort): a review of its phytochemistry and pharmacology. Phytother Res 2013;27(8):1115-20.
  5. Xia WT, Zhou H, Wang Y, et al. Motherwort injection in preventing post-abortion hemorrhage after induced abortion: A multi-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial. Explore (NY). 2019. pii: S1550-8307(19)30447-1. PubMed
  6. Cao Shan DOSOGC, Zhang W, Zhao Z, et al. Post-marketing safety surveillance and reevaluation of Motherwort injection: A clinical study of 10 094 cases. J Tradit Chin Med. 2018 Aug;38(4):625-635. DOI

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 Motherwort and Docetaxel Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Motherwort with Docetaxel?
We do not list a known interaction between Motherwort and Docetaxel. 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.
Do Motherwort and Docetaxel have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 6 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Motherwort and Docetaxel 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 Motherwort in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Docetaxel is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Motherwort and Docetaxel combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Docetaxel is filed under 2 classifications, and Motherwort has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Docetaxel'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 Motherwort interact with any other medications?
Yes. Motherwort has 248 documented drug interactions in our database — Docetaxel 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 Docetaxel interact with any supplements?
Yes. Docetaxel has documented interactions with 121 supplements in our database — Motherwort is not one of them. The Docetaxel 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

Motherwort monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Docetaxel Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Docetaxel supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Docetaxel, 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 6 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Docetaxel and Motherwort?

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.