Drug & supplement interaction

Umckaloabo + Cysteamine Hydrochloride

Cysteamine Hydrochloride brand name: Cystaran.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Umckaloabo and Cysteamine 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 Cysteamine Hydrochloride 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.

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Interaction report

Umckaloabo and Cysteamine 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 Cysteamine Hydrochloride and Umckaloabo 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.

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.

Umckaloabo safety at a glance

Umckaloabo overall Use caution Generally well tolerated for short-term use, but quality and standardization vary by product.
Pregnancy Avoid Safety has not been established, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Cysteamine Hydrochloride and Umckaloabo? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Cysteamine Hydrochloride

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Cysteamine Hydrochloride is filed under a single classification — topical drugs. Umckaloabo has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being immunosuppressants (moderate) and anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (minor) — and none of Cysteamine Hydrochloride’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Umckaloabo Does Interact With Other Medications

Umckaloabo has 121 moderate, 120 minor known drug interactions in our database — Cysteamine Hydrochloride isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 121 Minor 120 No known interaction 2,589 (incl. Cysteamine Hydrochloride)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Umckaloabo

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Umckaloabo and Cysteamine Hydrochloride May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 2 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Hives / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Umckaloabo

    “Orally, Pelargonium sidoides has been associated with over 34 reports of allergic reactions. Urticaria is the most common reaction but there were also cases of conjunctivitis, rhinitis, and systemic allergic reactions including bronchospasm, dyspnea, tachycardia, and circulatory failure.”

    Umckaloabo · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in urticaria.

    2 sources cited
    1. 81567. de Boer, H. J., Hagemann, U., Bate, J., and Meyboom, R. H. Allergic reactions to medicines derived from Pelargonium species. Drug Saf 2007;30(8):677-680. PubMed
    2. 16651. Matthys H, Kamin W, Funk P, Heger M. Pelargonium sidoides preparation (EPs 7630) in the treatment of acute bronchitis in adults and children. Phytomedicine 2007;14 Suppl 6:69-73. PubMed

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    Umckaloabo

    “Orally, Pelargonium sidoides has been associated with gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea.”

    Umckaloabo · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    6 sources cited
    1. 14262. Bereznoy VV, Riley DS, Wassmer G, Heger M. Efficacy of extract of Pelargonium sidoides in children with acute non-group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus tonsillopharyngitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Altern Ther Health Med 2003;9
    2. 81557. Matthys, H., Eisebitt, R., Seith, B., and Heger, M. Efficacy and safety of an extract of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) in adults with acute bronchitis. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2003;10 Suppl 4:7-17. PubMed
    3. 97318. Riley DS, Lizogub VG, Zimmermann A, Funk P, Lehmacher W. Efficacy and tolerability of high-dose Pelargonium extract in patients with the common cold. Altern Ther Health Med 2018;24(2):16-26.
    4. 97319. Matthys H, Pliskevich DA, Bondarchuk OM, Malek FA, Tribanek M, Kieser M. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of EPs 7630 in adults with COPD. Respir Med 2013;107(5):691-701. PubMed
    5. 106647. Willcox M, Simpson C, Wilding S, et al. Pelargonium sidoides root extract for the treatment of acute cough due to lower respiratory tract infection in adults: a feasibility double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021;21 PubMed
    6. 112123. Kamin W, Behre U, Helm K, Reling B, Funk P, Malek FA. Safety of Pelargonium extract EPs 7630 in young children with acute bronchitis. Front Pediatr 2023;11:1107984. PubMed

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Umckaloabo

    Recorded for Umckaloabo in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Diarrhea above.

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Umckaloabo but not commonly for Cysteamine Hydrochloride: stomach upset, pancreatitis, liver problems and wheezing.

Effects for Cysteamine Hydrochloride come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Umckaloabo come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 659 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Cysteamine Hydrochloride that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Cysteamine Hydrochloride Products Have a Food Rule — Umckaloabo Should Not Break It

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

If unable to take PROCYSBI without eating, take with food but limit the amount of food to approximately 4 ounces (½ cup) 1 hour before through 1 hour after administration.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Cysteamine 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 Cysteamine Hydrochloride

This page covers Umckaloabo only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cysteamine Hydrochloride 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.

Open the Cysteamine Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 77 real supplement products containing Umckaloabo, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Umckaloabo. Even though Umckaloabo itself has no known interaction with Cysteamine Hydrochloride, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Umckaloabo and Cysteamine 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 Umckaloabo
Steady interest

#1,042 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cysteamine Hydrochloride
Steady interest

#1,952 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. See every Umckaloabo reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Umckaloabo and Cysteamine Hydrochloride 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.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Umckaloabo

What is Umckaloabo?

Umckaloabo
  • Acute bronchitis
  • Common cold
  • Sinusitis
  • Sore throat
  • Upper respiratory infections

Umckaloabo is a root extract from a South African geranium that is most studied for short-term relief of acute bronchitis and other respiratory infections. Some clinical research suggests it may help symptoms resolve a bit faster, but the quality of evidence is mixed and it is not a cure. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a chronic illness.

Pelargonium sidoides · Geraniaceae · Roots · Liquid extract (drops), syrup, tablets, lozenges

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

Umckaloabo: dosing

There is no single official dose of Umckaloabo for everyone, and the right amount depends on the specific product and its strength. Most research has used standardized extracts taken a few times a day for a short period, usually during an active respiratory infection.Because formulations differ, the safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount. Doses for children differ from those for adults.

