Drug & supplement interaction

Sage + Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum

Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum brand name: Vusion.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Sage has a moderate interaction with Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum. Theoretically, sage might increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

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

Sage and Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum

Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Sage interacts with.

Theoretically, sage might increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro evidence suggests that aqueous extracts of sage can inhibit CYP3A4. 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

Good news here: Vusion is a skin ointment that combines miconazole (an antifungal), zinc oxide, and petrolatum. It is meant to be smeared on a baby's diaper rash, not swallowed. Very little of it gets into the bloodstream, so the worry about sage blocking the CYP3A4 enzyme in your liver really doesn't apply in any meaningful way.

On top of that, this concern is purely theoretical. It comes only from lab dish studies showing sage extracts can slow CYP3A4, and it has never been seen in real people. Cooking with sage or sipping sage tea is no concern at all alongside this cream. If you have questions about using Vusion, your pediatrician or pharmacist is happy to help.

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, B. H. and Nilsen, O. G. In vitro inhibition of CYP3A4 metabolism and P-glycoprotein-mediated transport by trade herbal products. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2008;102(5):466-475.

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 1,296 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum 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 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 Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum

This page covers Sage only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum page lists 132 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 95 moderate · 35 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum page

“Grapefruit tops this list, with St. John's wort right beside it, the only two of 132 ingredients rated major against Vusion (miconazole, zinc oxide, and petrolatum), an antifungal ointment most often used for yeast-related diaper rash.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum 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 Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum 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 Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum
Top 25%

#538 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
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
1,296Moderate
0Minor
1,533No known interaction
Moderate

1,296 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,296 moderate interactions — see all 1,296 on the Sage page.

No interaction 1,533 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 1,533 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Sage 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 Sage and Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum Together: Common Questions

Can you take Sage with Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum?
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 Sage and Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum 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 Miconazole, Zinc Oxide, Petrolatum 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.