Drug & supplement interaction

Podophyllum + Levothyroxine

Levothyroxine brand names: Euthyrox, Levothroid, Unithroid, Synthroid, Levoxyl, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Podophyllum and Levothyroxine 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 label for Levothyroxine states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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

Podophyllum and Levothyroxine

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 Levothyroxine and Podophyllum 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 Podophyllum at all — not against Levothyroxine, 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.

Podophyllum safety at a glance

Podophyllum overall Avoid The plant and its crude resin are toxic; only standardized prescription topical products should be used under supervision.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally or topically for self-medication; avoid using. Podophyllum is potentially embryotoxic and teratogenic. Oral and topical use can result in birth... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally or topically for self-medication; avoid using. Read the full breastfeeding detail

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 Levothyroxine and Podophyllum? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Podophyllum and Levothyroxine 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.

  • Shortness of breath Worth acting on Additional detail

    Podophyllum

    “Orally and topically, podophyllum and its resin (podophyllin) can cause serious adverse effects and is generally regarded as unsafe for use.

    Serious Adverse Effects:

    Orally and topically: Abdominal pain, bone marrow depression, cardiotoxicity, coma, diarrhea, dyspnea, hallucinations, hepatotoxicity, hypertension or hypotension, kidney failure, metabolic acidosis, paralysis, polyneuropathy, tachycardia, and vomiting.”

    Podophyllum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in depression.

    Levothyroxine

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

  • A fast or pounding heartbeat Additional detail

    Podophyllum

    “Orally and topically, podophyllum resin can cause tachycardia, hypertension or hypotension, and cardiotoxicity.”

    Podophyllum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypertension.

    3 sources cited
    1. 5617. Cassidy DE, Drewry J, Fanning JP. Podophyllum toxicity: a report of a fatal case and a review of the literature. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1982;19:35-44. PubMed
    2. 12898. Frasca T, Brett AS, Yoo SD. Mandrake toxicity. A case of mistaken identity. Arch Intern Med 1997;157:2007-9.
    3. 12900. Mack RB. Living mortals run mad. Mandrake (podophyllum) poisoning. N C Med J 1992;53:98-9.

    Levothyroxine

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

  • Itching Additional detail

    Podophyllum

    “Topically, podophyllum resin can cause severe local irritation and ulcerations.

    Topically, the podophyllum constituent podophyllotoxin causes erythema, erosions, burning, pain, itching, and tenderness associated with wart necrosis.”

    Podophyllum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in erythema.

    4 sources cited
    1. 12900. Mack RB. Living mortals run mad. Mandrake (podophyllum) poisoning. N C Med J 1992;53:98-9.
    2. 68905. Martin, L. K., Rubin, A. I., Theocharous, C., and Murrell, D. F. Podophyllin reaction mimicking Bowen's disease in a patient with delusions of verrucosis. Clin Exp.Dermatol 2008;33(4):443-445. PubMed
    3. 12902. Longstaff E, von Krogh G. Condyloma eradication: self-therapy with 0.15-0.5% podophyllotoxin versus 20-25% podophyllin preparations--an integrated safety assessment. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2001;33:117-37. PubMed
    4. 12903. Wiley DJ, Douglas J, Beutner K, et al. External genital warts: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Clin Infect Dis 2002;35:S210-24. PubMed

    Levothyroxine

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

  • Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting Additional detail

    Podophyllum

    “Orally and topically, podophyllum resin can cause nausea, severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and ileus.

    Topically, podophyllum resin applied to the tongue or oral mucosa can cause transient loss of taste and local irritation.”

