Drug & supplement interaction

Terminalia + Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate brand name: Vituz.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate falls into 2 drug categories that Terminalia can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, use of Terminalia arjuna may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2D6 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Terminalia and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Terminalia interacts with whole categories of medication. Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Terminalia in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES — the group Terminalia interacts with.

Theoretically, use of Terminalia arjuna may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2D6 substrates.
In vitro research shows that Terminalia arjuna extract inhibits CYP2D6 enzymes and reduces CYP2D6 substrate metabolism.
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 something worth knowing about Vituz, which combines hydrocodone (an opioid for cough) with the antihistamine chlorpheniramine. The hydrocodone part is actually a prodrug in the sense that the liver enzyme CYP2D6 converts some of it into hydromorphone, a stronger pain-relieving compound. Lab studies suggest Terminalia arjuna may block CYP2D6, so in theory it could shift how much of that active form gets made and slow the clearance of both ingredients.

The practical worry is more sedation: extra drowsiness, dizziness, slowed breathing, constipation, or feeling foggy. Keep in mind this is based only on test-tube data, not human studies, so it's far from certain. Still, since opioids carry real risk, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing the two.

References
  1. Varghese A, Savai J, Pandita N, Gaud RS. In vitro modulatory effects of Terminalia arjuna, arjunic acid, arjunetin, and arjungenin on CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9 enzyme activity in human liver microsomes. Toxicology Reports. 2015(2):806-16. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, use of Terminalia arjuna may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that Terminalia arjuna extract inhibits CYP3A4 enzymes and reduces CYP3A4 substrate metabolism.
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

Your Vituz combines hydrocodone, a prescription opioid for cough, with chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine. The hydrocodone piece is partly handled by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. Lab studies hint that Terminalia arjuna may slow that enzyme down, which could let more of the drug linger in your system. In plain terms, the opioid effect might feel a little stronger, with more drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, or slowed breathing, while the chlorpheniramine can add its own sleepiness and dry mouth.

I want to be honest about the strength here: this is only test-tube evidence, so it's theoretical, not proven in people. Still, because this is a sedating opioid product, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing the two.

References
  1. Varghese A, Savai J, Pandita N, Gaud RS. In vitro modulatory effects of Terminalia arjuna, arjunic acid, arjunetin, and arjungenin on CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9 enzyme activity in human liver microsomes. Toxicology Reports. 2015(2):806-16. PubMed

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

Terminalia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Terminalia has 934 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Terminalia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate

This page covers Terminalia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate page lists 258 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 12 major · 204 moderate · 42 minor.

Open the Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 306 real supplement products containing Terminalia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Terminalia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate too, on top of Terminalia — 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 Terminalia and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate 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 Terminalia
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate
Top 10%

#169 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 Terminalia

What is Terminalia?

Terminalia
  • Heart health and circulation
  • Digestive problems (constipation, diarrhea)
  • Cholesterol support
  • Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support
  • Immune support

Terminalia is a group of traditional Ayurvedic tree species (most notably Terminalia arjuna) used for heart, digestive, and general wellness purposes. Some small studies suggest possible benefits for heart and cholesterol health, but the evidence is limited and not strong enough to recommend it as a treatment. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a heart condition.

Read the full Terminalia monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Terminalia

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

0Major
934Moderate
0Minor
1,895No known interaction
Moderate

934 interactions

Showing 60 of 934 moderate interactions — see all 934 on the Terminalia page.

No interaction 1,895 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,895 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Terminalia list.

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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Terminalia and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Terminalia with Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Terminalia and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate?
Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate belongs to more than one drug category, and Terminalia interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Terminalia and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Hydrocodone Bitartrate 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

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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.