Drug & supplement interaction

Pleurisy Root + Benzthiazide

Benzthiazide brand name: Exna.

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

Pleurisy Root has a moderate interaction with Benzthiazide. Theoretically, concomitant use of potassium-depleting diuretics and pleurisy root can increase the risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium depletion.

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

Pleurisy Root and Benzthiazide

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

Moderate

DIURETIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Benzthiazide

Benzthiazide falls under DIURETIC DRUGS — the group Pleurisy Root interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of potassium-depleting diuretics and pleurisy root can increase the risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium depletion. Some diuretics that can deplete potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, Microzide), and others.
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 concern with combining these two. Benzthiazide (Exna) is a thiazide-type water pill, and like its cousins it can lower your body's potassium over time. Pleurisy root naturally contains heart-acting compounds similar to cardiac glycosides (think digitalis-type substances). When potassium runs low, the heart becomes more sensitive to those compounds, which can raise the odds of an irregular or unsafe heartbeat.

I'll be honest, this is a theoretical interaction based on how these things work, not on solid human studies, so I don't want to alarm you. Still, since pleurisy root can be toxic on its own and Benzthiazide affects potassium, please don't pair them without checking with your doctor or pharmacist first. A simple potassium blood check can offer real peace of mind.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

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

Pleurisy Root Also Interacts With Other Medications

Pleurisy Root has 1 major, 115 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Benzthiazide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 115 No known interaction 2,714 (incl. Benzthiazide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Pleurisy Root

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Benzthiazide

This page covers Pleurisy Root only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Benzthiazide page lists 227 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Asarabacca (major) and Dolomite (major).

By severity: 10 major · 192 moderate · 25 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Benzthiazide page

“Benzthiazide (Exna), a thiazide water pill prescribed for high blood pressure and fluid retention, comes with a supplement list I would treat with genuine respect. Most of what appears here either drops blood pressure further than intended or deepens the potassium and fluid loss the drug already causes, and a handful can strain the kid…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Benzthiazide interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Pleurisy Root and Benzthiazide 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 Pleurisy Root
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Benzthiazide
Top half

#1,141 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 Pleurisy Root

What is Pleurisy Root?

  • Respiratory congestion
  • Pleurisy and chest discomfort
  • Coughs and bronchitis
  • Promoting sweating during fevers
  • Loosening mucus

Pleurisy root is the dried root of Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed), a plant used in traditional North American and herbal medicine mainly for respiratory complaints. There is very little modern scientific evidence that it works for any condition, and it contains compounds that can be toxic, so caution is strongly advised. Pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid it, and anyone considering it should check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Pleurisy Root monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Pleurisy Root

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

1Major
115Moderate
0Minor
2,713No known interaction
1 Major 115 Moderate 2,713 No interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

115 interactions

Showing 60 of 115 moderate interactions — see all 115 on the Pleurisy Root page.

No interaction 2,713 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,713 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Pleurisy Root list.

See the full Pleurisy Root interactions page
See every supplement checked against Benzthiazide, 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
Pleurisy Root monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Benzthiazide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Benzthiazide, 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 Pleurisy Root and Benzthiazide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Pleurisy Root with Benzthiazide?
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 Pleurisy Root and Benzthiazide 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 Benzthiazide and Pleurisy Root?

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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.