Drug & supplement interaction

Oleander + Sodium valproate

Sodium valproate brand name: Epilim.

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 Oleander and Sodium valproate 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 label for Sodium valproate states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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.

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Interaction report

Oleander and Sodium valproate

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 Sodium valproate and Oleander 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.

Oleander safety at a glance

Oleander overall Avoid Oleander is highly toxic and can be deadly even in small amounts.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally. Oleander has been reported to have abortifacient properties. Also, maternal ingestion of oleander seeds during pregnancy has led to fetal toxi... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally. Oleander has been reported to have abortifacient properties. Also, maternal ingestion of oleander seeds during pregnancy has led to fetal toxi... 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 Sodium valproate and Oleander? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Sodium valproate

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Sodium valproate is filed under 8 classifications — including valproate, anticonvulsants, serotonergic drugs. Oleander has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — the most serious being digoxin (lanoxin) (major), diuretic drugs (major) and macrolide antibiotics (major) — and none of Sodium valproate’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

Oleander Does Interact With Other Medications

Oleander has 133 major, 23 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Sodium valproate isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 133 Moderate 23 No known interaction 2,674 (incl. Sodium valproate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Oleander

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Oleander and Sodium valproate 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. 5 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on Additional detail

    Oleander

    “Orally, oleander can cause malignant dysrhythmias, ventricular ectopy, cardiovascular collapse, cardiac arrest, and death (17,94437,103238,103239). Oleander can also cause hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia after oleander ingestion is generally due to inhibition of the sodium-potassium ATPase pump.”

    Oleander · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cardiac arrest.

    6 sources cited
    1. 17. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
    2. 94437. Zamani J, Aslani A. Cardiac findings in acute yellow oleander poisoning. J Cardiovasc Dis Res 2010;1:27-8. PubMed
    3. 103238. Karthik G, Iyadurai R, Ralph R, et al. Acute oleander poisoning: A study of clinical profile from a tertiary care center in South India. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(1):136-40. PubMed
    4. 103239. Anandhi D, Pandit VR, Kadhiravan T, Soundaravally R, Prakash Raju KNJ. Cardiac arrhythmias, electrolyte abnormalities and serum cardiac glycoside concentrations in yellow oleander (Cascabela thevetia) poisoning - a prospective study. Clin Toxicol (Phila).
    5. 2532. Eddleston M, Rajapakse S, Rajakanthan K, et al. Anti-digoxin Fab fragments in cardiotoxicity induced by ingestion of yellow oleander: a randomized controlled trial. Lancet 2000;355:967-72.
    6. 3495. Haynes BE, Bessen HA, Wightman WD. Oleander tea: herbal draught of death. Ann Emerg Med 1985;14:350-3. PubMed

    Sodium valproate

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

  • Seizures Worth acting on Additional detail

    Oleander

    “Orally, oleander can cause weakness, headache, giddiness, dizziness, and malaise or stupor (17,18,3495,65422,65434,65443,65444,94417,94432,94435,94436,98220,103239). It can also cause peripheral neuritis and numbness of the mouth or tongue. There is one case report of a young child who developed irritability and seizures after ingestion of oleander.”

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

    6 sources cited
    1. 17. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
    2. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    3. 3495. Haynes BE, Bessen HA, Wightman WD. Oleander tea: herbal draught of death. Ann Emerg Med 1985;14:350-3. PubMed
    4. 65422. Saravanapavananthan, N. and Ganeshamoorthy, J. Yellow oleander poisoning--a study of 170 cases. Forensic Sci.Int 1988;36(3-4):247-250. PubMed
    5. 65434. Kakrani, A. L., Rajput, C. S., Khandare, S. K., and Redkar, V. E. Yellow oleander seed poisoning with cardiotoxicity. A case report. Indian Heart J 1981;33(1):31-33.
    6. 65443. Dasgupta, A. and Hart, A. P. Rapid detection of oleander poisoning using fluorescence polarization immunoassay for digitoxin. Effect of treatment with digoxin-specific Fab antibody fragment (ovine). Am J Clin.Pathol. 1997;108(4):411-416.

    Sodium valproate

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

  • A low platelet count Worth acting on Additional detail

    Oleander

    “Oleander use has been associated with thrombocytopenia. A 33-year-old female who ingested an infusion of 20 oleander leaves presented with symptoms of oleander poisoning and, 72 hours after ingestion, developed thrombocytopenia. Another case of thrombocytopenia linked to oleander intake has also been reported.”

    Oleander · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in poisoning.

    1 source cited
    1. 103241. Bataille C, Capaldo L, Courtois A, Seguy B, Lotiron C, Labadie M. Toxic thrombocytopenia during Nerium oleander poisoning. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2018;56(11):1170-1.

    Sodium valproate

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

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Oleander

    “Orally, oleander can cause acute kidney failure characterized by dark colored, scanty urine (less than 300 mL daily).”

    Oleander · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in kidney failure.

