Drug & supplement interaction

Sida Cordifolia + Lovastatin

Lovastatin brand names: Mevacor, Altocor.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Lovastatin states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Lovastatin and Sida Cordifolia in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Sida Cordifolia safety at a glance

Sida Cordifolia overall Avoid It contains ephedrine, a stimulant linked to serious heart and blood pressure risks, and is banned in many products.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally. The ephedrine constituent of Sida cordifolia has been linked to several cases of severe side effects. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally. The ephedrine constituent of Sida cordifolia has been linked to several cases of severe side effects. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Lovastatin and Sida Cordifolia? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Lovastatin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Lovastatin is filed under 8 classifications — including hmg-coa reductase inhibitors ("statins"), organic anion-transporting polypeptide substrates (oatp), cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) inhibitors. Sida Cordifolia has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — the most serious being methylxanthines (major), qt interval-prolonging drugs (major) and stimulant drugs (major) — and none of Lovastatin’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Sida Cordifolia Does Interact With Other Medications

Sida Cordifolia has 337 major, 108 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Lovastatin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on Additional detail

    Sida Cordifolia

    “Sida cordifolia contains ephedrine. Ephedrine-containing products have been reported to cause rhabdomyolysis and nephrolithiasis. These side effects might also occur in patients taking Sida cordifolia-containing supplements.”

    Sida Cordifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in kidney stones (nephrolithiasis).

    2 sources cited
    1. 1270. Okada S, Rohan PJ, Miller FW, et al. Myopathies following ingestion of special nutritional products. Arthritis Rheum 1996;39:349.
    2. 1272. Powell T, Hsu FF, Turk J, Hruska K. Ma-huang strikes again: ephedrine nephrolithiasis. Am J Kidney Dis 1998;32:153-9. PubMed

    “Sida cordifolia contains ephedrine. Ephedrine-containing products have been reported to cause myopathies, including myalgia, rhabdomyolysis, and eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. These side effects might also occur in patients taking Sida cordifolia-containing supplements.”

    Sida Cordifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in muscle breakdown.

    1 source cited
    1. 1270. Okada S, Rohan PJ, Miller FW, et al. Myopathies following ingestion of special nutritional products. Arthritis Rheum 1996;39:349.

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bleeding or bruising / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Sida Cordifolia

    “Sida cordifolia contains ephedrine. Ephedrine-containing products have been associated with cardiovascular side effects such as arrythmias, heart palpitations, tachycardia, prolonged QT interval, increased blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, hypersensitivity myocarditis, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, stroke, transient ischemic attack, cerebral hemorrhage, and sudden cardiac death.”

    Sida Cordifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cardiac arrest.

    6 sources cited
    1. 1270. Okada S, Rohan PJ, Miller FW, et al. Myopathies following ingestion of special nutritional products. Arthritis Rheum 1996;39:349.
    2. 1271. Zaacks SM, Klein L, Tan CD, et al. Hypersensitivity myocarditis associated with ephedra use. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1999;37:485-9. PubMed
    3. 1274. Theoharides TC. Sudden death of a healthy college student related to ephedrine toxicity from a ma-huang containing drink. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1997;17:437-9. PubMed
    4. 1275. Vahedi K, Domingo V, Amarenco P, Bousser MG. Ischemic stroke in a sportsman who consumed MaHuang extract and creatine monohydrate for bodybuilding. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatr 2000;68:112-3.
    5. 1276. Doyle H, Kargin M. Herbal stimulant containing ephedrine has also caused psychosis. BMJ 1996;313:756. PubMed
    6. 1380. For Dieter, Nearly the Ultimate Loss. The Washington Post. Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/03/19/for-dieter-nearly-the-ultimate-loss/c0f07474-489d-4f44-bc17-1f1367c956ae/ (Accessed 19 March 2000).

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Anxiety or restlessness Additional detail

    Sida Cordifolia

    “Sida cordifolia contains ephedrine. Ephedrine-containing products have been associated with dizziness, restlessness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, headache, and anorexia. These side effects might also occur in patients taking Sida cordifolia-containing supplements.”

