Drug & supplement interaction

Sweet Gale + Imiquimod

Imiquimod brand names: Aldara, Zyclara, Vyloma.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Sweet Gale and Imiquimod 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.

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Interaction report

Sweet Gale and Imiquimod

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 Imiquimod 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 Imiquimod, 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 Imiquimod and Sweet Gale? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Imiquimod’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 Imiquimod’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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on
  • Back pain
  • Fever
  • Itching
  • Swelling
  • Tiredness
  • Dizziness
  • Diarrhea
  • Headache

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Imiquimod. Read the label on DailyMed › 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Imiquimod

This page covers Sweet Gale only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Imiquimod page lists 3 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) (moderate), Turpentine Oil (moderate) and Alchemilla (minor).

By severity: 2 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Imiquimod page

“Imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara, Vyloma) is a cream for warts, precancerous spots, and certain skin cancers, and its supplement list is short and workable for most people. Only 3 ingredients are on file, none rated major, and all involve products applied to the skin rather than swallowed.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Imiquimod interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Sweet Gale and Imiquimod 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

#1,292 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Imiquimod
Top half

#1,149 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 Imiquimod 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 Imiquimod Topical

What Is Imiquimod Topical Used For?

Brand names: Aldara, Zyclara, Vyloma

Imiquimod cream is used to treat three skin conditions in adults: actinic keratoses (rough, scaly patches on the skin caused by sun damage) on the face or scalp; superficial basal cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer) on the trunk, neck, or limbs when surgery is not the best option; and external genital and perianal warts (condyloma acuminata) in patients 12 years and older.

It is not effective for molluscum contagiosum in children ages 2–12, and it has not been proven safe or effective in people with weakened immune systems. It should not be used for warts inside the urethra, vagina, cervix, rectum, or anal canal.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Imiquimod

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Erythema 183 reports
Fatigue 179 reports
Nausea 114 reports
Influenza like illness 102 reports
Application site erythema 100 reports
See full Imiquimod Topical 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 Imiquimod 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 Imiquimod Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Sweet Gale with Imiquimod?
We do not list a known interaction between Sweet Gale and Imiquimod. 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.
Does Imiquimod interact with any supplements?
Yes. Imiquimod has documented interactions with 3 supplements in our database — Sweet Gale is not one of them. The Imiquimod 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 Imiquimod 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.