    3 sources cited
    1. 65417. Samal, K. K. Yellow oleander poisoning with jaundice and renal failure. J Assoc Physicians India 1990;38(10):821-822.
    2. 65420. Samal, K. K., Sahu, H. K., Kar, M. K., Palit, S. K., Kar, B. C., and Sahu, C. S. Yellow oleander (cerbera thevetia) poisoning with jaundice and renal failure. J Assoc Physicians India 1989;37(3):232-233.
    3. 106426. Corcoran J, Gray T, Bangh SA, Singh V, Cole JB. Fatal yellow oleander poisoning masquerading as benign candlenut ingestion taken for weight loss. J Emerg Med. 2020;59(6):e209-e212. PubMed

    Sodium valproate

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

  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Oleander

    “Two cases of jaundice, increased bilirubin, and hepatosplenomegaly have been reported after oleander ingestion.

    Intramuscularly, there is one case report of a patient with cancer who developed hepatotoxicity after receiving daily injections of a specific oleander extract (Anvirzel, Phoenix Biotech) 1.2 mL/m2 for 2 months. Other causes of hepatotoxicity were ruled out.”

    Oleander · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cancer.

    2 sources cited
    1. 65420. Samal, K. K., Sahu, H. K., Kar, M. K., Palit, S. K., Kar, B. C., and Sahu, C. S. Yellow oleander (cerbera thevetia) poisoning with jaundice and renal failure. J Assoc Physicians India 1989;37(3):232-233.
    2. 94428. Altan E, Bitik B, Kalpakci Y, ET AL. Probable hepatotoxicity related to Nerium oleander extract in a patient with metastatic synovial sarcoma of the knee. J Altern Complement Med 2009;15:113.

    Sodium valproate

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

  • Mood changes or irritability / Numbness or tingling Additional detail

    Oleander

    Recorded for Oleander in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Seizures above.

    Sodium valproate

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

  • Ringing in the ears / Blurred vision Additional detail

    Oleander

    “Orally, oleander can cause visual disturbances and mydriasis. In one case report, a 7-year-old child experienced a change in color vision about 6 hours after ingestion of oleander seeds. There is also a report of dimness of vision and tinnitus after ingesting a water extract from oleander leaves.”

    Oleander · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in tinnitus.

    4 sources cited
    1. 3495. Haynes BE, Bessen HA, Wightman WD. Oleander tea: herbal draught of death. Ann Emerg Med 1985;14:350-3. PubMed
    2. 5000. Langford SD, Boor PJ. Oleander toxicity: an examination of human and animal toxic exposures. Toxicology 1996;109:1-13. PubMed
    3. 65411. Camphausen, C., Haas, N. A., and Mattke, A. C. Successful treatment of oleander intoxication (cardiac glycosides) with digoxin-specific Fab antibody fragments in a 7-year-old child: case report and review of literature. Z Kardiol. 2005;94(12):817-823. PubMed
    4. 65424. Kaojarern, S., Sukhupunyarak, S., and Mokkhavesa, C. Oleander Yee tho poisoning. J Med Assoc.Thai. 1986;69(2):108-112.

    Sodium valproate

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

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Oleander

    “Topically, the sap of freshly cut oleander leaves can cause contact dermatitis. In a case report, a 5-year-old child applied oleander leaves to the face and developed skin erythema, followed by blistering, swelling and partial thickness facial burns. The condition resolved with conservative management.”

    Oleander · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in burns.

    4 sources cited
    1. 5000. Langford SD, Boor PJ. Oleander toxicity: an examination of human and animal toxic exposures. Toxicology 1996;109:1-13. PubMed
    2. 65432. Apted, J. Oleander dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 1983;9(4):321.
    3. 65448. Dorsey CS. Plant dermatitis in California. Calif Med 1962;96(6):412-413.
    4. 106425. van Oudtshoorn S, Gera S, Gera P. Paediatric facial burns from oleander leaves. Med J Aust. 2020 Sep;213(6):265-265.e1. Epub 2020 Aug 28. PubMed

    Sodium valproate

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

Showing the 10 most notable of 18 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Oleander but not commonly for Sodium valproate: yellowing of the skin or eyes, a change in taste, high potassium and low potassium.

Effects for Sodium valproate come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Oleander 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

Oleander in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Oleander has been reported to have abortifacient properties. Also, maternal ingestion of oleander seeds during pregnancy has led to fetal toxicity. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of topical use of oleander during pregnancy and 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

How to take them

Some Sodium valproate Products Have a Food Rule — Oleander Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium valproate says to take it with food. If you take Oleander on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Sodium valproate with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Sodium valproate products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

irritation may benefit from administration of the drug with food or by slowly building up the dose from an initial low level.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Sodium valproate — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sodium valproate

This page covers Oleander only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sodium valproate page lists 173 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Kava (major).

