Drug & supplement interaction

Watercress + Esomeprazole

Esomeprazole brand name: Nexium.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Watercress and Esomeprazole 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 Esomeprazole 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.

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Interaction report

Watercress and Esomeprazole

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 Esomeprazole and Watercress 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.

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.

Watercress safety at a glance

Watercress overall Generally safe Generally safe as a food for most adults in normal culinary amounts.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used in medicinal amounts. Watercress might stimulate menstruation or have abortifacient effects. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Use caution Food amounts are likely fine; avoid medicinal or concentrated doses due to lack of data.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Esomeprazole and Watercress? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Esomeprazole

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Esomeprazole is filed under 6 classifications — including proton pump inhibitors (ppis), cytochrome p450 2c19 (cyp2c19) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) inducers. Watercress has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being chlorzoxazone (parafon forte, paraflex) (moderate), lithium (moderate) and warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Esomeprazole’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Watercress Does Interact With Other Medications

Watercress has 6 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Esomeprazole isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Watercress

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Watercress and Esomeprazole May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 2 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on reported in 30.8% of FDA reports for Esomeprazole Additional detail

    Watercress

    “Orally, excessive or prolonged use of watercress may theoretically cause kidney damage. However, in overweight adults with physical disabilities, taking a watercress extract 750 mg/kg daily for 5 weeks does not cause any change in levels of creatinine or urea.”

    Watercress · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myasthenia gravis.

    2 sources cited
    1. 85598. Brinker, F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 1998;2nd edition.
    2. 109666. Clemente M, Miguel MD, Felipe KB, et al. Effect of watercress extract supplementation on lipid profile and oxidative stress markers in overweight people with physical disability: A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res. 202 PubMed

    Esomeprazole

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Esomeprazole, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Hives Worth acting on Additional detail

    Watercress

    “Raw, wild watercress can be contaminated with parasitic flukes which, when ingested, cause the liver disease fascioliasis. Symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, urticaria, eosinophilia, and hepatomegaly. Clinical research shows that taking a standardized extract of watercress orally 750 mg/kg daily for 5 weeks is not associated with increases in liver function enzymes.”

    Watercress · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cirrhosis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 85575. Dobrucali, A., Yigitbasi, R., Erzin, Y., Sunamak, O., Polat, E., and Yakar, H. Fasciola hepatica infestation as a very rare cause of extrahepatic cholestasis. World J Gastroenterol. 10-15-2004;10(20):3076-3077. PubMed
    2. 85574. Yilmaz, H. and Godekmerdan, A. Human fasciolosis in Van province, Turkey. Acta Trop. 2004;92(2):161-162.
    3. 85573. Carrada-Bravo, T. [Fascioliasis: diagnosis, epidemiology and treatment]. Rev Gastroenterol.Mex. 2003;68(2):135-142.
    4. 85567. Cosme, A., Ojeda, E., Poch, M., Bujanda, L., Castiella, A., and Fernandez, J. Sonographic findings of hepatic lesions in human fascioliasis. J Clin Ultrasound 2003;31(7):358-363. PubMed
    5. 85564. Christmann, M., Henrich, R., Mayer, G., and Ell, C. [Infection with fasciola hepatica causing elevated liver-enzyme results and eosinophilia - serologic and endoscopic diagnosis and therapy]. Z.Gastroenterol. 2002;40(9):801-806.
    6. 85582. Cruz, Lopez O., Adan, Pimentel A., Tamariz Cruz, O. J., Munoz, Lopez A., Cruz Lopez, M. C., Cruz Lopez, M. E., and Munoz, Lopez S. [Hepatic fasciolasis diagnosed in state phase]. Rev Gastroenterol Mex. 2006;71(1):59-62.

    “Topically, watercress can cause contact dermatitis, resulting in hives, rash, itching, or swollen skin.”

    Watercress · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    2 sources cited
    1. 85594. Derrick, E. and Darley, C. Contact dermatitis to nasturtium. Br.J Dermatol 1997;136(2):290-291. PubMed
    2. 85587. Diamond, S. P., Wiener, S. G., and Marks, J. G., Jr. Allergic contact dermatitis to nasturtium. Dermatol.Clin. 1990;8(1):77-80. DOI

    Esomeprazole

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Esomeprazole. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Fever / Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting reported in 4.8% of FDA reports for Esomeprazole Additional detail

    Watercress

    Recorded for Watercress in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Hives above.

    Esomeprazole

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Esomeprazole, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Itching Additional detail

    Watercress

    Recorded for Watercress in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Hives above.

