Drug & supplement interaction

Nutmeg + Interferon Alfa-2b

Interferon Alfa-2b brand names: Rebetron, Intron A, Viraferon.

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 Nutmeg and Interferon Alfa-2b 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.

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Interaction report

Nutmeg and Interferon Alfa-2b

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 Interferon Alfa-2b and Nutmeg 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.

Nutmeg safety at a glance

Nutmeg overall Use caution Safe as a food spice, but larger doses can be toxic and cause serious poisoning.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately in amounts commonly found in foods. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of nutmeg when used... Read the full breastfeeding detail

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 Interferon Alfa-2b and Nutmeg? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Interferon Alfa-2b

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Interferon Alfa-2b is filed under 2 classifications — photosensitizing drugs, hepatotoxic drugs. Nutmeg has documented interactions with 5 drug classes — the most serious being anticholinergic drugs (moderate), cholinergic drugs (moderate) and cns depressants (moderate) — and none of Interferon Alfa-2b’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

Nutmeg Does Interact With Other Medications

Nutmeg has 528 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Interferon Alfa-2b isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 528 No known interaction 2,302 (incl. Interferon Alfa-2b)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Nutmeg

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

What to actually watch for

What Nutmeg Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Interferon Alfa-2b. It is the side-effect record for Nutmeg on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Nutmeg, this list is the first place to look. 4 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Thoughts of self-harm / Low mood Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, visual, auditory, and tactile hallucinations, depression, suicidal ideation, insomnia, restlessness, and bizarre behavior have been reported following nutmeg intoxication in various reports (12,2563,19300,19492,103372,103373). Other adverse effects associated with high intake of nutmeg have included disorientation, stupor, euphoria, anxiety, and agitation.”

    Nutmeg · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    6 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. 2563. Sangalli BC, Chiang W. Toxicology of nutmeg abuse. Clin Toxicol 2000;38:671-8. PubMed
    3. 19300. Stein U, Greyer H, Hentschel H. Nutmeg (myristicin) poisoning-report on a fatal case and a series of cases recorded by a poison information centre. Forensic Sci Int 2001;118:87-90. PubMed
    4. 19492. Abernethy MK, Becker LB. Acute nutmeg intoxication. Am J Emerg Med 1992;10:429-30. PubMed
    5. 103372. Beckerman B, Persaud H. Nutmeg overdose: Spice not so nice. Complement Ther Med. 2019;46:44-46. PubMed
    6. 103373. Reynoard J, Torrents R, Domange B, Glaizal M, de Haro L, Simon N. Nutmeg poisoning: Ten years (2008-2018) of experience from the Marseille Poison Control Center. Presse Med. 2019;48(9):994-996. PubMed
  • Low sodium Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, hyponatremia and leukocytosis with neutrophilia associated with nutmeg overdose have been rarely reported.”

    Nutmeg · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hyponatremia.

    1 source cited
    1. 103372. Beckerman B, Persaud H. Nutmeg overdose: Spice not so nice. Complement Ther Med. 2019;46:44-46. PubMed
  • Hallucinations / Confusion Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, headache, dizziness, and drowsiness were reported in a 13-year-old female consuming nutmeg capsules while smoking cannabis. Adverse effects associated with high intake of nutmeg have included confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, hallucinations, headache, incoherent speech, hot and cold sensations, sensations of limb loss, convulsions, and coma.”

    Nutmeg · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    6 sources cited
    1. 2563. Sangalli BC, Chiang W. Toxicology of nutmeg abuse. Clin Toxicol 2000;38:671-8. PubMed
    2. 19294. Panayotopoulos DJ, Chisholm DD. Hallucinogenic effect of nutmeg. Br Med J 1970;1:754. PubMed
    3. 19299. Forrester MB. Nutmeg intoxication in Texas, 1998-2004. Hum Exp Toxicol 2005;24:563-6. PubMed
    4. 19300. Stein U, Greyer H, Hentschel H. Nutmeg (myristicin) poisoning-report on a fatal case and a series of cases recorded by a poison information centre. Forensic Sci Int 2001;118:87-90. PubMed
    5. 19487. Venables GS, Evered D, Hall R. Letter: Nutmeg poisoning. Br Med J 1976;1:96. PubMed
    6. 19489. Carstairs SD, Cantrell FL. The spice of life: an analysis of nutmeg exposures in California. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2011;49:177-80. PubMed
  • Seizures Worth acting on Additional detail

    Recorded for Nutmeg in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Hallucinations / Confusion above.

  • Increased thirst Additional detail

    “Orally, nausea was reported in a 13-year-old female consuming nutmeg capsules while smoking cannabis. Vomiting was reported in a case of a 19-year-old female using high doses of nutmeg with a history of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and cannabis use. Burning epigastric pain, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, nausea, and increased thirst have been reported in other cases of intentional or unintentional nutmeg overdose.”

