Drug & supplement interaction

Willow Bark + Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide

Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide brand name: Ascriptin.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide falls into 2 drug categories that Willow Bark can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, willow bark might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Willow Bark and Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Willow Bark interacts with whole categories of medication. Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Willow Bark in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide

Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Willow Bark interacts with.

Theoretically, willow bark might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs.
Willow bark has antiplatelet effects, but less so than aspirin.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: your Ascriptin already contains aspirin, which thins the blood by blocking platelets from sticking together. Willow bark is interesting because its active ingredient, salicin, turns into salicylic acid in your body, basically a cousin of aspirin. So adding willow bark is a bit like stacking a second aspirin-like product on top of the one you're already taking.

The concern is mostly about bleeding: easier bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or stomach upset and dark stools that can signal irritation. This is a theoretical caution based on how the two work, and willow bark's blood-thinning effect is weaker than aspirin's, so don't panic. Still, since you're doubling up on similar action, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Krivoy N, Pavlotzky E, Chrubasik S, et al. Effect of salicis cortex extract on human platelet aggregation. Planta Med 2001;67:209-12. PubMed
Moderate

ASPIRIN

2 of 2

Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide also falls under ASPIRIN.

Theoretically, willow bark might increase the effects and adverse effects of aspirin.
Willow bark contains salicin, a plant salicylate. It might have an additive effect when taken with other salicylate-containing drugs such as aspirin.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: your product, Ascriptin, already contains aspirin, which is a salicylate. Willow bark naturally contains salicin, which your body turns into salicylic acid, basically a close cousin of aspirin. So taking the two together is a bit like doubling up on the same kind of medicine. The effects can stack on top of each other.

What that means in real life is a higher chance of aspirin-type side effects, especially stomach upset, heartburn, and a greater tendency to bruise or bleed. This is based on how these compounds work rather than hard clinical studies, so it's more of a sensible caution than a proven danger. Still, before pairing them, please check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Schmid B, Kotter I, Heide L. Pharmacokinetics of salicin after oral administration of a standardised willow bark extract. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2001;57:387-91. 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

Willow Bark Also Interacts With Other Medications

Willow Bark has 126 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Willow Bark

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Willow Bark or Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Willow Bark or Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide, 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 Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide

This page covers Willow Bark only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide page lists 255 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), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 211 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide page

“Ascriptin combines aspirin with two antacids, aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, and the aspirin part already thins the blood on its own. That is why more than 200 of the 255 ingredients listed here can raise bleeding risk, and why this page deserves a careful read rather than a quick skim.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 43 real supplement products containing Willow Bark, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Willow Bark. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide too, on top of Willow Bark — 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 Willow Bark and Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide 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 Willow Bark
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide
Top 5%

#105 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 Willow Bark

What is Willow Bark?

  • Low back pain
  • Osteoarthritis joint pain
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • General aches and inflammation

Willow bark is a traditional plant remedy that contains salicin, a compound related to aspirin, and is most often used for pain and inflammation. Some evidence suggests it may modestly help low back pain and joint pain, but the research is limited and the right dose is not well standardized. Because it acts like aspirin, people with aspirin allergies, bleeding problems, or who are pregnant should be cautious and talk to a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Willow Bark monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Aspirin

What Is Aspirin Used For?

Brand name: Ascriptin

Aspirin is used to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains from headaches, backaches, muscle aches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, the common cold, and minor arthritis pain. It also temporarily reduces fever.

Some coated aspirin tablet products note that, under a doctor's supervision, aspirin can help prevent another heart attack or stroke in adults who have already had one. Because of their delayed-release design, those coated products will not give fast relief for headaches or other symptoms needing quick relief.

See full Aspirin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Willow Bark

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

0Major
126Moderate
0Minor
2,703No known interaction
Moderate

126 interactions

Showing 60 of 126 moderate interactions — see all 126 on the Willow Bark page.

No interaction 2,703 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Willow Bark and Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Willow Bark with Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Willow Bark and Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide?
Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide belongs to more than one drug category, and Willow Bark interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Willow Bark and Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide 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

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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.