Drug & supplement interaction

Reishi Mushroom + Trimethaphan

Trimethaphan brand name: Arfonad.

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

Reishi Mushroom has a moderate interaction with Trimethaphan. Theoretically, concurrent use of reishi mushroom with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.

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

Reishi Mushroom and Trimethaphan

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Trimethaphan

Trimethaphan falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Reishi Mushroom interacts with.

Theoretically, concurrent use of reishi mushroom with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.
Reishi mushroom has shown hypotensive activity in animal research. Clinical evidence suggests that reishi mushroom reduces blood pressure in some, but not all, patients with hypertension.
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 simple version. Trimethaphan is a powerful blood-pressure-lowering medicine given through an IV, usually in a hospital setting to bring down very high pressure quickly. Reishi mushroom can also gently nudge blood pressure downward in some people. So the worry is that stacking them together could drop your blood pressure too far.

If that happened, you might feel dizzy, lightheaded, weak, or faint, especially when standing up. I'll be honest, though: this concern comes mostly from animal and lab studies, so the real-world risk is theoretical. Since trimethaphan is given in a closely watched hospital setting, your care team controls your blood pressure carefully. Still, let them know about any reishi you take so they can keep an eye out.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Lee SY, Rhee HM. Cardiovascular effects of mycelium extract of Ganoderma lucidum: inhibition of sympathetic outflow as a mechanism of its hypotensive action. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1990;38:1359-64. PubMed
  2. Kabir, Y., Kimura, S., and Tamura, T. Dietary effect of Ganoderma lucidum mushroom on blood pressure and lipid levels in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). J Nutr Sci Vitaminol.(Tokyo) 1988;34(4):433-438. PubMed
  3. Kanmatsuse, K., Kajiwara, N., Hayashi, K., Shimogaichi, S., Fukinbara, I., Ishikawa, H., and Tamura, T. [Studies on Ganoderma lucidum. I. Efficacy against hypertension and side effects]. Yakugaku Zasshi 1985;105(10):942-947. PubMed
  4. Jin H, Zhang G, Cao X, and et al. Treatment of hypertension by linzhi combined with hypotensor and its effects on arterial, arteriolar and capillary pressure and microcirculation. In: Niimi H, Xiu RJ, Sawada T, and et al. Microcirculatory Approach to Asi

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

Reishi Mushroom Also Interacts With Other Medications

Reishi Mushroom has 374 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Trimethaphan one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 374 No known interaction 2,456 (incl. Trimethaphan)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Reishi Mushroom

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Trimethaphan

This page covers Reishi Mushroom only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Trimethaphan page lists 136 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Tyramine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 111 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Trimethaphan page

“Trimethaphan (Arfonad) is given by IV to drop blood pressure quickly, often during surgery or a hypertensive emergency, so I would read this list with real vigilance rather than a shrug. Of the 136 flagged ingredients, nearly all act on blood pressure itself, some adding to the drug's lowering effect and others, tyramine being the clea…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Trimethaphan interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Reishi Mushroom and Trimethaphan 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 Reishi Mushroom
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Trimethaphan
Top 5%

#141 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 Reishi Mushroom

What is Reishi Mushroom?

Reishi Mushroom
  • Immune support
  • Fatigue and general well-being
  • Stress and sleep
  • Inflammation
  • Heart and cholesterol health

Reishi is a traditional Asian mushroom widely used to support the immune system and overall wellness. Human evidence for most of its claimed benefits is limited or low-quality, so it should not replace proven treatments. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or take other medicines.

Read the full Reishi Mushroom monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Reishi Mushroom

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

0Major
374Moderate
0Minor
2,455No known interaction
374 Moderate 2,455 No interaction
Moderate

374 interactions

Showing 60 of 374 moderate interactions — see all 374 on the Reishi Mushroom page.

No interaction 2,455 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,455 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Reishi Mushroom list.

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

Can you take Reishi Mushroom with Trimethaphan?
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 Reishi Mushroom and Trimethaphan 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 Trimethaphan and Reishi 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.