Drug & supplement interaction

Reed Herb + Balsalazide Disodium

Balsalazide Disodium brand names: Colazal, Giazo.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Reed Herb and Balsalazide Disodium 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.

Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Reed Herb and Balsalazide Disodium

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 Balsalazide Disodium and Reed Herb 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 Reed Herb at all — not against Balsalazide Disodium, 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.

Reed Herb safety at a glance

Reed Herb overall Use caution Traditionally used and generally well tolerated, but human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information; best to avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data, so avoid while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Balsalazide Disodium and Reed Herb? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Balsalazide Disodium’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Reed Herb. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Balsalazide Disodium’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 9 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney stones Worth acting on
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • Kidney problems Worth acting on
  • Anemia Worth acting on
  • Liver problems Worth acting on
  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on
  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on
  • Sun sensitivity

Showing the 10 most notable of 31 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Balsalazide Disodium. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 505 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Balsalazide Disodium that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Reed Herb’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Reed Herb side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Reed Herb has no side effects.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Balsalazide Disodium

This page covers Reed Herb only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Balsalazide Disodium page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Balsalazide Disodium page

“Balsalazide Disodium (Colazal, Giazo) only works if it reaches the colon intact, and the 17 supplement interactions on file all threaten that journey, so this list deserves real care. Every entry comes down to absorption of the oral dose.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Balsalazide Disodium interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 57 real supplement products containing Reed Herb, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Reed Herb. Even though Reed Herb itself has no known interaction with Balsalazide Disodium, 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 Reed Herb and Balsalazide Disodium 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 Reed Herb
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Balsalazide Disodium
Steady interest

#1,596 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. Reed Herb is not yet covered by that licensed database, so its write-up cites publicly available medical sources directly (see the references below).
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Reed Herb reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Reed Herb and Balsalazide Disodium records this page draws on were last updated June 20, 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 Reed Herb

What is Reed Herb?

Reed Herb
  • Digestive upset
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diuretic (increasing urine)
  • Promoting sweating during fevers
  • Clearing heat (traditional use)

Reed herb (Phragmites australis) is a tall grass whose stems and roots have long been used in traditional medicine, especially for digestive complaints, fever, and as a mild diuretic. Modern scientific evidence in people is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven. If you want to try it, talk with a pharmacist or doctor first, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data.

Phragmites australis · Poaceae · Stem and rhizome (root) · Tea, decoction, dried herb, powder

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

Reed Herb: dosing

There is no standardized, well-established dose for reed herb. Traditional preparations are usually made as a decoction or tea from the dried stem or rhizome, but the right amount can vary widely.If you choose to use a commercial product, follow the directions on the label and do not take more than recommended.

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

Read the full Reed Herb monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Balsalazide

What Is Balsalazide Used For?

Brand names: Colazal, Giazo

Balsalazide disodium capsules (sold as Balsalazide Disodium and Colazal) are used to treat mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis — a condition where the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and causes symptoms like diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal pain. This use is approved for adults and for children ages 5 through 17.

The established treatment period is up to 8 weeks in children (ages 5–17) and up to 12 weeks in adults. Safety and effectiveness beyond those time frames have not been established in clinical trials.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Balsalazide Disodium

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (505 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diarrhea 43 reports
Injection site pain 39 reports
Colitis ulcerative 32 reports
Fatigue 31 reports
Arthralgia 30 reports
See full Balsalazide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Reed Herb

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Reed Herb — 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

Reed Herb References

The 2 sources that drive our Reed Herb monograph — publicly available pages from reputable medical and government organizations. Every link was verified to work before publishing. Reed Herb is not covered by the licensed Natural Medicines interaction database, so its page cites these public sources directly.

  1. Herbs at a Glance — NIH NCCIH Source
  2. Herbs and Supplements — MedlinePlus Source

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 Reed Herb and Balsalazide Disodium Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Reed Herb with Balsalazide Disodium?
We do not list a known interaction between Reed Herb and Balsalazide Disodium. 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.
Does Balsalazide Disodium interact with any supplements?
Yes. Balsalazide Disodium has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Reed Herb is not one of them. The Balsalazide Disodium 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 Balsalazide Disodium and Reed Herb?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.