Drug & supplement interaction

Poria Mushroom + Phensuximide

Phensuximide brand name: Milontin.

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

Poria Mushroom has a moderate interaction with Phensuximide. Theoretically, taking poria mushroom extract may enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of sedatives.

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

Poria Mushroom and Phensuximide

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Phensuximide

Phensuximide 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

Phensuximide (Milontin) is an older medicine used to help control absence (petit mal) seizures, and like many seizure drugs it can leave you feeling drowsy, dizzy, or foggy. The concern here is simple to picture: lab and animal studies hint that Poria mushroom may have a mild calming, sedating effect of its own. If that holds true in people, stacking it on top of phensuximide could add to that sleepy, sluggish feeling.

I want to be honest about the strength of this. It is purely theoretical, based on how things behave in animals, and has never been shown in humans. So I would not panic. Still, since both can nudge you toward drowsiness, it is worth a quick chat with your doctor or pharmacist before combining them, and go easy on driving until you know how you feel.

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

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 Phensuximide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 416 No known interaction 2,414 (incl. Phensuximide)
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 Phensuximide

This page covers Poria Mushroom only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phensuximide page lists 105 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 Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 82 moderate · 16 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phensuximide page

“Phensuximide (Milontin) treats absence seizures and is sedating on its own, which is why this supplement list earns real caution rather than a quick skim. Most of the risk is sedation stacking, since 78 of the 105 ingredients on file have calming effects of their own, and the heaviest combinations can push drowsiness toward dangerous s…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phensuximide 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 Phensuximide 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 Phensuximide 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Phensuximide
Steady interest

#2,357 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 Phensuximide, 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 Phensuximide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Phensuximide, 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 Phensuximide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Poria Mushroom with Phensuximide?
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 Poria Mushroom and Phensuximide 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 Phensuximide 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.