Drug & supplement interaction

Peony + Sarilumab

Sarilumab brand name: Kevzara.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Peony and Sarilumab 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

Peony and Sarilumab

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 Sarilumab and Peony 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.

Peony safety at a glance

Peony overall Use caution Generally considered well tolerated for short-term use, but high-quality safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally. Preliminary research suggests that peony can cause uterine contractions. However, other preliminary research suggests a combination of peony a... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough reliable information to consider it safe 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 Sarilumab and Peony? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Sarilumab

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Sarilumab is filed under 2 classifications — cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inducers, immunosuppressants. Peony has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), clozapine (clozaril) (moderate) and contraceptive drugs (moderate) — and none of Sarilumab’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

Peony Does Interact With Other Medications

Peony has 811 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Sarilumab isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Peony

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Peony and Sarilumab 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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Peony

    “Orally, there is one case report of easy gum bleeding, epistaxis, and skin bruising with an international normalized ratio (INR) above 6 in a 61-year-old male who was previously stable on warfarin therapy. This patient had switched from one brand of quilinggao, a popular Chinese herbal product, to another brand 5 days prior. This product contained Fritillaria spp.”

    Peony · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in bleeding.

    1 source cited
    1. 68343. Wong, A. L. and Chan, T. Y. Interaction between warfarin and the herbal product quilinggao. Ann Pharmacother 2003;37(6):836-838.

    Sarilumab

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

  • A skin rash reported in 13.3% of FDA reports for Sarilumab Additional detail

    Peony

    “Topically, peony has been reported to cause contact dermatitis.”

    Peony · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 13555. Bruynzeel DP. Contact Dermatitis Due to Paeonia (Peony). Contact Dermatitis 1989; 20:152-3..

    Sarilumab

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sarilumab, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Peony but not commonly for Sarilumab: stomach upset, bloating or gas, diarrhea and reduced appetite.

Effects for Sarilumab come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Peony come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 24,738 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Sarilumab 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

Peony in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. Preliminary research suggests that peony can cause uterine contractions. However, other preliminary research suggests a combination of peony and angelica with or without motherwort, banksias rose, and ligustica, might be safe. Until more is known, avoid use.

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sarilumab

This page covers Peony only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sarilumab page lists 72 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate), Alkanna (moderate), Alpine Ragwort (moderate) and American Ginseng (moderate).

By severity: 71 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sarilumab page

“Sarilumab (Kevzara) works by quieting an overactive immune system in rheumatoid arthritis, and most of the supplements on this page push the other way. Immune stimulants such as ashwagandha, astragalus, and American ginseng could in theory blunt the drug's benefit and let joint symptoms creep back.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sarilumab interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 71 real supplement products containing Peony, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Peony. Even though Peony itself has no known interaction with Sarilumab, 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 Peony and Sarilumab 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 Peony
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sarilumab
Steady interest

#2,354 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 Peony reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Peony and Sarilumab 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 Peony

What is Peony?

Peony
  • Menstrual cramps and irregular periods
  • Muscle cramps and spasms
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Inflammation and pain
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Peony root is a traditional Chinese medicine herb often used for menstrual problems, cramps, and inflammation, frequently as part of combination formulas. Human evidence for most uses is limited or preliminary, so it should not replace proven treatments. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking other medicines.

Paeonia lactiflora · Paeoniaceae · Root (and sometimes the root bark, flower, and seeds) · Dried root, powders, capsules, tinctures, teas, and combination herbal formulas

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

Peony: dosing

There is no well-established standardized dose for peony. The amount used varies depending on the form (dried root, powder, capsule, tincture, or tea) and whether it is used alone or in a combination formula.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and to choose products from reputable manufacturers.

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

Read the full Peony monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sarilumab Injection

What Is Sarilumab Injection Used For?

Brand name: Kevzara

Kevzara (sarilumab) injection is approved for three conditions. In adults, it treats moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when at least one other disease-modifying drug hasn't worked well enough or caused intolerance. It also treats polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in adults who haven't responded adequately to corticosteroids or who can't tolerate tapering them.

