Drug & supplement interaction

Reed Herb + Orlistat

Orlistat brand names: Xenical, Alli.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Reed Herb and Orlistat 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.

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Interaction report

Reed Herb and Orlistat

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 Orlistat 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 Orlistat, 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 Orlistat and Reed Herb? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Orlistat’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 Orlistat’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. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Bleeding in the gut Worth acting on
  • Low blood sugar Worth acting on
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • Wheezing Worth acting on
  • Low mood Worth acting on
  • A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on
  • Hives Worth acting on
  • Liver problems Worth acting on
  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 28 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 Orlistat. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 25,755 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Orlistat 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.

Overlapping uses

What Orlistat Is Prescribed For, and What Reed Herb Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Orlistat is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Reed Herb is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Orlistat is prescribed for: Xenical and prescription-strength orlistat are approved to help obese adults lose weight and keep it off when used with a reduced-calorie diet. They are intended for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher if other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol or fat levels in the blood) are present. Alli is the over-the-counter version, approved for weight loss in overweight adults 18 and older when used with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program.

Reed Herb has been studied for:

  • Diabetes studied, not established Reed Herb has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Reed Herb for diabetes

    Although there has been interest in using oral reed herb for diabetes, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of reed herb for this purpose.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Orlistat on your own; if you are taking Reed Herb for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Orlistat

This page covers Reed Herb only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Orlistat page lists 18 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), Fish Oil (moderate) and Glucomannan (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 8 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Orlistat page

“People who take Orlistat (Xenical, Alli) for weight loss often browse the very supplement aisle where fiber products and fish oil sit, and both show up on this page, so it deserves genuine attention before you mix anything in. Nearly all 18 ingredients on file can change how oral medications absorb from the gut, and the single major-ra…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Orlistat 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 Orlistat, 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 Orlistat 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
Steady interest

#1,077 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Orlistat
Top half

#896 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 20, 2026. The Reed Herb and Orlistat 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 Orlistat

What Is Orlistat Used For?

Brand names: Xenical, Alli

Xenical and prescription-strength orlistat are approved to help obese adults lose weight and keep it off when used with a reduced-calorie diet. They are intended for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher if other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol or fat levels in the blood) are present.

Alli is the over-the-counter version, approved for weight loss in overweight adults 18 and older when used with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Orlistat

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (25,755 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Rectal discharge 2,434 reports
Gastrointestinal disorder 2,186 reports
Constipation 1,991 reports
Diarrhea 1,960 reports
Weight increased 1,944 reports
See full Orlistat 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
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Reed Herb list.

See the full Reed Herb interactions page
See every supplement checked against Orlistat, ranked by severity
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 Orlistat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Reed Herb with Orlistat?
We do not list a known interaction between Reed Herb and Orlistat. 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.
Are Reed Herb and Orlistat used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Reed Herb in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Orlistat is being adjusted to a target.
Does Orlistat interact with any supplements?
Yes. Orlistat has documented interactions with 18 supplements in our database — Reed Herb is not one of them. The Orlistat interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Reed Herb monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Orlistat drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Orlistat supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Orlistat, 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 References The 2 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Orlistat and Reed Herb?

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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.