Star Anise + Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate
Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate brand name: Xywav.
We found no known interaction between Star Anise and Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate 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 Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate 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.
Star Anise and Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate
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 Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate and Star Anise 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.
Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Star Anise at all — not against Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.
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.
Star Anise safety at a glance
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.
Star Anise in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
When used orally in amounts commonly found in foods.
When star anise is used orally as a tea. In 2003, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory to the public not to consume teas brewed from star anise, as they have been associated with adverse neurological and gastrointestinal 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
Some Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate Products Have a Food Rule — Star Anise Should Not Break It
At least one FDA label for a product containing Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate says to take it with food. If you take Star Anise on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate 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 Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate 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.
Important Administration Information • Administer XYWAV at least 2 hours after eating ( 2.4 ).
From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate — 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.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate
This page covers Star Anise only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate page lists 23 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Biofeedback (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), Dendrobium (moderate) and European Mandrake (moderate).
By severity: 1 major · 13 moderate · 9 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate page
“Xywav combines calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium oxybates to treat cataplexy and daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy, and because each nightly dose is measured and timed with real precision, this list deserves genuine attention rather than a quick skim. The one major entry, activated charcoal, can bind the drug in the gut and shar…”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Open the Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate interaction page
Taking Star Anise as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 126 real supplement products containing Star Anise, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Star Anise. Even though Star Anise itself has no known interaction with Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Star Anise and Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate 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.
#893 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#18 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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 Star Anise reference on this page ↓
- Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 27, 2026. The Star Anise and Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate 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.
About Star Anise
What is Star Anise?
- Digestive upset and gas
- Cough and respiratory complaints
- Antimicrobial
- Flavoring food and drinks
- Source of shikimic acid for medicine manufacturing
Star anise (Illicium verum) is a star-shaped spice widely used in cooking and traditional medicine, mostly for digestive and respiratory complaints. Human evidence for health benefits is limited, and its main proven importance is as an industrial source of shikimic acid used to make antiviral medicine. Use the culinary Chinese star anise cautiously, avoid the toxic Japanese star anise look-alike, and check with your pharmacist before using supplements.
Illicium verum · Schisandraceae · Dried ripe fruit (the star-shaped seed pods) and essential oil · Whole or ground spice, tea, capsules, extracts, and essential oil
An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Star Anise is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Star Anise record says about it on its own.
Star Anise: dosing
There is no well-established standard medicinal dose for star anise. It is most commonly used as a culinary spice or as a mild tea made from the whole star.If you use a supplement, capsule, or extract, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed them.
From our Star Anise monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.
About Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Sodium Oxybate
What Is Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Sodium Oxybate Used For?
Brand name: Xywav
Xywav is approved to treat two conditions. First, it treats cataplexy (sudden muscle weakness triggered by emotion) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients aged 7 and older who have narcolepsy. Second, it treats idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) — a condition causing severe, persistent sleepiness with no identifiable cause — in adults.
Both uses are specific to Xywav as an oral solution. The active ingredient, oxybate (also known as GHB), works during sleep to help regulate wakefulness and muscle control.
Other Drugs & Star Anise
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Star Anise — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Star Anise against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Testosterone ›
- Sertraline ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Aspirin ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Docusate ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Prednisone ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Metformin ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Propranolol ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Bupropion ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Naproxen ›
- Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Buspirone ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Letrozole ›
- Citalopram ›
- Methylene Blue ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Star Anise list.
Star Anise References
The 10 references that drive our Star Anise 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.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182
- Anon. FDA issue advisory on star anise "teas." FDA News P03-67; September 10, 2003.
- Ize-Ludlow D, Ragone S, Bernstein JN, et al. Chemical composition of Chinese star anise (Illicium verum) and neurotoxicity in infants. JAMA 2004;291:562-3. PubMed
- Ize-Ludlow D, Ragone S, Bruck IS, et al. Neurotoxicities in infants seen with the consumption of star anise tea. Pediatrics 2004;114:e653-6. PubMed
- Franks A. Contact allergy to anethole in toothpaste associated with loss of taste. Contact Dermatitis 1998;38:354-5. PubMed
- Rudzki E, Grzywa Z. Sensitizing and irritating properties of star anise oil. Contact Dermatitis 1976;2:305-8. PubMed
- Garzo, Fernandez C., Gomez, Pintado P., Barrasa, Blanco A., Martinez, Arrieta R., Ramirez, Fernandez R., and Ramon, Rosa F. [Cases of neurological symptoms associated with star anise consumption used as a carminative]. An.Esp.Pediatr. 2002;57(4):290-294.
- Minodier, P., Pommier, P., Moulene, E., Retornaz, K., Prost, N., and Deharo, L. [Star anise poisoning in infants]. Arch Pediatr. 2003;10(7):619-621.
- Casanova Cuenca M, Calzado Agrasot MÁ, Mir Pegueroles C, Esteban Cantó V. New cases of star anise poisoning: Are we providing enough information? Neurologia. 2019;34(3):211-213. DOI
- Donner J, Ruest S. Neonate with seizures after consuming star anise tea. R I Med J. 2021 Oct 1;104(8):8-10.
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.
Taking Star Anise and Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Star Anise with Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate?
Do Star Anise and Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate have any of the same side effects?
Should I take Star Anise and Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate at the same time of day?
Does Calcium Oxybate, Magnesium Oxybate, Potassium Oxybate, Sodium Oxybate interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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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.