Drug & supplement interaction

Poria Mushroom + Glutethimide

Glutethimide brand name: Doriden.

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

Glutethimide falls into 2 drug categories that Poria Mushroom can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking poria mushroom extract may enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of sedatives.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Poria Mushroom and Glutethimide

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Poria Mushroom interacts with whole categories of medication. Glutethimide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Poria Mushroom in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Glutethimide

Glutethimide falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Poria Mushroom interacts with.

Theoretically, taking poria mushroom extract may enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of sedatives.
Animal research shows that poria mushroom extract has sedative properties. This interaction has not been shown in humans.
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

Glutethimide (Doriden) is an older sedative-hypnotic that calms the nervous system to help with sleep. Poria mushroom seems to have its own mild sedative effect, at least in animal studies. So the worry here is simple: stacking the two could deepen that calming action more than you expect. That might show up as extra drowsiness, grogginess, dizziness, slowed breathing, or feeling unsteady on your feet.

I'll be honest with you, though, this is a theoretical concern based on lab and animal work, not anything proven in people. So there's no need to panic. Still, because Glutethimide is already a strong sedative, I'd play it safe and check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them rather than adjusting anything on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Kim H, Park I, Park K, Park S, Kim YI, Park BG. The positive effects of Poria cocos extract on quality of sleep in insomnia rat models. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022;19(11):6629. PubMed
Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

2 of 2

Glutethimide also falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, poria mushroom might decrease the clinical effects of anticholinergic drugs.
In animal research, poria mushroom essential oil reduces acetylcholinesterase activity. This interaction has not been shown in humans.
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 basic idea with glutethimide (Doriden), an older sedative that also carries some anticholinergic, or drying, activity. In animal studies, poria mushroom appears to lower an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which leaves more acetylcholine around. Since that acetylcholine pushes in the opposite direction of glutethimide's drying effects, poria could in theory blunt some of those anticholinergic actions a bit.

I want to be honest with you though: this is theoretical only, based on lab and animal work, and it has never been shown in people. It's unlikely to cause real trouble, and glutethimide itself is rarely prescribed today because it's habit-forming and sedating. Still, before pairing the two, run it by your pharmacist or doctor so they can look at your full picture.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Lv Q, Di X, Bian B, Li K, Guo J. Neuroprotective effects of Poria cocos (Agaricomycetes) essential oil on Aß1-40-induced learning and memory deficit in rats. Int J Med Mushrooms 2022;24(10):73-82.

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

Poria Mushroom Also Interacts With Other Medications

Poria Mushroom has 416 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Glutethimide one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 416 No known interaction 2,414 (incl. Glutethimide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Poria Mushroom

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Glutethimide

This page covers Poria Mushroom only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Glutethimide page lists 134 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Henbane (major).

By severity: 9 major · 108 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Glutethimide page

“Picture the person prescribed glutethimide (Doriden), an old sedative sleeping pill, adding kava or a glass of wine to get through a restless night. That is exactly the pairing this list warns hardest against.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Glutethimide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,303 real supplement products containing Poria Mushroom, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Poria Mushroom. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Glutethimide too, on top of Poria Mushroom — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Poria Mushroom and Glutethimide 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 Poria Mushroom
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Glutethimide
Steady interest

#1,901 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 Poria Mushroom

What is Poria Mushroom?

  • Fluid retention and swelling
  • Digestive complaints
  • Sleep and calming support
  • General wellness and immune support
  • Urinary support

Poria mushroom (Fu Ling) is a fungus long used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, mainly as a mild diuretic and digestive and calming aid. Modern scientific evidence in humans is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven. It is generally considered well tolerated, but talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data.

Read the full Poria Mushroom monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Poria Mushroom

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

0Major
416Moderate
0Minor
2,413No known interaction
416 Moderate 2,413 No interaction
Moderate

416 interactions

Showing 60 of 416 moderate interactions — see all 416 on the Poria Mushroom page.

No interaction 2,413 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,413 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Poria Mushroom list.

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

Can you take Poria Mushroom with Glutethimide?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Poria Mushroom and Glutethimide?
Glutethimide belongs to more than one drug category, and Poria Mushroom interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Poria Mushroom and Glutethimide 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 Glutethimide and Poria Mushroom?

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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.