Drug & supplement interaction

Purple Nut Sedge + Loperamide, Simethicone

Loperamide, Simethicone brand name: Imodium Advanced.

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

Purple Nut Sedge has a moderate interaction with Loperamide, Simethicone. In vitro, purple nut sedge dose-dependently inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE).

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

Purple Nut Sedge and Loperamide, Simethicone

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

Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Loperamide, Simethicone

Loperamide, Simethicone falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS — the group Purple Nut Sedge interacts with.

In vitro, purple nut sedge dose-dependently inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Theoretically, concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs and purple nut sedge might decrease the effectiveness of purple nut sedge or the anticholinergic agent.
Some anticholinergic drugs include atropine, benztropine (Cogentin), biperiden (Akineton), procyclidine (Kemadrin), and trihexyphenidyl (Artane).
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 gist for Imodium Advanced (which combines loperamide to slow down diarrhea and simethicone to break up gas). Loperamide works partly by quieting nerve signals in your gut, and lab studies suggest purple nut sedge may nudge things in the opposite direction by raising acetylcholine activity. In theory, the two could blunt each other a little, meaning your anti-diarrhea relief might not be quite as strong.

I want to be honest about how thin this evidence is. It comes only from test-tube work, not from people, so we really don't know if it matters in real life. This isn't a dangerous combo, but if you're treating diarrhea and not getting relief, check with your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Sharma R, Gupta R. Cyperus rotundus extract inhibits acetylcholinesterase activity from animal and plants as well as inhibits germination and seedling growth in wheat and tomato. Life Sci. 2007;80(24-25):2389-2392. 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

Purple Nut Sedge Also Interacts With Other Medications

Purple Nut Sedge has 423 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Loperamide, Simethicone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 423 No known interaction 2,407 (incl. Loperamide, Simethicone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Purple Nut Sedge

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Loperamide, Simethicone

This page covers Purple Nut Sedge only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Loperamide, Simethicone page lists 82 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Henbane (major), Scopolia (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Angel's Trumpet (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 59 moderate · 19 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Loperamide, Simethicone page

“Imodium Advanced combines loperamide, an anti-diarrheal opioid that normally stays out of the brain thanks to a transporter called P-glycoprotein, with simethicone for gas, and I treat its interaction list with more respect than most over-the-counter medicines warrant. Thirty-seven of the 82 interacting ingredients on file affect that…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Loperamide, Simethicone interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Purple Nut Sedge and Loperamide, Simethicone 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 Purple Nut Sedge
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Loperamide, Simethicone
Top half

#832 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 Purple Nut Sedge

What is Purple Nut Sedge?

  • Digestive upset and bloating
  • Menstrual cramps and irregular periods
  • Fever and inflammation
  • Skin and weight-related concerns
  • Antimicrobial uses

Purple nut sedge (Cyperus rotundus) is a common weed whose tubers have a long history in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and other traditional medicine systems, mostly for digestive and menstrual complaints. Modern human evidence is very limited, so its benefits remain unproven. If you want to try it, talk with a pharmacist or doctor first, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Purple Nut Sedge monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Purple Nut Sedge

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

0Major
423Moderate
0Minor
2,406No known interaction
423 Moderate 2,406 No interaction
Moderate

423 interactions

Showing 60 of 423 moderate interactions — see all 423 on the Purple Nut Sedge page.

No interaction 2,406 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,406 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Purple Nut Sedge list.

See the full Purple Nut Sedge interactions page
See every supplement checked against Loperamide, Simethicone, 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
Purple Nut Sedge monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Loperamide, Simethicone supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Loperamide, Simethicone, 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 Purple Nut Sedge and Loperamide, Simethicone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Purple Nut Sedge with Loperamide, Simethicone?
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 Purple Nut Sedge and Loperamide, Simethicone 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 Loperamide, Simethicone and Purple Nut Sedge?

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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.