    Esomeprazole

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Esomeprazole. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Watercress

    “Orally, watercress is well-tolerated when consumed in food amounts. There is limited reliable information available about the adverse effects of watercress when used in medicinal amounts. When excessive doses are used, watercress can cause gastrointestinal irritation.”

    Watercress · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 85599. Gruenwald, J. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1998;1st ed.
    2. 85575. Dobrucali, A., Yigitbasi, R., Erzin, Y., Sunamak, O., Polat, E., and Yakar, H. Fasciola hepatica infestation as a very rare cause of extrahepatic cholestasis. World J Gastroenterol. 10-15-2004;10(20):3076-3077. PubMed
    3. 85574. Yilmaz, H. and Godekmerdan, A. Human fasciolosis in Van province, Turkey. Acta Trop. 2004;92(2):161-162.
    4. 85573. Carrada-Bravo, T. [Fascioliasis: diagnosis, epidemiology and treatment]. Rev Gastroenterol.Mex. 2003;68(2):135-142.
    5. 85567. Cosme, A., Ojeda, E., Poch, M., Bujanda, L., Castiella, A., and Fernandez, J. Sonographic findings of hepatic lesions in human fascioliasis. J Clin Ultrasound 2003;31(7):358-363. PubMed
    6. 85564. Christmann, M., Henrich, R., Mayer, G., and Ell, C. [Infection with fasciola hepatica causing elevated liver-enzyme results and eosinophilia - serologic and endoscopic diagnosis and therapy]. Z.Gastroenterol. 2002;40(9):801-806.

    Esomeprazole

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Esomeprazole. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Effects for Esomeprazole come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Watercress come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 235,235 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Esomeprazole that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Watercress in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used in medicinal amounts. Watercress might stimulate menstruation or have abortifacient effects.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Esomeprazole Products Have a Food Rule — Watercress Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Esomeprazole says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Watercress included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Esomeprazole on its own and move Watercress 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 Esomeprazole 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.

Table 2: Recommended Dosage of Esomeprazole Magnesium Delayed-Release Capsules in Pediatric Patients by Indication Indication Patient Age Recommended Dosage Duration Healing of EE 12 years to 17 years Esomeprazole magnesium delayed-release capsules: 20 mg or 40 mg once daily 4 to 8 Weeks Treatment of Symptomatic GERD 12 years to 17 years Esomeprazole magnesium delayed-release capsules: 20 mg once

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Esomeprazole — 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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Watercress or Esomeprazole

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

This page covers Watercress only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Esomeprazole page lists 154 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 3 major · 102 moderate · 49 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Esomeprazole page

“St. John's wort can lower the amount of esomeprazole (Nexium) in your blood by speeding up how the liver clears it, which can leave heartburn or ulcer treatment falling short.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Esomeprazole interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 820 real supplement products containing Watercress, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Watercress. Even though Watercress itself has no known interaction with Esomeprazole, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Watercress and Esomeprazole 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 Watercress
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Esomeprazole
Top 25%

#496 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.

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 Watercress reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Watercress and Esomeprazole 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.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Watercress

What is Watercress?

Watercress
  • Source of vitamins and minerals
  • Antioxidant support
  • General nutrition
  • Traditional cough and congestion remedy
  • Skin and detox tonics

Watercress is a nutrient-rich leafy green that provides vitamins A, C, and K plus minerals and antioxidant plant compounds. Eaten as a food it is generally safe and healthy for most people, but strong human evidence for concentrated supplement health claims is limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using high-dose extracts, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a medical condition.

Nasturtium officinale · Brassicaceae · Leaves and stems (above-ground parts) · Fresh leafy green, salad, juice, extract capsules, dried herb

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Watercress is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Watercress record says about it on its own.

Watercress: dosing

There is no official or standardized dose for watercress as a supplement. As a food, it is simply eaten in salads or cooked dishes in the amount you enjoy.For capsules, powders, or extracts, follow the directions on the product label, since strength varies between products. More is not always better, and concentrated extracts have not been well studied for safety.

From our Watercress monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Watercress monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Esomeprazole

What Is Esomeprazole Used For?

Brand name: Nexium

Esomeprazole treats problems caused by excess stomach acid. It's used to heal erosive esophagitis (damage to the esophagus from acid), control GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) symptoms like heartburn, and protect the stomach lining in people at risk for ulcers caused by NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory pain relievers like ibuprofen).

