Drug & supplement interaction

Sida Cordifolia + Felbamate

Felbamate brand name: Felbatol.

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

Sida Cordifolia has a major interaction with Felbamate. Theoretically, Sida cordifolia might increase the risk of additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT interval-prolonging drugs.

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

Sida Cordifolia and Felbamate

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

Major

QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS

Why this applies to Felbamate

Felbamate falls under QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS — the group Sida Cordifolia interacts with.

Theoretically, Sida cordifolia might increase the risk of additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT interval-prolonging drugs.
Sida cordifolia contains ephedrine. Clinical research shows that ephedrine from another herb, ephedra, can prolong the QT interval.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the concern with pairing Sida cordifolia and felbamate. This plant naturally contains ephedrine, a strong stimulant that can speed up your heart and raise your blood pressure. On top of that, ephedrine has been shown to stretch out part of your heart's electrical cycle, something doctors call the QT interval. Felbamate is grouped with medicines that can do the same thing, so taking both together may add up and raise the risk of an abnormal, sometimes dangerous heart rhythm.

I'll be honest, this is largely a theoretical and added-up risk rather than something proven for this exact combination. Still, given the heart stimulation involved, I'd skip the supplement and check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. McBride BF, Karapanos AK, Krudysz A, et al. Electrocardiographic and hemodynamic effects of a multicomponent dietary supplement containing ephedra and caffeine: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2004;291:216-21. 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

Sida Cordifolia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Sida Cordifolia has 336 major, 108 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Felbamate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 336 Moderate 108 No known interaction 2,386 (incl. Felbamate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Sida Cordifolia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Felbamate

This page covers Sida Cordifolia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Felbamate page lists 172 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 14 major · 141 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Felbamate page

“Felbamate (Felbatol) is a seizure medicine usually reserved for epilepsy that other drugs have failed to control, in part because it can stress the liver on its own. That history is why its 172 supplement and herbal interactions deserve real vigilance, starting with the 14 rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Felbamate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 48 real supplement products containing Sida Cordifolia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sida Cordifolia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Felbamate too, on top of Sida Cordifolia — 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 Sida Cordifolia and Felbamate 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 Sida Cordifolia
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Felbamate
Top 25%

#434 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 Sida Cordifolia

What is Sida Cordifolia?

Sida Cordifolia
  • Weight loss and energy
  • Asthma and breathing problems
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Fever and cough
  • General fatigue or 'tonic'

Sida cordifolia (bala or country mallow) is a traditional Ayurvedic plant that naturally contains ephedrine, a powerful stimulant. Because of this, many supplements containing it have been banned or restricted, and it carries real risks to the heart and blood pressure. There is little reliable human evidence that it works, so most people should avoid it and talk with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Sida Cordifolia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Felbamate

What Is Felbamate Used For?

Brand name: Felbatol

Felbamate is not a first-line seizure medication. It is used only when a person's epilepsy has not responded well enough to other treatments and the seizures are severe enough that the serious risks of this drug are considered acceptable.

In adults, felbamate can be used alone or alongside other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to treat partial seizures (seizures that start in one part of the brain), with or without spreading to become a full seizure. In children, felbamate is used as an add-on treatment for both partial and generalized seizures linked to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of childhood epilepsy. Felbatol is specifically labeled for these uses in both adults and children.

See full Felbamate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sida Cordifolia

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

336Major
108Moderate
0Minor
2,385No known interaction
336 Major 108 Moderate 2,385 No interaction
Major

336 interactions

Showing 60 of 336 major interactions — see all 336 on the Sida Cordifolia page.

Moderate

108 interactions

Showing 60 of 108 moderate interactions — see all 108 on the Sida Cordifolia page.

No interaction 2,385 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,385 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Sida Cordifolia list.

See the full Sida Cordifolia interactions page
See every supplement checked against Felbamate, 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
Sida Cordifolia monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Felbamate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Felbamate, ranked by severity Felbamate 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 Sida Cordifolia and Felbamate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Sida Cordifolia with Felbamate?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Sida Cordifolia and Felbamate interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Felbamate and Sida Cordifolia?

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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.