Drug & supplement interaction

Rhodiola + Pantoprazole

Pantoprazole brand names: Protonix, Pantoloc, Protonix IV.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Rhodiola has a minor interaction with Pantoprazole. Theoretically, rhodiola might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

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

Rhodiola and Pantoprazole

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Pantoprazole

Pantoprazole falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Rhodiola interacts with.

Theoretically, rhodiola might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro research shows that rhodiola inhibits CYP3A4. This effect is highly variable and appears to be dependent on the rhodiola product studied. However, a clinical study in healthy young males found that taking rhodiola extract 290 mg daily for 14 days does not inhibit the metabolism of midazolam, a CYP3A4 substrate.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 pantoprazole (Protonix). Lab studies hint that rhodiola might slow down an enzyme in your liver called CYP3A4, which is one of the helpers that break pantoprazole down. In theory, that could let a bit more pantoprazole linger in your system. Pantoprazole isn't a prodrug, so more of it would simply mean slightly stronger acid-blocking, possibly with mild effects like headache, gas, or an upset stomach.

The good news? This is mostly a theoretical concern. A real human study found rhodiola didn't actually meaningfully change how a CYP3A4 drug was cleared, and pantoprazole is a forgiving, low-risk medicine. I wouldn't lose sleep here, but it's always smart to mention any supplement to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Hellum BH, Tosse A, Hoybakk K, et al. Potent in vitro inhibition of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein by Rhodiola rosea. Planta Med 2010;76:331-8.
  2. Thu OK, Nilsen OG, Hellum B. In vitro inhibition of cytochrome P-450 activities and quantification of constituents in a selection of commercial Rhodiola rosea products. Pharm Bio. 2016 Dec;54(12):3249-3256.
  3. Thu OK, Spigset O, Nilsen OG, Hellum B. Effect of commercial Rhodiola rosea on CYP enzyme activity in humans. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2016 Mar;72(3):295-300. 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

Rhodiola Also Interacts With Other Medications

Rhodiola has 624 moderate, 646 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Pantoprazole one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Rhodiola

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Rhodiola or Pantoprazole

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Rhodiola or Pantoprazole, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pantoprazole

This page covers Rhodiola only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pantoprazole page lists 152 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 100 moderate · 49 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pantoprazole page

“Pantoprazole (Protonix) is a stomach acid reducer for reflux and ulcers, generally an easy drug to live with, but three of the 152 supplements and herbs on this list earn genuine caution. Grapefruit and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pantoprazole interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,713 real supplement products containing Rhodiola, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Rhodiola. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Pantoprazole too, on top of Rhodiola — 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 Rhodiola and Pantoprazole 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 Rhodiola
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pantoprazole
Top 5%

#93 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 Rhodiola

What is Rhodiola?

Rhodiola
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Stress and coping (adaptogen)
  • Mental performance and focus
  • Mild depression
  • Physical and exercise performance

Rhodiola is an herb traditionally used to fight fatigue and help the body cope with stress. Some small studies suggest it may modestly reduce fatigue and improve mood, but the evidence is limited and not strong. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Rhodiola monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pantoprazole

What Is Pantoprazole Used For?

Brand names: Protonix, Pantoloc, Protonix IV

Pantoprazole delayed-release tablets and oral suspension are used in adults and children 5 years and older to heal erosive esophagitis (EE) — damage to the esophagus caused by stomach acid — and to relieve GERD symptoms short-term (up to 8 weeks). In adults, they are also used to maintain that healing and reduce heartburn relapse, and to treat conditions where the stomach makes too much acid, including Zollinger-Ellison (ZE) Syndrome.

Intravenous (IV) pantoprazole — given by injection or infusion in a clinical setting — is approved in adults for short-term treatment of GERD with a history of erosive esophagitis (up to 10 days) and for pathological hypersecretory conditions including ZE Syndrome. PROTONIX I.V. is also approved for GERD/EE in pediatric patients 3 months and older (up to 7 days). IV pantoprazole is not approved for treating upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

See full Pantoprazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Rhodiola

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

0Major
624Moderate
646Minor
1,559No known interaction
Moderate

624 interactions

Showing 60 of 624 moderate interactions — see all 624 on the Rhodiola page.

Minor

646 interactions

Showing 60 of 646 minor interactions — see all 646 on the Rhodiola page.

No interaction 1,559 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Rhodiola and Pantoprazole Together: Common Questions

Can you take Rhodiola with Pantoprazole?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Rhodiola and Pantoprazole interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Pantoprazole and Rhodiola?

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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.