Drug & supplement interaction

Squill + Bisacodyl, Docusate

Bisacodyl, Docusate brand name: Dulcolax Laxative Tabs.

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

Squill has a moderate interaction with Bisacodyl, Docusate. Squill contains cardiac glycosides. Concomitant use of squill and stimulant laxatives might increase the risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium loss.

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

Squill and Bisacodyl, Docusate

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

Moderate

STIMULANT LAXATIVES

Why this applies to Bisacodyl, Docusate

Bisacodyl, Docusate falls under STIMULANT LAXATIVES — the group Squill interacts with.

Squill contains cardiac glycosides. Concomitant use of squill and stimulant laxatives might increase the risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium loss.
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 thing to understand about this pairing. Squill acts a lot like the heart drug digoxin because it contains cardiac glycosides. Bisacodyl is a stimulant laxative, and one side effect of using stimulant laxatives often or heavily is that you can lose potassium in your stool. Low potassium is exactly what makes squill's heart-affecting compounds more dangerous, raising the chance of an irregular or unsafe heart rhythm.

I'll be honest, this concern is theoretical and based on how these substances work, not on real-world cases. But because squill can be quite toxic on its own, I'd never want you combining it casually with a laxative. The occasional dose of Dulcolax for constipation is very different from regular heavy use. Please talk with your pharmacist or doctor before mixing these.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

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

Squill Also Interacts With Other Medications

Squill has 1 major, 154 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Bisacodyl, Docusate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 154 No known interaction 2,675 (incl. Bisacodyl, Docusate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Squill

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Bisacodyl, Docusate

This page covers Squill only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Bisacodyl, Docusate page lists 46 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Jalap (major), Oleander (major), Alder Buckthorn (moderate) and Aloe (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 34 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Bisacodyl, Docusate page

“Oleander sits at the top of this page for good reason. Bisacodyl with docusate (Dulcolax Laxative Tabs) is a stimulant laxative, and overusing it depletes potassium, which makes the heart-affecting compounds in oleander far more toxic.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Bisacodyl, Docusate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2 real supplement products containing Squill, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Squill. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Bisacodyl, Docusate too, on top of Squill — 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 Squill and Bisacodyl, Docusate 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 Squill
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Bisacodyl, Docusate
Top half

#851 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 Squill

What is Squill?

Squill
  • Cough and chest congestion
  • Fluid retention (diuretic)
  • Heart conditions (traditional 'cardiac tonic')
  • Hair loss (topical use)
  • Rodenticide (red squill, non-medicinal)

Squill is a bulb plant that contains potent cardiac glycosides, which can affect the heart much like the drug digoxin. While it has a long history of use as a cough remedy and heart tonic, it can be dangerously toxic and there is little solid evidence for its modern use, so we do not recommend taking it without close medical supervision.

Read the full Squill monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Squill

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

1Major
154Moderate
0Minor
2,674No known interaction
1 Major 154 Moderate 2,674 No interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

154 interactions

Showing 60 of 154 moderate interactions — see all 154 on the Squill page.

No interaction 2,674 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,674 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Squill list.

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

Can you take Squill with Bisacodyl, Docusate?
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 Squill and Bisacodyl, Docusate 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 Bisacodyl, Docusate and Squill?

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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.