Drug & supplement interaction

Wormwood + Meclofenamate

Meclofenamate brand name: Meclomen.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Wormwood and Meclofenamate 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 Meclofenamate 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

Wormwood and Meclofenamate

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 Meclofenamate and Wormwood 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.

Wormwood safety at a glance

Wormwood overall Use caution Short-term use of properly prepared products may be acceptable, but the thujone in wormwood can be toxic in higher amounts.
Pregnancy Avoid Wormwood may stimulate the uterus and is considered unsafe during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Meclofenamate

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Meclofenamate is filed under 5 classifications — including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids), organic anion transporter 3 (oat3) substrates, organic anion transporter 1 (oat1) substrates. Wormwood has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being anticonvulsants (moderate) — and none of Meclofenamate’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

Wormwood Does Interact With Other Medications

Wormwood has 50 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Meclofenamate isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 50 No known interaction 2,780 (incl. Meclofenamate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Wormwood

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Wormwood and Meclofenamate 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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Wormwood

    “Orally, the oil from wormwood leaves can cause acute kidney toxicity and acute kidney failure.”

    Wormwood · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in kidney failure.

    1 source cited
    1. 662. Weisbord SD, Soule JB, Kimmel PL. Poison on line-acute renal failure caused by oil of wormwood purchased through the internet. N Engl J Med 1997;337:825-7. PubMed

    Meclofenamate

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

  • Trouble sleeping Additional detail

    Wormwood

    “Chronic ingestion of absinthe, an alcoholic beverage that contains wormwood extract, has been linked to absinthism. Absinthism was first described in the 1800s when absinthe was at its peak levels of consumption. It has been characterized by addiction, gastrointestinal adverse effects, insomnia, auditory and visual hallucinations, tremors, paralysis, epilepsy, and brain damage.”

    Wormwood · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in alcohol use disorder.

    6 sources cited
    1. 662. Weisbord SD, Soule JB, Kimmel PL. Poison on line-acute renal failure caused by oil of wormwood purchased through the internet. N Engl J Med 1997;337:825-7. PubMed
    2. 12814. Gambelunghe C, Melai P. Absinthe: enjoying a new popularity among young people? Forensic Sci Int 2002;130:183-6.
    3. 15008. Padosch SA, Lachenmeier DW, Kroner LU. Absinthism: a fictitious 19th century syndrome with present impact. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2006;1:14. PubMed
    4. 86541. Dettling, A., Grass, H., Schuff, A., Skopp, G., Strohbeck-Kuehner, P., and Haffner, H. T. Absinthe: attention performance and mood under the influence of thujone. J Stud.Alcohol 2004;65(5):573-581. PubMed
    5. 86543. Benezet-Mazuecos, J. and de la Fuente, A. Electrocardiographic findings after acute absinthe intoxication. Int J Cardiol. 11-10-2006;113(2):e48-e50. PubMed
    6. 15007. Lachenmeier DW, Walch SG, Padosch SA, Kroner LU. Absinthe--a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2006;46:365-77.

    Meclofenamate

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

  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    Wormwood

    “Orally, the oil from wormwood leaves can cause nausea and vomiting. Use of a home-prepared wormwood extract has been associated with vomiting and severe diarrhea in an infant.”

    Wormwood · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    2 sources cited
    1. 662. Weisbord SD, Soule JB, Kimmel PL. Poison on line-acute renal failure caused by oil of wormwood purchased through the internet. N Engl J Med 1997;337:825-7. PubMed
    2. 93467. Kocaoglu C, Ozel A. Persistent metabolic acidosis and severe diarrhoea due to Artemisia absinthium poisoning. J Pak Med Assoc. 2014 Sep;64(9):1081-3.

    Meclofenamate

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

  • Vomiting / Nausea Additional detail

    Wormwood

    Recorded for Wormwood in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Kidney problems above.

    Meclofenamate

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

Reported for Wormwood but not commonly for Meclofenamate: hallucinations, severe muscle breakdown, muscle pain and seizures.

Effects for Meclofenamate come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Wormwood come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Meclofenamate Products Have a Food Rule — Wormwood Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Meclofenamate says to take it with food. If you take Wormwood on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Meclofenamate with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Meclofenamate 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.

If gastrointestinal complaints occur (see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS ), meclofenamate sodium may be administered with meals or with milk (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY for a description of food effects).

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

Overlapping uses

What Meclofenamate Is Prescribed For, and What Wormwood Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Meclofenamate is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Wormwood is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Meclofenamate is prescribed for: Meclofenamate sodium capsules are used in adults to relieve mild to moderate pain, reduce fever, and treat the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, juvenile arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis (a type of spinal arthritis). They are also used for acute painful shoulder, acute gouty arthritis, primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods), and idiopathic heavy menstrual bleeding. This medication is not recommended for use in children, as adequate safety and effectiveness studies have not been carried out in that age group.