By severity: 9 major · 147 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sodium valproate page

“Sodium valproate (Epilim) controls seizures and stabilizes mood, and the supplement list on this page warrants genuine care rather than a quick skim. Nine of the 173 ingredients on file carry a major rating, and most of the danger follows two patterns.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sodium valproate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Oleander and Sodium valproate 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 Oleander
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sodium valproate
Steady interest

#1,827 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 Oleander reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Oleander and Sodium valproate records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Oleander

What is Oleander?

  • Heart failure (traditional)
  • Cancer (investigational)
  • Skin conditions
  • Asthma (folk use)
  • Pain relief (folk use)

Oleander is a highly poisonous ornamental plant, and every part of it can cause life-threatening heart and nervous system effects, even in small amounts. There is no proven safe dose for self-use, and serious poisonings and deaths have occurred from teas, extracts, and accidental ingestion. We strongly advise against using oleander as a supplement.

Nerium oleander · Apocynaceae · Leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds (all parts are toxic) · Extracts, teas, and historically tinctures (not recommended for self-use)

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

Oleander: dosing

There is no safe, established dose of oleander for self-use. Because the amount that might cause an effect is dangerously close to the amount that can poison or kill, no responsible dosing guidance can be given.We do not recommend taking oleander in any form. In nearly all cases, the safe answer is to avoid it entirely.

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

Read the full Oleander monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oleander

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

133Major
23Moderate
0Minor
2,673No known interaction
133 Major 23 Moderate 2,673 No interaction
Major

133 interactions

Showing 60 of 133 major interactions — see all 133 on the Oleander page.

Moderate

23 interactions

No interaction 2,673 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,673 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Oleander list.

See the full Oleander interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sodium valproate, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Oleander References

The 39 references that drive our Oleander 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. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
  3. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  4. Burnham TH, ed. Drug Facts and Comparisons, Updated Monthly. Facts and Comparisons, St. Louis, MO.
  5. Eddleston M, Rajapakse S, Rajakanthan K, et al. Anti-digoxin Fab fragments in cardiotoxicity induced by ingestion of yellow oleander: a randomized controlled trial. Lancet 2000;355:967-72.
  6. Haynes BE, Bessen HA, Wightman WD. Oleander tea: herbal draught of death. Ann Emerg Med 1985;14:350-3. PubMed
  7. Langford SD, Boor PJ. Oleander toxicity: an examination of human and animal toxic exposures. Toxicology 1996;109:1-13. PubMed
  8. Bose, T. K., Basu, R. K., Biswas, B., De, J. N., Majumdar, B. C., and Datta, S. Cardiovascular effects of yellow oleander ingestion. J Indian Med Assoc. 1999;97(10):407-410.
  9. Camphausen, C., Haas, N. A., and Mattke, A. C. Successful treatment of oleander intoxication (cardiac glycosides) with digoxin-specific Fab antibody fragments in a 7-year-old child: case report and review of literature. Z Kardiol. 2005;94(12):817-823. PubMed
  10. Samal, K. K. Yellow oleander poisoning with jaundice and renal failure. J Assoc Physicians India 1990;38(10):821-822.
  11. Brewster, D. Herbal poisoning: a case report of a fatal yellow oleander poisoning from the Solomon Islands. Ann.Trop.Paediatr. 1986;6(4):289-291. PubMed
  12. Samal, K. K., Sahu, H. K., Kar, M. K., Palit, S. K., Kar, B. C., and Sahu, C. S. Yellow oleander (cerbera thevetia) poisoning with jaundice and renal failure. J Assoc Physicians India 1989;37(3):232-233.
  13. Saravanapavananthan, N. and Ganeshamoorthy, J. Yellow oleander poisoning--a study of 170 cases. Forensic Sci.Int 1988;36(3-4):247-250. PubMed
  14. Blum, L. M. and Rieders, F. Oleandrin distribution in a fatality from rectal and oral Nerium oleander extract administration. J Anal.Toxicol. 1987;11(5):219-221. PubMed
  15. Kaojarern, S., Sukhupunyarak, S., and Mokkhavesa, C. Oleander Yee tho poisoning. J Med Assoc.Thai. 1986;69(2):108-112.

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 Oleander and Sodium valproate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Oleander with Sodium valproate?
We do not list a known interaction between Oleander and Sodium valproate. 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 Oleander and Sodium valproate have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 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.
Should I take Oleander and Sodium valproate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium valproate says to take it with food. If you take Oleander on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Sodium valproate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Sodium valproate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Oleander and Sodium valproate combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Sodium valproate is filed under 8 classifications, and Oleander has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — none of Sodium valproate'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 Oleander interact with any other medications?
Yes. Oleander has 156 documented drug interactions in our database — Sodium valproate 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 Sodium valproate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Sodium valproate has documented interactions with 173 supplements in our database — Oleander is not one of them. The Sodium valproate 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

Oleander monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Sodium valproate supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Sodium valproate, 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 39 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Sodium valproate and Oleander?

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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.