Drug & supplement interaction

Oriental Arborvitae + Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Oct 4, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine 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 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

Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine

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 Phenylephrine and Oriental Arborvitae 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Oriental Arborvitae at all — not against Phenylephrine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Oriental Arborvitae safety at a glance

Oriental Arborvita... overall Use caution Some plant parts and oils can be toxic, and human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When the leafy twig is used orally during pregnancy. Oriental arborvitae contains thujone. Thujone might stimulate uterine activity; avoid using. There is insuf... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety information, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

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 Phenylephrine and Oriental Arborvitae? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine May Share a Side Effect

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.

  • Vomiting Additional detail

    Oriental Arborvitae

    “Orally, taking oriental arborvitae long-term or at high doses might cause adverse effects due to the thujone constituent. Thujone-containing herbs can cause restlessness, vomiting, dizziness, tremors, kidney damage, hallucinations, and convulsions when used long-term or at high doses. Thujone intoxication can cause psychoactivity similar to tetrahydrocannibinol, the active constituent in marijuana. (12).”

    Oriental Arborvitae · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    1 source 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.

    “Orally, thujone-containing herbs such as oriental arborvitae may cause vomiting when used long-term or at high doses (12).”

    Oriental Arborvitae · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    1 source 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.

    Phenylephrine

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

Reported for Oriental Arborvitae but not commonly for Phenylephrine: hallucinations, kidney problems, anxiety or restlessness and seizures.

Effects for Phenylephrine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Oriental Arborvitae come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 221,388 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Phenylephrine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Oriental Arborvitae in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When the leafy twig is used orally during pregnancy. Oriental arborvitae contains thujone. Thujone might stimulate uterine activity; avoid using. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of oriental arborvitae when used topically during pregnancy; 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

From our Q&A

Questions About Oriental Arborvitae or Phenylephrine

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

This page covers Oriental Arborvitae only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenylephrine page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Lithium (major), Peyote (major) and Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major).

By severity: 6 major · 60 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenylephrine page

“If you take phenylephrine (Sudafed PE, Biorphen) for congestion, treat this list as one that needs real attention, since six of its 81 entries carry a major rating. Phenylephrine tightens blood vessels to clear your nose, and more than half of the interactions here come from stimulant ingredients, ephedra above all, that can push blood…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenylephrine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 76 real supplement products containing Oriental Arborvitae, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Oriental Arborvitae. Even though Oriental Arborvitae itself has no known interaction with Phenylephrine, 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 Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine 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 Oriental Arborvitae
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylephrine
Top 25%

#668 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 Oriental Arborvitae reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine 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 Oriental Arborvitae

What is Oriental Arborvitae?

Oriental Arborvitae
  • Insomnia and restlessness
  • Constipation (seeds)
  • Hair loss and scalp health (topical)
  • Bleeding and heavy menstruation (traditional)
  • Cough and respiratory complaints

Oriental Arborvitae is an evergreen conifer used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where the seeds (Bai Zi Ren) are taken to calm the mind and ease constipation, and the leaves (Ce Bai Ye) are used for bleeding and hair loss. Solid human evidence for these uses is limited, and parts of the plant can be toxic if misused. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it in pregnancy.

Platycladus orientalis · Cupressaceae · Seeds (Bai Zi Ren) and leaves/twigs (Ce Bai Ye) · Dried seeds, dried leaf, decoctions (teas), powders, capsules, and topical preparations

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

Oriental Arborvitae: dosing

There is no well-established standardized dose for Oriental Arborvitae as a supplement. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the seeds and leaves are used in specific amounts within formulas prepared by a trained practitioner, and the right amount depends on the part used and the preparation.If you choose to use a commercial product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them. Never ingest the concentrated essential oil unless directed by a qualified professional.

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

Read the full Oriental Arborvitae monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenylephrine

What Is Phenylephrine Used For?

Brand names: Gilchew, AH Chew D, Gilchew IR, Sudafed PE, Biorphen

Phenylephrine is used in several different products, and each one has its own use.

Injection (IV): raises blood pressure in adults with clinically important hypotension (low blood pressure) caused mainly by widened blood vessels. Some injections are labeled for anesthesia only. Others are labeled for anesthesia and septic shock.

Eye drops: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is used to dilate the pupil.

Nasal products: temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion from the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Rectal suppositories: relieve itching, burning and discomfort from hemorrhoids and temporarily shrink hemorrhoidal tissue.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Phenylephrine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (221,388 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 20,609 reports
Headache 17,301 reports
Nausea 16,925 reports
Diarrhea 14,221 reports
Dyspnea 13,719 reports
See full Phenylephrine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oriental Arborvitae

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Oriental Arborvitae list.

See the full Oriental Arborvitae interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenylephrine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Oriental Arborvitae References

The 2 references that drive our Oriental Arborvitae 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. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

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 Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Oriental Arborvitae with Phenylephrine?
We do not list a known interaction between Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine. 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 Oriental Arborvitae and Phenylephrine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one 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.
Does Phenylephrine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Phenylephrine has documented interactions with 81 supplements in our database — Oriental Arborvitae is not one of them. The Phenylephrine 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

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

Still Have a Question About Phenylephrine and Oriental Arborvitae?

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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.