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

    6 sources cited
    1. 2563. Sangalli BC, Chiang W. Toxicology of nutmeg abuse. Clin Toxicol 2000;38:671-8. PubMed
    2. 19294. Panayotopoulos DJ, Chisholm DD. Hallucinogenic effect of nutmeg. Br Med J 1970;1:754. PubMed
    3. 19293. McKenna A, Nordt SP, Ryan J. Acute nutmeg poisoning. Eur J Emerg Med 2004;11:240-1. PubMed
    4. 19299. Forrester MB. Nutmeg intoxication in Texas, 1998-2004. Hum Exp Toxicol 2005;24:563-6. PubMed
    5. 19300. Stein U, Greyer H, Hentschel H. Nutmeg (myristicin) poisoning-report on a fatal case and a series of cases recorded by a poison information centre. Forensic Sci Int 2001;118:87-90. PubMed
    6. 19489. Carstairs SD, Cantrell FL. The spice of life: an analysis of nutmeg exposures in California. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2011;49:177-80. PubMed
  • Sweating Additional detail

    Recorded for Nutmeg in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Hallucinations / Confusion above.

  • A fast or pounding heartbeat / Low blood pressure Additional detail

    “Orally, in cases of nutmeg overdose, tachycardia, palpitations, weak pulse, hypotension, and nonspecific electrocardiographic changes have been reported.”

    Nutmeg · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypotension.

    6 sources cited
    1. 3494. Dinakar HS. Acute psychosis associated with nutmeg toxicity. Med Times 1977;105:63-4.
    2. 19293. McKenna A, Nordt SP, Ryan J. Acute nutmeg poisoning. Eur J Emerg Med 2004;11:240-1. PubMed
    3. 19295. Demetriades AK, Wallman PD, McGuiness A, Gavalas MC. Low cost, high risk: accidental nutmeg intoxication. Emerg Med J 2005;22:223-5. PubMed
    4. 19299. Forrester MB. Nutmeg intoxication in Texas, 1998-2004. Hum Exp Toxicol 2005;24:563-6. PubMed
    5. 19300. Stein U, Greyer H, Hentschel H. Nutmeg (myristicin) poisoning-report on a fatal case and a series of cases recorded by a poison information centre. Forensic Sci Int 2001;118:87-90. PubMed
    6. 19488. Shah AM, Calello DP, Quintero-Solivan J, Osterhoudt KC. The not-so-nice spice: a teenage girl with palpitations and dry mouth. Pediatr Emerg Care 2011;27:1205-7. PubMed

Showing the 10 most notable of 20 recorded effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Nutmeg — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We haven’t matched Interferon Alfa-2b to its FDA label in our system yet, so we can’t compare its own side-effect list here — the leaflet that comes with your prescription is the authoritative list for Interferon Alfa-2b.

Special populations

Nutmeg in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Safe

When used orally and appropriately in amounts commonly found in foods.

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally in medicinal amounts. Nutmeg might have abortifacient activity, and its safrole content might be mutagenic.

Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally and appropriately in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of nutmeg when used in larger, medicinal amounts during lactation; avoid using.

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Interferon Alfa-2b

This page covers Nutmeg only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Interferon Alfa-2b page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Interferon Alfa-2b page

“People taking interferon alfa-2b (Intron A, Rebetron) are usually treating hepatitis or a cancer, so the liver may already be under strain, and that is exactly where most of this list points. Of the 57 supplements on file, 38 can add to liver stress, and all three major-rated interactions sit in that group: Siberian cocklebur, which ha…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Interferon Alfa-2b interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 182 real supplement products containing Nutmeg, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Nutmeg. Even though Nutmeg itself has no known interaction with Interferon Alfa-2b, 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 Nutmeg and Interferon Alfa-2b 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 Nutmeg
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Interferon Alfa-2b
Steady interest

#2,087 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 Nutmeg reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Nutmeg and Interferon Alfa-2b 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 Nutmeg

What is Nutmeg?

Nutmeg
  • Digestive upset
  • Diarrhea
  • Sleep and relaxation
  • Pain and inflammation
  • Flavoring spice

Nutmeg is a popular cooking spice that has long been used in traditional medicine for digestion and other complaints, but there is little solid human research to support its medicinal use. In normal cooking amounts it is generally safe, but larger "medicinal" doses can cause serious poisoning, so it should never be taken in high amounts.

Myristica fragrans · Myristicaceae · Seed (nutmeg), seed covering (mace), and essential oil · Whole or ground spice, powder, capsules, essential oil

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

Nutmeg: dosing

There is no well-established medicinal dose for nutmeg, and no standardized supplement dose has been proven safe and effective for any health condition. As a spice, the small amounts used in cooking are considered safe.Because the line between a flavoring amount and a toxic amount is not very wide, you should not take large doses of nutmeg for health purposes.