    Sida Cordifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 1276. Doyle H, Kargin M. Herbal stimulant containing ephedrine has also caused psychosis. BMJ 1996;313:756. PubMed
    2. 3719. Boozer CN, Nasser JA, Heymsfield SB, et al. An herbal supplement containing Ma Huang-Guarana for weight loss: a randomized, double-blind trial. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001;25:316-24. PubMed
    3. 6008. Gurley BJ, Gardner SF, Hubbard MA. Content versus label claims in ephedra-containing dietary supplements. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2000;57:963-9. PubMed
    4. 6486. Haller CA, Benowitz NL. Adverse cardiovascular and central nervous system events associated with dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. N Engl J Med 2000;343:1833-8. PubMed
    5. 8647. Boozer CN, Daly PA, Homel P, et al. Herbal ephedra/caffeine for weight loss: a 6-month randomized safety and efficacy trial. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2002;26:593-604. PubMed
    6. 10004. Kalman D, Incledon T, Gaunaurd I, et al. An acute clinical trial evaluating the cardiovascular effects of an herbal ephedra-caffeine weight loss product in healthy overweight adults. Int J Obes 2002;26:1363-66.. PubMed

    “Sida cordifolia contains ephedrine. Ephedrine-containing products have been associated with anxiety, psychosis, and personality changes. Long-term use and high doses of ephedrine have been associated with the development of dependence and tolerance. These side effects might also occur in patients taking Sida cordifolia-containing supplements.”

    Sida Cordifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    6 sources cited
    1. 1276. Doyle H, Kargin M. Herbal stimulant containing ephedrine has also caused psychosis. BMJ 1996;313:756. PubMed
    2. 3719. Boozer CN, Nasser JA, Heymsfield SB, et al. An herbal supplement containing Ma Huang-Guarana for weight loss: a randomized, double-blind trial. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001;25:316-24. PubMed
    3. 6008. Gurley BJ, Gardner SF, Hubbard MA. Content versus label claims in ephedra-containing dietary supplements. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2000;57:963-9. PubMed
    4. 6486. Haller CA, Benowitz NL. Adverse cardiovascular and central nervous system events associated with dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. N Engl J Med 2000;343:1833-8. PubMed
    5. 6998. Jacobs KM, Hirsch KA. Psychiatric complications of Ma-huang. Psychosomatics 2000;41:58-62. PubMed
    6. 8647. Boozer CN, Daly PA, Homel P, et al. Herbal ephedra/caffeine for weight loss: a 6-month randomized safety and efficacy trial. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2002;26:593-604. PubMed

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Reduced appetite / Trouble sleeping / Dizziness / Headache reported in 4.5% of FDA reports for Lovastatin Additional detail

    Sida Cordifolia

    Recorded for Sida Cordifolia in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Anxiety or restlessness above.

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Muscle pain Additional detail

    Sida Cordifolia

    Recorded for Sida Cordifolia in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Severe muscle breakdown above.

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Sida Cordifolia but not commonly for Lovastatin: a stroke or mini-stroke, trouble concentrating, raised blood pressure and a heart attack.

Effects for Lovastatin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Sida Cordifolia come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 25,528 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Lovastatin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Sida Cordifolia in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally. The ephedrine constituent of Sida cordifolia has been linked to several cases of severe side effects.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Lovastatin Products Have a Food Rule — Sida Cordifolia Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Lovastatin says to take it with food. If you take Sida Cordifolia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Lovastatin with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Lovastatin products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Lovastatin tablets USP should be given with meals.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Lovastatin — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

From our Q&A

Questions About Sida Cordifolia or Lovastatin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Sida Cordifolia or Lovastatin, 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 Lovastatin

This page covers Sida Cordifolia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lovastatin page lists 184 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Apple (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 8 major · 140 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lovastatin page

“Lovastatin (Mevacor) lowers cholesterol, and the liver clears it through an enzyme called CYP3A4, which is where most of these 184 supplements collide with it. This list deserves careful attention.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lovastatin 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. Even though Sida Cordifolia itself has no known interaction with Lovastatin, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin 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
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lovastatin
Steady interest

#1,471 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Sida Cordifolia reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
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.

Sida cordifolia · Malvaceae · Whole plant, including roots, seeds, leaves, and stems · Capsules, powders, dried herb, teas, and traditional Ayurvedic preparations

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Sida Cordifolia is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Sida Cordifolia record says about it on its own.

Sida Cordifolia: dosing

There is no established safe or standardized dose for Sida cordifolia, and the amount of ephedrine in a product can vary widely and unpredictably. Many health authorities recommend avoiding ephedrine-containing supplements entirely.

From our Sida Cordifolia monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Sida Cordifolia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lovastatin

What Is Lovastatin Used For?

