Drug & supplement interaction

Umckaloabo + Diclofenac

Diclofenac brand name: Zorvolex.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Umckaloabo has a minor interaction with Diclofenac. Theoretically, Pelargonium sidoides might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodUnlikely
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Umckaloabo and Diclofenac

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

Minor

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Diclofenac

Diclofenac falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Umckaloabo interacts with.

Theoretically, Pelargonium sidoides might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs.
Pelargonium sidoides contains coumarin, which may reduce platelet aggregation. However, in animal models, Pelargonium sidoides extract does not appear to inhibit coagulation or interact with warfarin. This interaction has not been documented in humans.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the situation with diclofenac and Umckaloabo. Diclofenac is an NSAID, and on its own it can bother the stomach and slightly raise bleeding risk by affecting how platelets clump together. Umckaloabo contains coumarin-type compounds, and the theory is that those might also nudge platelets toward less clumping. Put the two together and, in theory, you could see a little more bleeding tendency, like easier bruising, a nosebleed, or stomach upset.

I want to be honest about how soft this concern is. It's theoretical, based on lab and animal work, and hasn't actually shown up in people. Animal studies didn't even find a real blood-thinning effect. So for most folks it's likely a non-issue, but if you take diclofenac regularly or notice unusual bruising or bleeding, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. 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
  2. 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

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

Umckaloabo Also Interacts With Other Medications

Umckaloabo has 121 moderate, 119 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Diclofenac one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Umckaloabo or Diclofenac

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Umckaloabo or Diclofenac, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Diclofenac

This page covers Umckaloabo only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Diclofenac page lists 306 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 265 moderate · 34 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Diclofenac page

“Diclofenac (Zorvolex) is an NSAID pain reliever that already stresses the stomach lining and kidneys on its own, so treat this list as a real safety issue, not fine print. Two thirds of the 306 supplements on file can thin the blood or slow clotting, and stacked on an NSAID that raises the odds of stomach bleeding.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Diclofenac 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. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Diclofenac too, on top of Umckaloabo — 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 Umckaloabo and Diclofenac 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

#1,049 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Diclofenac
Top half

#820 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 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.

Read the full Umckaloabo monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Diclofenac

What Is Diclofenac Used For?

Brand name: Zorvolex

Diclofenac sodium topical gel is used to treat actinic keratoses (AK) — rough, scaly skin patches that form after years of sun exposure. These patches are considered precancerous, meaning they can develop into skin cancer if left untreated.

This is a topical gel, meaning it is applied directly to the skin over the affected area rather than taken by mouth. It belongs to the NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) family.

See full Diclofenac drug information
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
119Minor
2,589No known interaction
Moderate

121 interactions

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

Minor

119 interactions

Showing 60 of 119 minor interactions — see all 119 on the Umckaloabo page.

No interaction 2,589 drugs checked — show the 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

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Umckaloabo and Diclofenac Together: Common Questions

Can you take Umckaloabo with Diclofenac?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Umckaloabo and Diclofenac interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Diclofenac and Umckaloabo?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.