Drug & supplement interaction

Sage + Fomoterol

Fomoterol brand name: Foradil.

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

Fomoterol falls into 3 drug categories that Sage can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, sage might increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Sage and Fomoterol

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Sage interacts with whole categories of medication. Fomoterol falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Sage in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Fomoterol

Fomoterol falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES — the group Sage interacts with.

Theoretically, sage might increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.
In vitro evidence suggests that aqueous extracts of sage can inhibit CYP2D6. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 your Foradil (formoterol) inhaler. Your liver uses an enzyme called CYP2D6 to help clear formoterol from your body. Lab studies suggest that concentrated sage extracts may slow that enzyme down a bit. In theory, that could let a little more formoterol linger, which might make typical beta-agonist side effects more noticeable, things like a faster or pounding heartbeat, jitteriness, shaky hands, or a headache.

I want to be honest about how shaky this evidence is. It comes from test-tube studies only, and it has not been seen in real people. Cooking with sage is very unlikely to matter. If you use concentrated sage capsules or the essential oil, just give your pharmacist or doctor a heads up so they can keep an eye on things.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, Hana J, et al. In vitro inhibition of human cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of marker substrates by natural products. Phytomedicine 2003;10:334-42.. PubMed
  2. Hellum BH, Nilsen OG. The in vitro inhibitory potential of trade herbal products on human CYP2D6-mediated metabolism and the influence of ethanol. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2007 Nov;101:350-8.
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES

2 of 3

Fomoterol also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, sage might increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP2C19.
In vitro evidence suggests that aqueous extracts of sage can inhibit CYP2C19. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 formoterol (Foradil) and sage. The idea on file is that sage might slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2C19, which could let drugs cleared by that enzyme build up a bit. If formoterol levels crept up, you might notice more of its typical side effects, like a faster or pounding heartbeat, shakiness or tremor in your hands, jitteriness, or a headache.

That said, this is theoretical. It comes only from lab studies, and it has never actually been reported in people. Everyday cooking amounts of sage in your food are very unlikely to matter. Concentrated sage extracts or supplements are where you'd want to be more cautious. If you're using a sage product regularly, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, Hana J, et al. In vitro inhibition of human cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of marker substrates by natural products. Phytomedicine 2003;10:334-42.. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

3 of 3

Fomoterol also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, sage might increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP2C9.
In vitro evidence suggests that aqueous extracts of sage can inhibit CYP2C9. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 with sage and your formoterol (Foradil) inhaler. Sage, in lab studies only, may slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2C9. When that enzyme is blocked, drugs it normally clears can build up a little. So in theory, sage could raise formoterol levels and make its effects, and side effects, a bit stronger. With this medicine that might look like a faster or pounding heartbeat, shakiness or tremor, nervousness, or a headache.

That said, I don't want to overstate this. This is only a test-tube finding, and it has never actually been reported in people. Everyday cooking amounts of sage are very unlikely to matter. Concentrated sage extracts or oils are the bigger question, so just run those by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, Hana J, et al. In vitro inhibition of human cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of marker substrates by natural products. Phytomedicine 2003;10:334-42.. 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

Sage Also Interacts With Other Medications

Sage has 1,295 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Fomoterol one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,295 No known interaction 1,535 (incl. Fomoterol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Sage

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Fomoterol

This page covers Sage only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fomoterol page lists 103 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,3-dmaa (moderate), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate), Adrafinil (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 84 moderate · 19 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Fomoterol page

“Fomoterol (Foradil) keeps airways open in asthma and COPD, and the supplement picture here is calmer than a 103-item list suggests. None of these interactions is rated major; 84 are moderate and 19 minor.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Fomoterol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 718 real supplement products containing Sage, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sage. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Fomoterol too, on top of Sage — 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 Sage and Fomoterol 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 Sage
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Fomoterol
Steady interest

#1,989 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 Sage

What is Sage?

Sage
  • Sore throat and mouth irritation
  • Digestive upset
  • Excessive sweating
  • Memory and thinking
  • Menopause symptoms (hot flashes)
  • General antioxidant support

Sage is a common kitchen herb that is generally safe in food amounts and is traditionally used for sore throats, digestion, sweating, and memory. Some early research is encouraging for sore throat and menopausal hot flashes, but most uses are not well proven. Concentrated extracts and the essential oil should be used carefully because high doses contain a compound called thujone, which can be harmful.

Read the full Sage monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Formoterol Oral Inhalation

What Is Formoterol Oral Inhalation Used For?

Brand name: Foradil

Formoterol fumarate inhalation solution is used for the long-term maintenance treatment of airway narrowing (bronchoconstriction) in adults with COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is taken twice daily — morning and evening — as a regular, ongoing treatment.

Important limits: This medication is not for relieving sudden COPD flare-ups or breathlessness in the moment, and it is not approved to treat asthma. A separate short-acting inhaler should always be on hand for sudden symptoms.

See full Formoterol Oral Inhalation drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sage

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

0Major
1,295Moderate
0Minor
1,534No known interaction
1,295 Moderate 1,534 No interaction
Moderate

1,295 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,295 moderate interactions — see all 1,295 on the Sage page.

No interaction 1,534 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,534 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Sage list.

See the full Sage interactions page
See every supplement checked against Fomoterol, 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
Sage monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Fomoterol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Fomoterol, ranked by severity Formoterol Oral Inhalation drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Sage and Fomoterol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Sage with Fomoterol?
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.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Sage and Fomoterol?
Fomoterol belongs to more than one drug category, and Sage interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Sage and Fomoterol 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 Fomoterol and Sage?

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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.