Drug & supplement interaction

Octacosanol + Sodium Nitroprusside

Sodium Nitroprusside brand name: Nipride RTU.

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

Octacosanol has a moderate interaction with Sodium Nitroprusside. Theoretically, octacosanol might enhance the hypotensive effects of nitroprusside.

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

Octacosanol and Sodium Nitroprusside

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

Moderate

NITROPRUSSIDE (Nitropress)

Theoretically, octacosanol might enhance the hypotensive effects of nitroprusside.
Octacosanol is the main component of policosanol. Animal research shows that taking policosanol along with nitroprusside can increase the hypotensive effects of nitroprusside. 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

Here's the situation with octacosanol and sodium nitroprusside. Nitroprusside is a powerful IV medicine given in the hospital to quickly lower very high blood pressure, and your care team adjusts the dose minute by minute while watching your numbers closely. The concern on file is that octacosanol might add to nitroprusside's blood-pressure-lowering punch, which could push your pressure down too far. That can show up as dizziness, lightheadedness, a fast heartbeat, or feeling faint.

The honest truth is this is theoretical and comes from animal studies using policosanol (octacosanol is its main piece), not from people taking octacosanol itself. Since nitroprusside is only used in monitored hospital settings, your team can catch any drop. Still, always tell them about any supplements you take.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, D., Mas, R., Valdes, S., and Molina, V. Pharmacological Interaction Between Policosanol and Nitroprusside in Rats. J Med Food 2001;4(2):67-70. PubMed

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 Sodium Nitroprusside 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. Sodium Nitroprusside)
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 Sodium Nitroprusside

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

The most serious there right now: American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Tyramine (major), Adrafinil (moderate) and Agmatine (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 106 moderate · 12 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sodium Nitroprusside page

“Sodium nitroprusside (Nipride RTU) is given by IV in hospitals to bring dangerously high blood pressure down within minutes, so anything that nudges pressure in either direction earns real vigilance here. All but two of the 121 supplements and herbs on this page interact through blood pressure itself, and the three major-rated entries…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sodium Nitroprusside 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 Sodium Nitroprusside 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 Sodium Nitroprusside 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

#1,047 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Sodium Nitroprusside
Steady interest

#2,395 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 Sodium Nitroprusside, 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 Sodium Nitroprusside supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Sodium Nitroprusside, 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 Sodium Nitroprusside Together: Common Questions

Can you take Octacosanol with Sodium Nitroprusside?
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 Octacosanol and Sodium Nitroprusside 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 Sodium Nitroprusside 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.