Drug & supplement interaction

Octacosanol + Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol brand name: Inderide.

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

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol falls into 2 drug categories that Octacosanol can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concomitant use of octacosanol with beta-blockers might result in additive hypotensive effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceA
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Octacosanol and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Octacosanol interacts with whole categories of medication. Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Octacosanol in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

BETA-BLOCKERS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol falls under BETA-BLOCKERS — the group Octacosanol interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of octacosanol with beta-blockers might result in additive hypotensive effects.
Octacosanol is the main component of policosanol. Clinical research shows that policosanol 5 mg daily can have additive blood pressure-lowering effects in patients with hypertension who are taking beta-blockers. Also, animal research shows that policosanol can increase the hypotensive effects of propranolol. It is not clear if these effects occur with the use of octacosanol.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence A

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

Inderide already combines two blood-pressure-lowering medicines: propranolol (a beta-blocker) and hydrochlorothiazide (a water pill). The concern here is simple addition. Octacosanol is the main piece of policosanol, and studies show policosanol can nudge blood pressure down a bit on its own. Stack that on top of a medicine already pushing your pressure lower, and the two effects may add up.

If your blood pressure or heart rate dips too low, you might feel dizzy, lightheaded, unusually tired, or faint when you stand up. That said, this is mostly theoretical for octacosanol specifically (the clearer data is on policosanol), so don't panic. Just check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding it, and keep an eye on your readings.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Molina, Cuevas, V, Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, Quintana D., Mas, Ferreiro R., and Valdes, Garcia S. Effect of policosanol on arterial blood pressure in rats. Study of the pharmacological interaction with nifedipine and propranolol. Arch Med Res 1998;29
  2. Castano G, Mas R, Gamez R, et al. Concomitant use of policosanol and beta-blockers in older patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol.Res 2004;24:65-77.
Moderate

PROPRANOLOL (Inderal)

2 of 2
Theoretically, octacosanol might enhance the hypotensive effects of propranolol.
Octacosanol is the main component of policosanol. Animal research shows that taking policosanol along with propranolol can increase the blood pressure-lowering effects of propranolol. It is not clear if these effects occur with the use of octacosanol.
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

Your medication Inderide pairs two blood pressure lowerers: propranolol (a beta-blocker) and hydrochlorothiazide (a water pill). The concern with octacosanol is pretty mild here. Some animal research using policosanol (octacosanol is its main piece) hints that it might add a little extra to propranolol's blood pressure-lowering effect. We don't actually know if octacosanol alone does this in people, so think of this as a theoretical heads-up, not a proven problem.

If the two did stack up, you might notice signs of blood pressure dropping too low, like dizziness, lightheadedness when standing, or feeling unusually tired. Nothing to panic over, but it's worth mentioning to your pharmacist or doctor before adding octacosanol, especially since your pill already lowers pressure two ways.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Molina, Cuevas, V, Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, Quintana D., Mas, Ferreiro R., and Valdes, Garcia S. Effect of policosanol on arterial blood pressure in rats. Study of the pharmacological interaction with nifedipine and propranolol. Arch Med Res 1998;29

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

Octacosanol Also Interacts With Other Medications

Octacosanol has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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

Check Another of Your Medications Against Octacosanol

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol

This page covers Octacosanol only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol page lists 324 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), Asarabacca (major) and Dolomite (major).

By severity: 11 major · 273 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol page

“Inderide combines hydrochlorothiazide, a water pill, with propranolol, a beta blocker, so a supplement that also lowers blood pressure or pulls potassium out of the body hits the drug on its own turf. That describes most of this list, and I'd approach it with genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 435 real supplement products containing Octacosanol, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Octacosanol. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol too, on top of Octacosanol — 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 Octacosanol and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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 Octacosanol
Steady interest

#1,064 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol
Top half

#962 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 Octacosanol

What is Octacosanol?

Octacosanol
  • Physical performance and endurance
  • Cholesterol support
  • Parkinson's and movement concerns
  • Antioxidant support
  • General energy and stamina

Octacosanol is a waxy long-chain alcohol from plant sources that is most often promoted for exercise endurance and cholesterol support, but solid human evidence is limited and results are mixed. It appears generally well tolerated in supplement amounts, but it is not a proven treatment for any condition, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Octacosanol monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Octacosanol

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Octacosanol — 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 Octacosanol page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Octacosanol 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 Octacosanol list.

See the full Octacosanol interactions page
See every supplement checked against Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol, 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
Octacosanol monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Octacosanol and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Octacosanol with Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Octacosanol and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol?
Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol belongs to more than one drug category, and Octacosanol interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Octacosanol and Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol 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 Hydrochlorothiazide, Propranolol and Octacosanol?

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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.