Kevzara is also approved for polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) — a form of childhood arthritis — but only in patients who weigh 63 kg (about 139 lbs) or more. It is not approved for pediatric patients below that weight due to the lack of an appropriate dosage form.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Sarilumab

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (26,260 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Arthralgia 5,168 reports
Rheumatoid arthritis 4,646 reports
Joint swelling 4,578 reports
Fatigue 3,555 reports
Rash 3,349 reports
See full Sarilumab Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Peony

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

0Major
811Moderate
0Minor
2,018No known interaction
Moderate

811 interactions

Showing 60 of 811 moderate interactions — see all 811 on the Peony page.

No interaction 2,018 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Peony References

The 15 references that drive our Peony 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. Chen LC, Chou MH, Lin MF, Yang LL. Effects of Paeoniae Radix, a traditional Chinese medicine, on the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin. J Clin Pharm Ther 2001;26:271-8. PubMed
  2. Guo TL, Zhou XW. [Clinical observations on the treatment of the gestational hypertension syndrome with Angelica and Paeonia powder]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi 1986;6:714-6, 707.
  3. Xie HJ, Yasar U, Sandberg M, Rane A. Paeoniae Radix, a traditional Chinese medicine, and CYP2C9 activity. J Clin Pharm Ther 2002;27:229-30. . PubMed
  4. Harada M, Suzuki M, Ozaki Y. Effect of Japanese Angelica root and peony root on uterine contraction in the rabbit in situ. J Pharmacobiodyn 1984;7:304-11. PubMed
  5. Anon. Monograph. Peony (Paeonia spp). Alt Med Rev 2001;6:495-9.
  6. Bruynzeel DP. Contact Dermatitis Due to Paeonia (Peony). Contact Dermatitis 1989; 20:152-3..
  7. Bian, X., Xu, Y., Zhu, L., Gao, P., Liu, X., Liu, S., Qian, M., Gai, M., Yang, J., and Wu, Y. Prevention of maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility with traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Chin Med J (Engl.) 1998;111(7):585-587.
  8. Wong, A. L. and Chan, T. Y. Interaction between warfarin and the herbal product quilinggao. Ann Pharmacother 2003;37(6):836-838.
  9. Cai Y, Yuan Q, Xu K, et al. Assessment of the therapeutic effect of total glycosides of peony for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2016;2016:8292486.
  10. Koo YK, Kim JM, Koo JY, et al. Platelet anti-aggregatory and blood anti-coagulant effects of compounds isolated from Paeonia lactiflora and Paeonia suffruticosa. Pharmazie 2010;65(8):624-8.
  11. Wang W, Tian DD, Zheng B, et al. Peony-glycyrrhiza decoction, an herbal preparation, inhibits clozapine metabolism via cytochrome P450s, but not flavin-containing monooxygenase in in vitro models. Drug Metab Dispos 2015;43(7):1147-53. PubMed
  12. Zhou Y, Jin L, Kong F, et al. Clinical and immunological consequences of total glucosides of paeony treatment in Sjögren's syndrome: A randomized controlled pilot trial. Int Immunopharmacol. 2016 Oct;39:314-319. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2016.08.006. PubMed
  13. Zhu Q, Qi X, Wu Y, Wang K. Clinical study of total glucosides of paeony for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease in patients with diabetes mellitus. Int Urol Nephrol. 2016 Nov;48(11):1873-1880. doi: 10.1007/s11255-016-1345-5. PubMed
  14. Xu Y, Li X, Chen T, et al. Radix Paeoniae Alba increases serum estrogen level and up-regulates estrogen receptor expression in uterus and vagina of immature/ovariectomized mice. Phytother Res. 2019;33(1):117-29. [RETRACTED].
  15. Liu X, Li X, Li X, et al. The efficacy and safety of total glucosides of peony in the treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome: a multi-center, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Clin Rheumatol. 2019;38(3):657-64. Erratum i

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 Peony and Sarilumab Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Peony with Sarilumab?
We do not list a known interaction between Peony and Sarilumab. 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 Peony and Sarilumab have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 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.
How was the Peony and Sarilumab combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Sarilumab is filed under 2 classifications, and Peony has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — none of Sarilumab'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 Peony interact with any other medications?
Yes. Peony has 811 documented drug interactions in our database — Sarilumab 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 Sarilumab interact with any supplements?
Yes. Sarilumab has documented interactions with 72 supplements in our database — Peony is not one of them. The Sarilumab interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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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.