Drug & supplement interaction

Strophanthus + Betamethasone

Betamethasone brand names: Celestone, Diprolene AF, Diprosone.

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

Strophanthus has a moderate interaction with Betamethasone. Use of corticosteroids may cause electrolyte depletion and increase the risk of strophanthus toxicity.

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

Strophanthus and Betamethasone

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

Moderate

CORTICOSTEROIDS

Why this applies to Betamethasone

Betamethasone falls under CORTICOSTEROIDS — the group Strophanthus interacts with.

Use of corticosteroids may cause electrolyte depletion and increase the risk of strophanthus toxicity.
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 know about pairing these two. Betamethasone is a corticosteroid, and corticosteroids can lower your potassium levels over time. Strophanthus contains potent cardiac glycosides (similar to digoxin), and those compounds become more dangerous when potassium runs low. So the worry isn't that betamethasone changes how Strophanthus is broken down. It's that low potassium can make Strophanthus more toxic to your heart, raising the risk of an irregular or dangerous heartbeat.

To be fair, this is a theoretical concern based on how these drugs work, not strong real-world data, and potassium loss is more likely with steroid pills than with a cream like Diprolene. Still, Strophanthus is risky on its own. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

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

Strophanthus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Strophanthus has 3 major, 119 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Betamethasone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 3 Moderate 119 No known interaction 2,708 (incl. Betamethasone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Strophanthus

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Betamethasone

This page covers Strophanthus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Betamethasone page lists 124 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Lily-of-the-valley (major), St. John's Wort (major), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate) and Alder Buckthorn (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 102 moderate · 19 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Betamethasone page

“Betamethasone (Celestone, Diprolene) works by quieting the immune system, which is exactly why this list warrants a slow, careful read. More than fifty of the ingredients here are immune stimulants that can push back against the steroid, and another sizable group changes how much of the drug the body absorbs or holds onto.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Betamethasone interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Strophanthus and Betamethasone 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 Strophanthus
Steady interest

#1,061 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Betamethasone
Steady interest

#1,796 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 Strophanthus

What is Strophanthus?

  • Heart failure
  • Angina (chest pain)
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Circulation support
  • Traditional African arrow poison (historical)

Strophanthus is a plant that contains powerful heart-affecting compounds called cardiac glycosides (the best known is ouabain/g-strophanthin). Because these substances can strongly affect heart rhythm and are toxic in the wrong amount, Strophanthus is not a casual supplement and should never be used without close medical supervision. Reliable modern evidence for its supplement use is limited.

Read the full Strophanthus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Betamethasone Topical

What Is Betamethasone Topical Used For?

Brand names: Celestone, Diprolene AF, Diprosone

Betamethasone topical is used to relieve the redness, swelling, and itching of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses (skin conditions that respond to steroid treatment). Sernivo Spray is specifically approved for plaque psoriasis of the body. Diprolene (topical cream, ointment, or gel) is indicated for inflammatory and itchy skin conditions in patients 13 years of age and older.

This medication is for use on the skin only. It is not approved for use on the face, groin, or underarms, and it is not for use in the eyes, mouth, or vagina.

See full Betamethasone Topical drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Strophanthus

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

3Major
119Moderate
0Minor
2,707No known interaction
3 Major 119 Moderate 2,707 No interaction
Major

3 interactions

Moderate

119 interactions

Showing 60 of 119 moderate interactions — see all 119 on the Strophanthus page.

No interaction 2,707 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,707 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Strophanthus list.

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

Can you take Strophanthus with Betamethasone?
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 Strophanthus and Betamethasone 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 Betamethasone and Strophanthus?

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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.