Brand names: Mevacor, Altocor

Lovastatin is used to lower high LDL ("bad") cholesterol and total cholesterol in people whose levels have not improved enough with diet alone. It is also used to slow the buildup of plaque in the arteries (coronary atherosclerosis) in people who already have coronary heart disease.

In adults without existing heart disease but with high cholesterol and low HDL ("good") cholesterol, lovastatin tablets are approved to reduce the risk of heart attack, unstable angina, and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. Lovastatin tablets are also approved for adolescents aged 10–17 with a specific inherited condition called heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH), when diet changes alone haven't been enough.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Lovastatin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (25,528 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 1,535 reports
Nausea 1,401 reports
Diarrhea 1,275 reports
Dyspnea 1,226 reports
Dizziness 1,159 reports
See full Lovastatin 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.

337Major
108Moderate
0Minor
2,384No known interaction
Major

337 interactions

Showing 60 of 337 major interactions — see all 337 on the Sida Cordifolia page.

Moderate

108 interactions

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

No interaction 2,384 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Sida Cordifolia References

The 29 references that drive our Sida Cordifolia monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Okada S, Rohan PJ, Miller FW, et al. Myopathies following ingestion of special nutritional products. Arthritis Rheum 1996;39:349.
  2. Zaacks SM, Klein L, Tan CD, et al. Hypersensitivity myocarditis associated with ephedra use. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1999;37:485-9. PubMed
  3. Powell T, Hsu FF, Turk J, Hruska K. Ma-huang strikes again: ephedrine nephrolithiasis. Am J Kidney Dis 1998;32:153-9. PubMed
  4. Theoharides TC. Sudden death of a healthy college student related to ephedrine toxicity from a ma-huang containing drink. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1997;17:437-9. PubMed
  5. Vahedi K, Domingo V, Amarenco P, Bousser MG. Ischemic stroke in a sportsman who consumed MaHuang extract and creatine monohydrate for bodybuilding. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatr 2000;68:112-3.
  6. Doyle H, Kargin M. Herbal stimulant containing ephedrine has also caused psychosis. BMJ 1996;313:756. PubMed
  7. For Dieter, Nearly the Ultimate Loss. The Washington Post. Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/03/19/for-dieter-nearly-the-ultimate-loss/c0f07474-489d-4f44-bc17-1f1367c956ae/ (Accessed 19 March 2000).
  8. FDA Takes Aim at Ephedra. The Washington Post. Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/03/19/fda-takes-aim-at-ephedra/4ce534a7-d291-44ec-88a8-38e97ff27e3b/ (Accessed 19 March 2000).
  9. FDA. Proposed rule: dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids. Available at: www.verity.fda.gov (Accessed 25 January 2000).
  10. Boozer CN, Nasser JA, Heymsfield SB, et al. An herbal supplement containing Ma Huang-Guarana for weight loss: a randomized, double-blind trial. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001;25:316-24. PubMed
  11. Anon. Sida Cordifolia. Metro Marketing, Inc. Available at: http://metromkt.net/viable/1sidacor.shtml (Accessed 9 March 2000).
  12. Gurley BJ, Gardner SF, Hubbard MA. Content versus label claims in ephedra-containing dietary supplements. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2000;57:963-9. PubMed
  13. White LM, Gardner SF, Gurley BJ, et al. Pharmacokinetics and Cardiovascular Effects of Ma-Huang (Ephedra sinica) in Normotensive Adults. J Clin Pharmacol 1997;37:116-22.
  14. Haller CA, Benowitz NL. Adverse cardiovascular and central nervous system events associated with dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. N Engl J Med 2000;343:1833-8. PubMed
  15. Leikin JB, Klein L. Ephedra causes myocarditis. Clin Toxicol 2000;38:353-4.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Sida Cordifolia with Lovastatin?
We do not list a known interaction between Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 9 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Lovastatin says to take it with food. If you take Sida Cordifolia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Lovastatin with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Lovastatin products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Sida Cordifolia and Lovastatin combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Lovastatin is filed under 8 classifications, and Sida Cordifolia has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — none of Lovastatin's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Sida Cordifolia interact with any other medications?
Yes. Sida Cordifolia has 445 documented drug interactions in our database — Lovastatin is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Lovastatin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Lovastatin has documented interactions with 184 supplements in our database — Sida Cordifolia is not one of them. The Lovastatin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Lovastatin 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.