Drug & supplement interaction

Sweet Gale + Alectinib Hydrochloride

Alectinib Hydrochloride brand name: Alecensa.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Sweet Gale and Alectinib Hydrochloride 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 Alectinib Hydrochloride states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Sweet Gale and Alectinib Hydrochloride

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 Alectinib Hydrochloride and Sweet Gale 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 Sweet Gale at all — not against Alectinib Hydrochloride, 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.

Sweet Gale safety at a glance

Sweet Gale overall Use caution Limited safety data and a volatile oil that may be toxic in higher amounts.
Pregnancy Avoid Traditionally avoided in pregnancy and not enough safety data exists.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety information during breastfeeding, so avoid use.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Alectinib Hydrochloride and Sweet Gale? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Alectinib Hydrochloride’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Sweet Gale. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Alectinib Hydrochloride’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Muscle weakness Worth acting on
  • High potassium Worth acting on
  • Low sodium Worth acting on
  • Low potassium Worth acting on
  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
  • A heart attack Worth acting on
  • Blood clots Worth acting on
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • High blood sugar Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 39 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Alectinib Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 7,249 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Alectinib Hydrochloride that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Sweet Gale’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Sweet Gale side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Sweet Gale has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Alectinib Hydrochloride Products Have a Food Rule — Sweet Gale Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Alectinib Hydrochloride says to take it with food. If you take Sweet Gale on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Alectinib Hydrochloride 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 Alectinib Hydrochloride 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.

Administer ALECENSA with food.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Alectinib Hydrochloride — 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Alectinib Hydrochloride

This page covers Sweet Gale only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Alectinib Hydrochloride page lists 74 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Alfalfa (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 60 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Alectinib Hydrochloride page

“Alectinib (Alecensa) treats ALK-positive lung cancer, and because your liver already has to tolerate this drug, check this page before adding any supplement, not after. Of the 74 ingredients on file, 38 can add stress to the liver, and three of the four major-rated entries (beer, wine, and Siberian cocklebur) are the clearest examples…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Alectinib Hydrochloride interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Sweet Gale and Alectinib Hydrochloride 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 Sweet Gale
Steady interest

#1,282 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Alectinib Hydrochloride
Steady interest

#1,644 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.
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Sweet Gale and Alectinib Hydrochloride records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 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 Sweet Gale

What is Sweet Gale?

  • Insect repellent
  • Digestive complaints
  • Flavoring for food and beverages
  • Skin and itch relief (traditional)
  • Aromatic and fragrance use

Sweet gale is an aromatic shrub long used as an insect repellent and a flavoring herb, but there is very little solid human research supporting any health benefit. Its essential oil is considered potentially toxic, so internal use should be approached with great caution and avoided in pregnancy. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Myrica gale · Myricaceae · Leaves, branches, fruit (catkins), and wax/essential oil · Tea, dried leaves, essential oil, flavoring agent

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

Sweet Gale: dosing

There is no established or standardized dose for sweet gale. Because reliable human research is lacking, no safe and effective amount has been defined for any health condition.If you choose to use a sweet gale product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them. Avoid swallowing the essential oil.

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

Read the full Sweet Gale monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Alectinib

What Is Alectinib Used For?

Brand name: Alecensa

Alecensa (alectinib) is used in adults with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have a specific genetic change called ALK-positive (anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive), confirmed by an FDA-approved test.

Alecensa is used in two situations: as adjuvant treatment — meaning after surgical removal of the tumor — in patients whose tumors were at least 4 cm or had spread to nearby lymph nodes; and as treatment for metastatic NSCLC, meaning cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Alectinib Hydrochloride

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (7,249 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 518 reports
Constipation 445 reports
Rash 257 reports
Dyspnea 234 reports
Disease progression 210 reports
See full Alectinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sweet Gale

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

We checked Sweet Gale against Alectinib Hydrochloride in the Natural Medicines interaction database and found no documented interaction on file. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus, and supplement label details from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Sweet Gale and Alectinib Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Sweet Gale with Alectinib Hydrochloride?
We do not list a known interaction between Sweet Gale and Alectinib Hydrochloride. 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.
Should I take Sweet Gale and Alectinib Hydrochloride at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Alectinib Hydrochloride says to take it with food. If you take Sweet Gale on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Alectinib Hydrochloride with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Alectinib Hydrochloride products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Alectinib Hydrochloride interact with any supplements?
Yes. Alectinib Hydrochloride has documented interactions with 74 supplements in our database — Sweet Gale is not one of them. The Alectinib Hydrochloride 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 Alectinib Hydrochloride and Sweet Gale?

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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.