Usnea + Sucralfate
Sucralfate brand names: Carafate, Antepsin.
We found no known interaction between Usnea and Sucralfate 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 Sucralfate 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.
Usnea and Sucralfate
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 Sucralfate and Usnea 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 Usnea at all — not against Sucralfate, 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.
Usnea safety at a glance
Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.
Some Sucralfate Products Have a Food Rule — Usnea Should Not Break It
At least one FDA label for a product containing Sucralfate says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Usnea included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Sucralfate on its own and move Usnea to a meal later in the day.
This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Sucralfate 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.
D O S A G E A N D A D M INI S T R A T I O N A cti v e D u oden a l Ulc e r : The recommended adult oral dosage for duodenal ulcer is 1 g four times per day on an empty stomach.
From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Sucralfate — 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.
Questions About Usnea or Sucralfate
These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Usnea or Sucralfate, 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.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sucralfate
This page covers Usnea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sucralfate page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).
By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sucralfate page
“If you take sucralfate (Carafate) to heal an ulcer, keep activated charcoal well away from it. Charcoal carries the sole major rating on this list because it adsorbs drugs in the digestive tract, and sucralfate works entirely there, forming a protective coating over damaged stomach lining rather than circulating through the body.”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Taking Usnea as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 138 real supplement products containing Usnea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Usnea. Even though Usnea itself has no known interaction with Sucralfate, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Usnea and Sucralfate 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.
#476 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#605 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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 Usnea reference on this page ↓
- Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Usnea and Sucralfate records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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.
About Usnea
What is Usnea?
- Sore throat
- Skin and wound care
- Respiratory infections
- Urinary tract support
- Antimicrobial/antifungal
- Immune support
Usnea is a lichen used in traditional herbal medicine, mainly for sore throats, skin infections, and as a general antimicrobial. Laboratory studies suggest its main compound, usnic acid, can fight bacteria and fungi, but good human studies are lacking. Oral use of concentrated usnic acid has been linked to serious liver injury, so caution is important.
Usnea barbata · Parmeliaceae · Whole lichen (thallus) · Tincture, capsules, tea, throat sprays, topical salves
An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Usnea is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Usnea record says about it on its own.
Usnea: dosing
There is no well-established standardized dose for Usnea. Products vary widely in strength and in how much usnic acid they contain, which makes safe dosing hard to define.If you choose to use Usnea, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed them.
From our Usnea monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.
About Sucralfate
What Is Sucralfate Used For?
Brand names: Carafate, Antepsin
Sucralfate — available as tablets and oral suspension under brand names including Carafate — is used for the short-term treatment (up to 8 weeks) of active duodenal ulcers.
Carafate tablets and sucralfate tablets are also approved for maintenance therapy — meaning a lower dose taken after an ulcer heals to help keep it from coming back.
Most-Reported Side Effects for Sucralfate
From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (23,819 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.
Other Drugs & Usnea
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Usnea — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Usnea against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Sertraline ›
- Testosterone ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Aspirin ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Docusate ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Prednisone ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Propranolol ›
- Metformin ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Bupropion ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Naproxen ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Letrozole ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Usnea list.
Usnea References
The 10 references that drive our Usnea 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.
- Favreau JT, Ryu Ml, Braunstein G, et al. Severe hepatotoxicity associated with the dietary supplement LipoKinetix. Ann Intern Med 2002;136:590-5. PubMed
- Ingolfsdottir K. Usnic acid. Phytochemistry 2002;61:729-36.
- Scirpa, P., Scambia, G., Masciullo, V., Battaglia, F., Foti, E., Lopez, R., Villa, P., Malecore, M., and Mancuso, S. [A zinc sulfate and usnic acid preparation used as post-surgical adjuvant therapy in genital lesions by Human Papillomavirus]. Minerva Gin
- Mitchell, J. C. Allergy to lichens. Allergic contact dermatitis from usnic acid produced by lichenized fungi. Arch Dermatol 1965;92(2):142-146.
- Durazo, F. A., Lassman, C., Han, S. H., Saab, S., Lee, N. P., Kawano, M., Saggi, B., Gordon, S., Farmer, D. G., Yersiz, H., Goldstein, R. L., Ghobrial, M., and Busuttil, R. W. Fulminant liver failure due to usnic acid for weight loss. Am.J Gastroenterol. PubMed
- Neff, G. W., Reddy, K. R., Durazo, F. A., Meyer, D., Marrero, R., and Kaplowitz, N. Severe hepatotoxicity associated with the use of weight loss diet supplements containing ma huang or usnic acid. J Hepatol. 2004;41(6):1062-1064. PubMed
- Hsu, L. M., Huang, Y. S., Chang, F. Y., and Lee, S. D. 'Fat burner' herb, usnic Acid, induced acute hepatitis in a family. J Gastroenterol.Hepatol. 2005;20(7):1138-1139. PubMed
- Arneborn, P., Jansson, A., and Bottiger, Y. [Acute hepatitis in a woman after intake of slimming pills bought via Internet]. Lakartidningen 7-11-2005;102(28-29):2071-2072.
- Sanchez, W., Maple, J. T., Burgart, L. J., and Kamath, P. S. Severe hepatotoxicity associated with use of a dietary supplement containing usnic acid. Mayo Clin Proc 2006;81(4):541-544. PubMed
- Rafanelli, S., Bacchilega, R., Stanganelli, I., and Rafanelli, A. Contact dermatitis from usnic acid in vaginal ovules. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33(4):271-272. 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.
Sucralfate Is Linked to Lower Levels of One Nutrient
Natural Medicines records Sucralfate as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Usnea — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Sucralfate nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Usnea and Sucralfate Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Usnea with Sucralfate?
Do Usnea and Sucralfate have any of the same side effects?
Should I take Usnea and Sucralfate at the same time of day?
Does Sucralfate interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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Still Have a Question About Sucralfate and Usnea?
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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.