It's also used as part of a three-drug combination to wipe out H. pylori — a stomach bacteria linked to ulcers — and for people with rare conditions that cause the stomach to overproduce acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Esomeprazole

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (235,235 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Chronic kidney disease 35,589 reports
Acute kidney injury 20,510 reports
Renal failure 16,295 reports
Nausea 13,667 reports
Gastrooesophageal reflux disease 12,006 reports
See full Esomeprazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Watercress

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

0Major
6Moderate
0Minor
2,823No known interaction
Moderate

6 interactions

No interaction 2,823 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Watercress References

The 34 references that drive our Watercress 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.

  1. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  2. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  3. Leclercq I, Desager JP, Horsmans Y. Inhibition of chlorzoxazone metabolism, a clinical probe for CYP2E1, by a single ingestion of watercress. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1998;64:144-9. PubMed
  4. Bolton-Smith C, Price RJ, Fenton ST, et al. Compilation of a provisional UK database for the phylloquinone (vitamin K1) content of foods. Br J Nutr 2000;83:389-99.
  5. Rondelaud, D., Dreyfuss, G., Bouteille, B., and Darde, M. L. Changes in human fasciolosis in a temperate area: about some observations over a 28-year period in central France. Parasitol.Res 2000;86(9):753-757. PubMed
  6. Sanchez-Sosa, S., Rojas-Ortega, S., Reed-San Roman, G., and Torres-Santana, M. A. [Massive hepatobiliary fascioliasis]. Rev Gastroenterol.Mex. 2000;65(4):179-183.
  7. van Daele, P. L., Madretsma, G. S., and van Agtmael, M. A. [Stomach ache and fever after consumption of watercress in Turkey: fascioliasis]. Ned.Tijdschr.Geneeskd. 9-29-2001;145(39):1896-1899.
  8. Cosme, A., Ojeda, E., Cilla, G., Torrado, J., Alzate, L., Beristain, X., Orive, V., and Arenas, J. [Fasciola hepatica. study of a series of 37 patients]. Gastroenterol.Hepatol. 2001;24(8):375-380.
  9. Martinez-Bebert, K., Rodriguez-Baez, R., Pila-Perez, R., Pila-Pelaez, R., and Tamakloe, K. [Hepatic hematoma caused by fascioliasis]. Gac.Med Mex. 2002;138(3):271-274.
  10. Dreyfuss, G., Vignoles, P., Abrous, M., and Rondelaud, D. Unusual snail species involved in the transmission of Fasciola hepatica in watercress beds in central France. Parasite 2002;9(2):113-120.
  11. Christmann, M., Henrich, R., Mayer, G., and Ell, C. [Infection with fasciola hepatica causing elevated liver-enzyme results and eosinophilia - serologic and endoscopic diagnosis and therapy]. Z.Gastroenterol. 2002;40(9):801-806.
  12. Cosme, A., Ojeda, E., Poch, M., Bujanda, L., Castiella, A., and Fernandez, J. Sonographic findings of hepatic lesions in human fascioliasis. J Clin Ultrasound 2003;31(7):358-363. PubMed
  13. Sapunar, J., Latorre, R., Guerra, M., and Defilippi, C. [Clinical considerations on 2 cases of hepatic fascioliasis. Importance of the imaging examinations]. Bol.Chil.Parasitol. 1992;47(3-4):70-76.
  14. de Gorgolas, M., Torres, R., Verdejo, C., Garay, J., Robledo, A., Ponte, M. C., and Fernandez Guerrero, M. L. [Fasciola hepatica infestation. Biopathology and new diagnostic and therapeutic aspects]. Enferm.Infecc.Microbiol.Clin 1992;10(9):514-519.
  15. Carrada-Bravo, T. [Fascioliasis: diagnosis, epidemiology and treatment]. Rev Gastroenterol.Mex. 2003;68(2):135-142.

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.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Watercress and Esomeprazole Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Watercress with Esomeprazole?
We do not list a known interaction between Watercress and Esomeprazole. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Watercress and Esomeprazole have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 8 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Watercress and Esomeprazole at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Esomeprazole says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Esomeprazole on its own and move Watercress to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Watercress and Esomeprazole combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Esomeprazole is filed under 6 classifications, and Watercress has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Esomeprazole's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Watercress interact with any other medications?
Yes. Watercress has 6 documented drug interactions in our database — Esomeprazole is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Esomeprazole interact with any supplements?
Yes. Esomeprazole has documented interactions with 154 supplements in our database — Watercress is not one of them. The Esomeprazole interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Esomeprazole and Watercress?

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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.