    Podophyllum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    6 sources cited
    1. 5617. Cassidy DE, Drewry J, Fanning JP. Podophyllum toxicity: a report of a fatal case and a review of the literature. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1982;19:35-44. PubMed
    2. 12898. Frasca T, Brett AS, Yoo SD. Mandrake toxicity. A case of mistaken identity. Arch Intern Med 1997;157:2007-9.
    3. 12900. Mack RB. Living mortals run mad. Mandrake (podophyllum) poisoning. N C Med J 1992;53:98-9.
    4. 12897. Lozada-Nur F, Costa C. Retrospective findings of the clinical benefits of podophyllum resin 25% sol on hairy leukoplakia. Clinical results in nine patients. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 1992;73:555-8. PubMed
    5. 68895. Moura, M. D., Guimaraes, T. R., Fonseca, L. M., de, Almeida Pordeus, I, and Mesquita, R. A. A random clinical trial study to assess the efficiency of topical applications of podophyllin resin (25%) versus podophyllin resin (25%) together with acyclovir c
    6. 68942. Gowdey, G., Lee, R. K., and Carpenter, W. M. Treatment of HIV-related hairy leukoplakia with podophyllum resin 25% solution. Oral Surg.Oral Med.Oral Pathol.Oral Radiol.Endod. 1995;79(1):64-67. PubMed

    Levothyroxine

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

  • Nausea Additional detail

    Podophyllum

    Recorded for Podophyllum in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting above.

    Levothyroxine

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

Reported for Podophyllum but not commonly for Levothyroxine: hallucinations, liver problems, kidney problems and a change in taste.

Effects for Levothyroxine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Podophyllum come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Podophyllum in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally or topically for self-medication; avoid using. Podophyllum is potentially embryotoxic and teratogenic. Oral and topical use can result in birth defects and fetal death.

Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally or topically for self-medication; 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

How to take them

Some Levothyroxine Products Have a Food Rule — Podophyllum Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Levothyroxine says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Podophyllum included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Levothyroxine on its own and move Podophyllum to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Levothyroxine products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

From our Q&A

Questions About Podophyllum or Levothyroxine

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

This page covers Podophyllum only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Levothyroxine page lists 50 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Tiratricol (major), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate) and Ascophyllum Nodosum (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 39 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Levothyroxine page

“Levothyroxine replaces a hormone your body measures in tiny amounts, so small shifts in its blood level show up in how you feel, and I treat this list with genuine care. Nearly everything on it does one of two things: blocks the pill from being absorbed in the gut, the way everyday minerals like calcium do by binding it into complexes,…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Levothyroxine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 9 real supplement products containing Podophyllum, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Podophyllum. Even though Podophyllum itself has no known interaction with Levothyroxine, 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 Podophyllum and Levothyroxine 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 Podophyllum
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Levothyroxine
Top 10

#2 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 Podophyllum reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Podophyllum and Levothyroxine 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 Podophyllum

What is Podophyllum?

  • Genital and skin warts (topical)
  • Constipation (historical/traditional laxative)
  • Digestive complaints (homeopathic)
  • Watery diarrhea (homeopathic)
  • Liver and gallbladder remedies (traditional)

Podophyllum (American mayapple) is a toxic plant whose resin contains podophyllotoxin, used in prescription topical products to treat warts. The raw plant and crude resin are poisonous if taken by mouth and should never be self-used. Only use FDA-approved wart products exactly as directed and under medical guidance.

Podophyllum peltatum · Berberidaceae · Dried root and rhizome (and the resin extracted from it, called podophyllin) · Topical resin/solution (prescription podophyllin and podofilox), homeopathic preparations; historically a crude purgative

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

Podophyllum: dosing

There is no safe self-care oral dose for podophyllum, and the whole plant should not be taken by mouth. For warts, dosing is determined entirely by the strength of the prescription product and your clinician's instructions.If you are prescribed a topical podophyllin or podofilox product, use only the amount directed, apply it only to the warts, and follow the schedule and wash-off instructions exactly. Never increase the amount or frequency on your own.

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

Read the full Podophyllum monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Levothyroxine

What Is Levothyroxine Used For?