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

Read the full Nutmeg monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Interferon Alfa-2b Injection

What Is Interferon Alfa-2b Injection Used For?

Brand names: Rebetron, Intron A, Viraferon

  • Interferon alfa-2b injection is used to treat a number of conditions.

  • Interferon alfa-2b injection is used

    • alone or in combination with ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribasphere) to treat chronic (long-term) hepatitis C infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in people who show signs of liver damage,

    • to treat chronic hepatitis B infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in people who show signs of liver damage,

    • to treat hairy cell leukemia (a white blood cell cancer),

    • to treat genital warts,

    • to treat Kaposi's sarcoma (a type of cancer that causes abnormal tissue to grow on different parts of the body) related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS),

    • to treat malignant melanoma (a cancer that begins in certain skin cells) in certain people who have had surgery to remove the cancer,

    • along with another medication to treat follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL; a slow-growing blood cancer).

  • Interferon alfa-2b is in a class of medications called immunomodulators. Interferon alfa-2b works to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) by decreasing the amount virus in the body. Interferon alfa-2b may not cure hepatitis B or hepatitis C or prevent you from developing complications from these infections such as cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver failure, or liver cancer. It also may not prevent the spread of hepatitis B or C to other people. It is not known exactly how interferon alfa-2b works to treat cancer or genital warts.

See full Interferon Alfa-2b Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Nutmeg

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

0Major
528Moderate
0Minor
2,301No known interaction
528 Moderate 2,301 No interaction
Moderate

528 interactions

Showing 60 of 528 moderate interactions — see all 528 on the Nutmeg page.

No interaction 2,301 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,301 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Nutmeg list.

See the full Nutmeg interactions page
See every supplement checked against Interferon Alfa-2b, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Nutmeg References

The 29 references that drive our Nutmeg 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. Sangalli BC, Chiang W. Toxicology of nutmeg abuse. Clin Toxicol 2000;38:671-8. PubMed
  3. Hallstrom H, Thuvander A. Toxicological evaluation of myristicin. Nat Toxins 1997;5:186-92. DOI
  4. Jeong HG, Yun CH. Induction of rat hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes by myristicin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1995;217:966-71. PubMed
  5. Dinakar HS. Acute psychosis associated with nutmeg toxicity. Med Times 1977;105:63-4.
  6. McKenna A, Nordt SP, Ryan J. Acute nutmeg poisoning. Eur J Emerg Med 2004;11:240-1. PubMed
  7. Panayotopoulos DJ, Chisholm DD. Hallucinogenic effect of nutmeg. Br Med J 1970;1:754. PubMed
  8. Demetriades AK, Wallman PD, McGuiness A, Gavalas MC. Low cost, high risk: accidental nutmeg intoxication. Emerg Med J 2005;22:223-5. PubMed
  9. Forrester MB. Nutmeg intoxication in Texas, 1998-2004. Hum Exp Toxicol 2005;24:563-6. PubMed
  10. Stein U, Greyer H, Hentschel H. Nutmeg (myristicin) poisoning-report on a fatal case and a series of cases recorded by a poison information centre. Forensic Sci Int 2001;118:87-90. PubMed
  11. Venables GS, Evered D, Hall R. Letter: Nutmeg poisoning. Br Med J 1976;1:96. PubMed
  12. Shah AM, Calello DP, Quintero-Solivan J, Osterhoudt KC. The not-so-nice spice: a teenage girl with palpitations and dry mouth. Pediatr Emerg Care 2011;27:1205-7. PubMed
  13. Carstairs SD, Cantrell FL. The spice of life: an analysis of nutmeg exposures in California. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2011;49:177-80. PubMed
  14. Williams EY, West F. The use of nutmeg as a psychotropic drug. Report of two cases. J Natl Med Assoc 1968;60:289-90.
  15. Abernethy MK, Becker LB. Acute nutmeg intoxication. Am J Emerg Med 1992;10:429-30. PubMed

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 Nutmeg and Interferon Alfa-2b Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Nutmeg with Interferon Alfa-2b?
We do not list a known interaction between Nutmeg and Interferon Alfa-2b. 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.
How was the Nutmeg and Interferon Alfa-2b combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Interferon Alfa-2b is filed under 2 classifications, and Nutmeg has documented interactions with 5 drug classes — none of Interferon Alfa-2b'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 Nutmeg interact with any other medications?
Yes. Nutmeg has 528 documented drug interactions in our database — Interferon Alfa-2b 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 Interferon Alfa-2b interact with any supplements?
Yes. Interferon Alfa-2b has documented interactions with 57 supplements in our database — Nutmeg is not one of them. The Interferon Alfa-2b 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

Nutmeg monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Interferon Alfa-2b Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Interferon Alfa-2b supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Interferon Alfa-2b, 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 29 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Interferon Alfa-2b and Nutmeg?

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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.