Drug & supplement interaction

Potato + Succinylcholine

Succinylcholine brand names: Anectine, Quelicin.

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

Potato has a moderate interaction with Succinylcholine. In humans, consuming potatoes prior to preoperative fasting prolongs the duration of the succinylcholine-induced neuromuscular block and slows recovery from anesthesia.

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

Potato and Succinylcholine

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

Moderate

SUCCINYLCHOLINE

In humans, consuming potatoes prior to preoperative fasting prolongs the duration of the succinylcholine-induced neuromuscular block and slows recovery from anesthesia. This interaction is possibly related to inhibition of the butyrylcholinesterase enzyme by potato glycoalkaloids.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's something most people would never guess: the natural compounds in potatoes (called glycoalkaloids) can slow down an enzyme in your blood called butyrylcholinesterase. That's the very enzyme your body uses to break down succinylcholine, the short-acting muscle relaxer given during anesthesia to briefly paralyze your muscles so a breathing tube can be placed.

If that enzyme is partly blocked, the drug sticks around longer than expected. In practice, that can mean a longer period of muscle paralysis and a slower wake-up after surgery. There's some human evidence behind this, though it's not super strong. The good news is this really only matters around surgery. If you have an operation coming up, just mention any recent potato-heavy eating or potato remedies to your anesthesia team or pharmacist so they can plan accordingly.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Bestas A, Goksu H, Erhan OL. The effect of preoperative consumption of potatoes on succinylcholine-induced block and recovery from anesthesia. J Clin Monit Comput. 2013;27(6):609-12. 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

Potato Also Interacts With Other Medications

Potato has 6 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Succinylcholine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 6 No known interaction 2,824 (incl. Succinylcholine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Potato

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Succinylcholine

This page covers Potato only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Succinylcholine page lists 25 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Procaine (major), Bacopa (moderate), Bael (moderate), Betel Nut (moderate) and Boxwood (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 23 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Succinylcholine page

“Succinylcholine (Anectine, Quelicin) is the fast-acting paralytic that anesthesia teams use to relax muscles for intubation and surgery, and its interaction list deserves genuine respect. Of the 25 entries on file, 21 are herbs and supplements that raise acetylcholine, the same nerve-signaling chemical this drug works through, so they…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Succinylcholine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 140 real supplement products containing Potato, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Potato. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Succinylcholine too, on top of Potato — 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 Potato and Succinylcholine 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 Potato
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Succinylcholine
Top 5%

#70 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 Potato

What is Potato?

  • Digestive complaints and heartburn
  • Minor skin irritation or burns (topical folk use)
  • Joint or muscle aches (traditional poultice)
  • Source of carbohydrates and potassium in the diet
  • Eye puffiness (cosmetic folk use)

Potato is a common food, and as a supplement it is mostly used in folk remedies such as raw potato juice for stomach upset or as a topical poultice. Solid scientific evidence for these uses is very limited. The edible tuber is safe as food, but green, sprouted, or raw potato in large amounts can contain natural toxins, so use caution and talk to your pharmacist before using potato as a remedy.

Read the full Potato monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Potato

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

0Major
6Moderate
0Minor
2,823No known interaction
6 Moderate 2,823 No interaction
Moderate

6 interactions

No interaction 2,823 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,823 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Potato list.

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

Can you take Potato with Succinylcholine?
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 Potato and Succinylcholine 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 Succinylcholine and Potato?

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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.