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

Read the full Umckaloabo monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cysteamine Hydrochloride

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cysteamine Hydrochloride

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (659 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Eye irritation 178 reports
Eye pain 83 reports
Ocular hyperaemia 65 reports
Photophobia 42 reports
Vomiting 28 reports
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Umckaloabo

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

0Major
121Moderate
120Minor
2,588No known interaction
121 Moderate 120 Minor 2,588 No interaction
Moderate

121 interactions

Showing 60 of 121 moderate interactions — see all 121 on the Umckaloabo page.

Minor

120 interactions

Showing 60 of 120 minor interactions — see all 120 on the Umckaloabo page.

No interaction 2,588 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,588 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Umckaloabo list.

See the full Umckaloabo interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cysteamine Hydrochloride, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Umckaloabo References

The 16 references that drive our Umckaloabo 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.

  1. Chuchalin AG, Berman B, Lehmacher W. Treatment of acute bronchitis in adults with a pelargonium sidoides preparation (EPs 7630): A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Explore 2005;1:437-45. PubMed
  2. Kolodziej H, Kayser O, Radtke OA, et al. Pharmacological profile of extracts of Pelargonium sidoides and their constituents. Phytomedicine 2003;10 Suppl 4:18-24. PubMed
  3. Bereznoy VV, Riley DS, Wassmer G, Heger M. Efficacy of extract of Pelargonium sidoides in children with acute non-group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus tonsillopharyngitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Altern Ther Health Med 2003;9
  4. Kolodziej H, Kiderlen AF. In vitro evaluation of antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities of Pelargonium reniforme, Pelargonium sidoides and the related herbal drug preparation EPs 7630. Phytomedicine 2007;14 Suppl 6:18-26. PubMed
  5. Koch E, Biber A. Treatment of rats with the Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs 7630 has no effect on blood coagulation parameters or on the pharmacokinetics of warfarin. Phytomedicine 2007;14 Suppl 6:40-5. PubMed
  6. Conrad A, Hansmann C, Engels I, et al. Extract of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) improves phagocytosis, oxidative burst, and intracellular killing of human peripheral blood phagocytes in vitro. Phytomedicine 2007;14 Suppl 6:46-51. PubMed
  7. Matthys H, Kamin W, Funk P, Heger M. Pelargonium sidoides preparation (EPs 7630) in the treatment of acute bronchitis in adults and children. Phytomedicine 2007;14 Suppl 6:69-73. PubMed
  8. Conrad A, Jung I, Tioua D, et al. Extract of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) inhibits the interactions of group A-streptococci and host epithelia in vitro. Phytomedicine 2007;14 Suppl 6:52-9. PubMed
  9. Matthys, H., Eisebitt, R., Seith, B., and Heger, M. Efficacy and safety of an extract of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) in adults with acute bronchitis. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2003;10 Suppl 4:7-17. PubMed
  10. de Boer, H. J., Hagemann, U., Bate, J., and Meyboom, R. H. Allergic reactions to medicines derived from Pelargonium species. Drug Saf 2007;30(8):677-680. PubMed
  11. Teschke R, Frenzel C, Schulze J, Eickhoff A. Spontaneous reports of primarily suspected herbal hepatotoxicity by Pelargonium sidoides: was causality adequately ascertained? Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2012;63(1):1-9. PubMed
  12. Teschke R, Frenzel C, Wolff A, et al. Initially purported hepatotoxicity by Pelargonium sidoides: the dilemma of pharmacovigilance and proposals for improvement. Ann Hepatol 2012;11(4):500-12. DOI
  13. Riley DS, Lizogub VG, Zimmermann A, Funk P, Lehmacher W. Efficacy and tolerability of high-dose Pelargonium extract in patients with the common cold. Altern Ther Health Med 2018;24(2):16-26.
  14. Matthys H, Pliskevich DA, Bondarchuk OM, Malek FA, Tribanek M, Kieser M. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of EPs 7630 in adults with COPD. Respir Med 2013;107(5):691-701. PubMed
  15. Willcox M, Simpson C, Wilding S, et al. Pelargonium sidoides root extract for the treatment of acute cough due to lower respiratory tract infection in adults: a feasibility double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021;21 PubMed

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.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Umckaloabo and Cysteamine Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Umckaloabo with Cysteamine Hydrochloride?
We do not list a known interaction between Umckaloabo and Cysteamine 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.
Do Umckaloabo and Cysteamine Hydrochloride have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 4 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Umckaloabo and Cysteamine Hydrochloride at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Cysteamine Hydrochloride says to take it with food. If you take Umckaloabo on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Cysteamine Hydrochloride with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Cysteamine Hydrochloride products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Umckaloabo and Cysteamine Hydrochloride combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Cysteamine Hydrochloride is filed under 1 classification, and Umckaloabo has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Cysteamine Hydrochloride's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Umckaloabo interact with any other medications?
Yes. Umckaloabo has 241 documented drug interactions in our database — Cysteamine Hydrochloride is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Cysteamine Hydrochloride interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cysteamine Hydrochloride has documented interactions with 3 supplements in our database — Umckaloabo is not one of them. The Cysteamine Hydrochloride interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Umckaloabo monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Cysteamine Hydrochloride supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Cysteamine Hydrochloride, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 16 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Cysteamine Hydrochloride and Umckaloabo?

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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.