Drug & supplement interaction

Pleurisy Root + Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate

Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate brand names: Ortho Tri-Cyclen 28, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, Ortho-Cyclen, Mononessa, Previfem, and others.

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

Pleurisy Root has a moderate interaction with Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate. Theoretically, excessive amounts of pleurisy root might interfere with hormone drug therapy.

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

Pleurisy Root and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate

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

Moderate

ESTROGENS

Why this applies to Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate

Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate falls under ESTROGENS — the group Pleurisy Root interacts with.

Theoretically, excessive amounts of pleurisy root might interfere with hormone drug therapy.
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 honest picture: your birth control pill (Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Sprintec, and the like) combines two hormones, ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate, that work by keeping your hormone levels steady enough to prevent ovulation. The concern with pleurisy root is purely theoretical. The idea is that, in large or concentrated amounts, its plant compounds might nudge your hormone balance and possibly blunt how well the pill works.

I want to be clear that this isn't backed by real studies in people, just pharmacology on paper, so don't panic. Still, pleurisy root contains heart-active and milkweed compounds I'd be cautious with regardless. Before you combine them, please check with your pharmacist or doctor so your contraception stays reliable.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.

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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate 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. Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate)
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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate

This page covers Pleurisy Root only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate page lists 239 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 195 moderate · 38 minor.

Open the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Pleurisy Root and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate
Steady interest

#1,696 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate, 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate, 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Pleurisy Root with Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate?
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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestimate 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.