Drug & supplement interaction

Uzara + Armodafinil

Armodafinil brand name: Nuvigil.

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

Uzara has a moderate interaction with Armodafinil. Theoretically, overuse or misuse of stimulant laxatives can increase the risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium depletion.

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

Uzara and Armodafinil

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

Moderate

STIMULANT LAXATIVES

Why this applies to Armodafinil

Armodafinil falls under STIMULANT LAXATIVES — the group Uzara interacts with.

Theoretically, overuse or misuse of stimulant laxatives can increase the risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity due to potassium depletion.
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

I want to be upfront here: the interaction on file is really about stimulant laxatives, not Armodafinil (Nuvigil). The idea is that overusing laxatives can lower your potassium, which can make the heart-affecting compounds in Uzara more toxic. Armodafinil is a wakefulness-promoting medication, not a laxative, and it does not work that way, so this particular concern doesn't really line up with your drug.

That said, mixing Uzara (which contains heart glycosides) with any medicine deserves a quick check, especially since both can stir up the heart. Armodafinil itself can cause a faster heartbeat, jitteriness, headache, and trouble sleeping. If you're using Uzara for diarrhea, keep it short-term and please run the combination by your pharmacist or doctor first, particularly if you have any heart issues.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.

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

Uzara Also Interacts With Other Medications

Uzara has 1 major, 131 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Armodafinil one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 131 No known interaction 2,698 (incl. Armodafinil)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Uzara

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Armodafinil

This page covers Uzara only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Armodafinil page lists 223 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Grapefruit (major), Jalap (major) and Oleander (major).

By severity: 9 major · 176 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Armodafinil page

“Armodafinil (Nuvigil) is a wakefulness drug that works like a stimulant, and the supplements that matter most here do the same thing. Nine of the 223 ingredients on file rate major, and this list warrants real care, starting with those nine.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Armodafinil interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Uzara and Armodafinil 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 Uzara
Steady interest

#1,079 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Armodafinil
Steady interest

#1,673 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 Uzara

What is Uzara?

  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach cramps
  • Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)
  • Headaches
  • Digestive upset

Uzara is a traditional African root remedy used mainly for diarrhea and stomach cramps. Because it contains cardiac glycosides that can affect the heart, it should be used cautiously and for short periods only. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have heart problems, are pregnant, or take heart medications.

Read the full Uzara monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Armodafinil

What Is Armodafinil Used For?

Brand name: Nuvigil

Armodafinil tablets (including the brand Nuvigil) are used to improve wakefulness in adults who have excessive sleepiness linked to one of three conditions: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), narcolepsy, or shift work disorder (SWD).

In obstructive sleep apnea, armodafinil treats the sleepiness itself — not the underlying airway obstruction. If CPAP (a breathing device worn during sleep) is the right treatment for you, your doctor should try that first before adding armodafinil for sleepiness.

See full Armodafinil drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Uzara

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

1Major
131Moderate
0Minor
2,697No known interaction
1 Major 131 Moderate 2,697 No interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

131 interactions

Showing 60 of 131 moderate interactions — see all 131 on the Uzara page.

No interaction 2,697 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,697 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Uzara list.

See the full Uzara interactions page
See every supplement checked against Armodafinil, 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
Uzara monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Armodafinil supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Armodafinil, ranked by severity Armodafinil 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 Uzara and Armodafinil Together: Common Questions

Can you take Uzara with Armodafinil?
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 Uzara and Armodafinil 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 Armodafinil and Uzara?

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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.