Drug & supplement interaction

Umckaloabo + Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone brand names: Cortef, Hydrocortone, Carmol HC cream, Hydrocortisone Iodoquinol Cream, Vytone Cream, and others.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Umckaloabo has a moderate interaction with Hydrocortisone. Theoretically, Pelargonium sidoides might decrease the effectiveness of immunosuppressant therapy.

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

Umckaloabo and Hydrocortisone

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

Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS — the group Umckaloabo interacts with.

Theoretically, Pelargonium sidoides might decrease the effectiveness of immunosuppressant therapy.
In vitro research suggests that Pelargonium sidoides has immunostimulant effects.
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 the idea behind this one. Umckaloabo (a geranium root extract) may gently rev up parts of your immune system in lab tests. When you're taking hydrocortisone on purpose to calm an overactive immune response, say for lupus, severe allergies, or certain arthritis or skin flares, something that nudges the immune system the other way could, in theory, work against it. That might mean the conditions you're trying to control don't stay as quiet.

I want to be honest about the strength here. This is theoretical, based on cell studies, not real cases in people. If you're using hydrocortisone for something serious, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding it. Don't change your steroid on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  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. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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

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 120 moderate, 120 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Hydrocortisone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 120 Minor 120 No known interaction 2,590 (incl. Hydrocortisone)
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 Hydrocortisone

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 Hydrocortisone, 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 Hydrocortisone

This page covers Umckaloabo only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydrocortisone page lists 205 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Lily-of-the-valley (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 164 moderate · 37 minor.

Open the Hydrocortisone 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 Hydrocortisone 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 Hydrocortisone 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydrocortisone
Top 25%

#423 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 Hydrocortisone

What Is Hydrocortisone Used For?

Brand names: Cortef, Hydrocortone, Carmol HC cream, Hydrocortisone Iodoquinol Cream, Vytone Cream, Massengil Medicated Towelettes, Dioderm, Efcortelan Cream, Mildison, Alphaderm, Calmurid HC, Efcortelan Ointment, Texacort, Alkindi Sprinkle

Hydrocortisone is used to calm skin inflammation and relieve itching caused by conditions that respond to corticosteroid treatment. In adults, it treats a broad range of inflammatory skin conditions. In children as young as 3 months old, it is specifically approved for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema).

It is also used in rectal foam form to treat inflammation of the lower bowel, such as ulcerative proctitis.

See full Hydrocortisone 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
120Moderate
120Minor
2,589No known interaction
120 Moderate 120 Minor 2,589 No interaction
Moderate

120 interactions

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

Minor

120 interactions

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

No interaction 2,589 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 2,589 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Umckaloabo list.

See the full Umckaloabo interactions page
See every supplement checked against Hydrocortisone, ranked by severity
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
Umckaloabo monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Hydrocortisone supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Hydrocortisone, ranked by severity Hydrocortisone drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Umckaloabo and Hydrocortisone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Umckaloabo with Hydrocortisone?
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.
How serious is the Umckaloabo and Hydrocortisone 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

Still Have a Question About Hydrocortisone 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.