Drug & supplement interaction

Wahoo + Tetracycline

Tetracycline brand names: Sumycin, Sumycin 250, Tetrex BID, Achromycin V, Robitet, and others.

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

Wahoo has a moderate interaction with Tetracycline. Theoretically, concomitant use may increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity.

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

Wahoo and Tetracycline

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

Moderate

TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS

Theoretically, concomitant use may increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity.
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 gist with Wahoo and tetracycline. Wahoo isn't a true heart medicine, but it naturally contains heart-active compounds called cardenolides, which behave a lot like digoxin. The concern on file is that taking it could raise the risk of heart-glycoside type toxicity, meaning an irregular or slow heartbeat, nausea, or feeling faint. This is rated theoretical, based on how these compounds work rather than real reports with tetracycline itself.

Tetracycline isn't a prodrug, and it isn't the main driver here. Honestly, the bigger issue is Wahoo itself, which is a poisonous plant we don't recommend using at all. If you're on tetracycline for an infection, please skip the Wahoo and check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.

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

Wahoo Also Interacts With Other Medications

Wahoo has 1 major, 131 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Tetracycline 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. Tetracycline)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Wahoo

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Wahoo or Tetracycline

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Wahoo or Tetracycline, 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 Tetracycline

This page covers Wahoo only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tetracycline page lists 164 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), Oleander (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 7 major · 136 moderate · 21 minor.

Open the Tetracycline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 9 real supplement products containing Wahoo, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Wahoo. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Tetracycline too, on top of Wahoo — 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 Wahoo and Tetracycline 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 Wahoo
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tetracycline
Steady interest

#1,582 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 Wahoo

What is Wahoo?

Wahoo
  • Constipation (traditional laxative)
  • Digestive complaints
  • Liver and gallbladder support (folk use)
  • Fluid retention (traditional diuretic)
  • Skin irritations (folk use)

Wahoo is a North American shrub historically used as a laxative and 'liver tonic,' but it is a poisonous plant with no proven benefit and a real risk of serious harm. Because it contains heart-affecting and other toxic compounds, we do not recommend using it, and there is no established safe dose.

Read the full Wahoo monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tetracycline

What Is Tetracycline Used For?

Brand names: Sumycin, Sumycin 250, Tetrex BID, Achromycin V, Robitet, Sumycin 500, Tetra, Nor-Tet, Tetracyn, Tetrex, Achromycin, Terramycin IM

Oral tetracycline (tablets and capsules) treats infections caused by susceptible bacteria, including upper and lower respiratory tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, and sexually transmitted infections such as those caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. It is also used for tick- and flea-borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus, as well as cholera, brucellosis, tularemia, plague, and several other serious bacterial infections.

Topical tetracycline products — including ointments, sprays, and solutions sold under brand names such as Tetracyte, Vitastem, Viabecline, Honestly Battleborn, and ViaDerma Care — are over-the-counter first-aid products used to help prevent skin infection in minor cuts, scrapes, and burns. These topical products are not used for systemic (whole-body) infections.

See full Tetracycline drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Wahoo

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Wahoo — 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 Wahoo page.

No interaction 2,697 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Wahoo 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 Wahoo list.

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

Can you take Wahoo with Tetracycline?
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 Wahoo and Tetracycline 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 Tetracycline and Wahoo?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.