Drug & supplement interaction

Oregon Grape + Ranitidine

Ranitidine brand names: Zantac 150 EFFER, Zantac 150 GEL, Zantac 150, Zantac Geldose, Zantac, and others.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Oregon Grape has a moderate interaction with Ranitidine. Theoretically, Oregon grape might increase serum levels of drugs that are P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates.

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

Oregon Grape and Ranitidine

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Ranitidine

Ranitidine falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Oregon Grape interacts with.

Theoretically, Oregon grape might increase serum levels of drugs that are P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates.
In vitro research suggests that Oregon grape extracts inhibit P-gp efflux.
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 gist: ranitidine is partly moved around the body by a little cellular pump called P-glycoprotein. Oregon grape (thanks to its berberine content) may slow that pump down, at least in test-tube studies. If that happened in real people, a bit more ranitidine could stay in your system than usual.

The honest part is that this is theoretical, based only on lab data, not on patients. Ranitidine is also a pretty gentle, well-tolerated acid reducer (it isn't a prodrug, so it still works the normal way), and even higher levels rarely cause much beyond mild headache, dizziness, or constipation. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since concentrated supplement doses are stronger than food, it's worth a quick word with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Fan Y, Zhou Z, Zhang L. Effect of Oregon grape root extracts on P-glycoprotein mediated transport in in vitro cell lines. J Pharm Pharm Sci 2024;26:11927. 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

Oregon Grape Also Interacts With Other Medications

Oregon Grape has 1,217 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ranitidine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Oregon Grape

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Oregon Grape or Ranitidine

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

This page covers Oregon Grape only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ranitidine page lists 74 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), St. John's Wort (major), African Wild Potato (moderate), Banderol (moderate) and Beer (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 43 moderate · 29 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ranitidine page

“Ranitidine (Zantac) is a heartburn and ulcer medicine gentle enough to have sold over the counter, but two of the 74 supplements and herbs on file with it earn real caution and are worth understanding first. Activated charcoal can soak up ranitidine in the gut and blunt the dose, and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ranitidine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 740 real supplement products containing Oregon Grape, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Oregon Grape. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ranitidine too, on top of Oregon Grape — 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 Oregon Grape and Ranitidine 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 Oregon Grape
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ranitidine
Top 10%

#162 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 Oregon Grape

What is Oregon Grape?

Oregon Grape
  • Psoriasis (topical)
  • Eczema and other skin conditions
  • Digestive upset
  • Mild skin infections
  • General 'detox' or tonic use

Oregon grape is a shrub whose root contains berberine and related compounds. The strongest (though still modest) evidence is for topical creams that may slightly ease psoriasis; evidence for other uses is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Oregon Grape monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ranitidine

What Is Ranitidine Used For?

Brand names: Zantac 150 EFFER, Zantac 150 GEL, Zantac 150, Zantac Geldose, Zantac, Ranit, Zantac Efferdose, Zantac 300, Zantac 300 GEL, Ranitidine injection

Ranitidine is used to treat several acid-related stomach and esophageal conditions. These include active duodenal ulcers (ulcers in the small intestine) and benign gastric ulcers (stomach ulcers), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or chronic acid reflux), erosive esophagitis (irritation and damage to the esophagus from acid), and pathological hypersecretory conditions — rare disorders where the stomach produces too much acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and systemic mastocytosis. It is also used as maintenance therapy to keep ulcers and esophagitis from coming back after healing.

Over-the-counter products Acid Reducer and Wal-Zan tablets are specifically labeled to relieve heartburn associated with acid indigestion and sour stomach, and to prevent heartburn brought on by certain foods or beverages.

See full Ranitidine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oregon Grape

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

0Major
1,217Moderate
0Minor
1,612No known interaction
Moderate

1,217 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,217 moderate interactions — see all 1,217 on the Oregon Grape page.

No interaction 1,612 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Oregon Grape and Ranitidine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Oregon Grape with Ranitidine?
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 Oregon Grape and Ranitidine 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 Ranitidine and Oregon Grape?

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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.