Brand names: Euthyrox, Levothroid, Unithroid, Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levo-T, Eltroxin, Estre, Levothyroxine, Novothyrox, Levolet

Levothyroxine replaces or supplements the thyroid hormone your body isn't making enough of. It's used for hypothyroidism — an underactive thyroid — in adults, children, and even newborns, whether the cause is the thyroid gland itself, the pituitary gland, or the hypothalamus in the brain.

It's also used alongside surgery and radioiodine treatment in people with certain types of thyroid cancer, to help suppress the hormone that can stimulate cancer growth. It is not meant for weight loss, treating benign thyroid nodules in people who have enough iodine, or for hypothyroidism during recovery from a temporary condition called subacute thyroiditis.

See full Levothyroxine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Podophyllum

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Podophyllum — 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Podophyllum References

The 13 references that drive our Podophyllum 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. Cassidy DE, Drewry J, Fanning JP. Podophyllum toxicity: a report of a fatal case and a review of the literature. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1982;19:35-44. PubMed
  2. Rosenstein G, Rosenstein H, Freeman M, Weston N. Podophyllum-a dangerous laxative. Pediatrics 1976;57:419-21. DOI
  3. Lozada-Nur F, Costa C. Retrospective findings of the clinical benefits of podophyllum resin 25% sol on hairy leukoplakia. Clinical results in nine patients. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 1992;73:555-8. PubMed
  4. Frasca T, Brett AS, Yoo SD. Mandrake toxicity. A case of mistaken identity. Arch Intern Med 1997;157:2007-9.
  5. Schwartz J, Norton SA. Useful plants of dermatology. VI. The mayapple (Podophyllum). J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:774-5. PubMed
  6. Mack RB. Living mortals run mad. Mandrake (podophyllum) poisoning. N C Med J 1992;53:98-9.
  7. Longstaff E, von Krogh G. Condyloma eradication: self-therapy with 0.15-0.5% podophyllotoxin versus 20-25% podophyllin preparations--an integrated safety assessment. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2001;33:117-37. PubMed
  8. Wiley DJ, Douglas J, Beutner K, et al. External genital warts: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Clin Infect Dis 2002;35:S210-24. PubMed
  9. Moura, M. D., Guimaraes, T. R., Fonseca, L. M., de, Almeida Pordeus, I, and Mesquita, R. A. A random clinical trial study to assess the efficiency of topical applications of podophyllin resin (25%) versus podophyllin resin (25%) together with acyclovir c
  10. Martin, L. K., Rubin, A. I., Theocharous, C., and Murrell, D. F. Podophyllin reaction mimicking Bowen's disease in a patient with delusions of verrucosis. Clin Exp.Dermatol 2008;33(4):443-445. PubMed
  11. Chamberlain, M. J., Reynolds, A. L., and Yeoman, W. B. Medical memoranda. Toxic effect of podophyllum application in pregnancy. Br.Med.J. 8-12-1972;3(823):391-392. PubMed
  12. Karol, M. D., Conner, C. S., Watanabe, A. S., and Murphrey, K. J. Podophyllum: suspected teratogenicity from topical application. Clin.Toxicol. 1980;16(3):283-286. PubMed
  13. Gowdey, G., Lee, R. K., and Carpenter, W. M. Treatment of HIV-related hairy leukoplakia with podophyllum resin 25% solution. Oral Surg.Oral Med.Oral Pathol.Oral Radiol.Endod. 1995;79(1):64-67. PubMed

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 Podophyllum and Levothyroxine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Podophyllum with Levothyroxine?
We do not list a known interaction between Podophyllum and Levothyroxine. 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 Podophyllum and Levothyroxine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 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.
Should I take Podophyllum and Levothyroxine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Levothyroxine says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Levothyroxine on its own and move Podophyllum to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Levothyroxine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Levothyroxine has documented interactions with 50 supplements in our database — Podophyllum is not one of them. The Levothyroxine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Levothyroxine and Podophyllum?

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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.