Wormwood has been studied for:

  • Osteoarthritis studied, not established Wormwood has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Wormwood for osteoarthritis

    It is unclear if topical wormwood is beneficial in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Meclofenamate on your own; if you are taking Wormwood for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Wormwood or Meclofenamate

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

This page covers Wormwood only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Meclofenamate page lists 32 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), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and Wine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 16 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Meclofenamate page

“Meclofenamate (Meclomen) is a prescription NSAID for pain and arthritis, a class of drug that is already hard on the stomach and kidneys, so this list deserves real care rather than a quick skim. Five of its 32 supplement and herbal interactions rate major, clustered around two dangers: alcohol (beer and wine both raise the risk of sto…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Meclofenamate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 387 real supplement products containing Wormwood, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Wormwood. Even though Wormwood itself has no known interaction with Meclofenamate, 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 Wormwood and Meclofenamate 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 Wormwood
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Meclofenamate
Top half

#758 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 Wormwood reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Wormwood and Meclofenamate 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 Wormwood

What is Wormwood?

Wormwood
  • Digestive upset and poor appetite
  • Intestinal parasites
  • Crohn's disease symptoms
  • Bitter tonic for indigestion
  • Flavoring in absinthe and vermouth

Wormwood is a very bitter herb traditionally used to stimulate appetite and ease digestion, and it has early research interest in Crohn's disease. It contains thujone, which can be toxic in large amounts, so it should only be used short-term in controlled doses. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Artemisia absinthium · Asteraceae · Leaves, flowering tops, and essential oil · Tea, tincture, capsules, extracts, essential oil

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

Wormwood: dosing

There is no well-established standard dose of wormwood, and safe amounts depend on the form and how much thujone it contains. It is usually used only for short periods.If you choose to use a wormwood product, follow the directions on the label and choose a reputable brand. Do not exceed the recommended amount, avoid long-term use, and never take the concentrated essential oil by mouth.

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

Read the full Wormwood monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Meclofenamate

What Is Meclofenamate Used For?

Brand name: Meclomen

Meclofenamate sodium capsules are used in adults to relieve mild to moderate pain, reduce fever, and treat the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, juvenile arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis (a type of spinal arthritis). They are also used for acute painful shoulder, acute gouty arthritis, primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods), and idiopathic heavy menstrual bleeding.

This medication is not recommended for use in children, as adequate safety and effectiveness studies have not been carried out in that age group.

See full Meclofenamate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Wormwood

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

0Major
50Moderate
0Minor
2,779No known interaction
50 Moderate 2,779 No interaction
Moderate

50 interactions

No interaction 2,779 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,779 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Wormwood list.

See the full Wormwood interactions page
See every supplement checked against Meclofenamate, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Wormwood References

The 10 references that drive our Wormwood 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. Weisbord SD, Soule JB, Kimmel PL. Poison on line-acute renal failure caused by oil of wormwood purchased through the internet. N Engl J Med 1997;337:825-7. PubMed
  2. Gambelunghe C, Melai P. Absinthe: enjoying a new popularity among young people? Forensic Sci Int 2002;130:183-6.
  3. Hold KM, Sirisoma NS, Casida JE. Detoxification of alpha- and beta-Thujones (the active ingredients of absinthe): site specificity and species differences in cytochrome P450 oxidation in vitro and in vivo. Chem Res Toxicol 2001;14:589-95.
  4. Lachenmeier DW, Walch SG, Padosch SA, Kroner LU. Absinthe--a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2006;46:365-77.
  5. Padosch SA, Lachenmeier DW, Kroner LU. Absinthism: a fictitious 19th century syndrome with present impact. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2006;1:14. PubMed
  6. Lachenmeier DW, Emmert J, Kuballa T, Sartor G. Thujone--cause of absinthism? Forensic Sci Int 2006;158:1-8. PubMed
  7. Dettling, A., Grass, H., Schuff, A., Skopp, G., Strohbeck-Kuehner, P., and Haffner, H. T. Absinthe: attention performance and mood under the influence of thujone. J Stud.Alcohol 2004;65(5):573-581. PubMed
  8. Benezet-Mazuecos, J. and de la Fuente, A. Electrocardiographic findings after acute absinthe intoxication. Int J Cardiol. 11-10-2006;113(2):e48-e50. PubMed
  9. El Makrini NI, Hassam B. Artemisia absinthium: burning plant! Pan Afr Med J. 2016 Jan 22;23:10. PubMed
  10. Kocaoglu C, Ozel A. Persistent metabolic acidosis and severe diarrhoea due to Artemisia absinthium poisoning. J Pak Med Assoc. 2014 Sep;64(9):1081-3.

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 Wormwood and Meclofenamate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Wormwood with Meclofenamate?
We do not list a known interaction between Wormwood and Meclofenamate. 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 Wormwood and Meclofenamate have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 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 Wormwood and Meclofenamate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Meclofenamate says to take it with food. If you take Wormwood on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Meclofenamate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Meclofenamate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Wormwood and Meclofenamate used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Wormwood in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Meclofenamate is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Wormwood and Meclofenamate combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Meclofenamate is filed under 5 classifications, and Wormwood has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Meclofenamate'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 Wormwood interact with any other medications?
Yes. Wormwood has 50 documented drug interactions in our database — Meclofenamate 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 Meclofenamate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Meclofenamate has documented interactions with 32 supplements in our database — Wormwood is not one of them. The Meclofenamate interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Wormwood monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Meclofenamate drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Meclofenamate supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Meclofenamate, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 10 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Meclofenamate and Wormwood?

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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.