Drug & supplement interaction

Yellow Dock + Ammonium Chloride

Ammonium Chloride brand name: Ammonium Chloride.

Major Interaction
The bottom line Major

Yellow Dock has a major interaction with Ammonium Chloride. Theoretically, yellow dock might increase the risk of hypokalemia when taken with diuretics.

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

Yellow Dock and Ammonium Chloride

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

Major

DIURETIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Ammonium Chloride

Ammonium Chloride falls under DIURETIC DRUGS — the group Yellow Dock interacts with.

Theoretically, yellow dock might increase the risk of hypokalemia when taken with diuretics.
When yellow dock is used chronically or in large amounts, hypokalemia may occur, and overuse of yellow dock might compound diuretic-induced potassium loss.
Severity Major 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 thing to keep in mind with yellow dock and ammonium chloride. Yellow dock root contains anthraquinones, the same kind of stimulant laxative compounds found in senna. If you use it heavily or for a long stretch, it can flush potassium out of your body along with all that extra bowel activity. The concern listed here is mostly about diuretic-type medicines, where potassium loss is a known issue.

For ammonium chloride specifically, this connection is more theoretical, based on how the herb behaves rather than solid studies. Low potassium (hypokalemia) can cause muscle weakness, cramps, and an irregular heartbeat. A pinch in food won't matter, but concentrated supplement doses might. If you take both regularly, check in with your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 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

Yellow Dock Also Interacts With Other Medications

Yellow Dock has 75 major, 2 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ammonium Chloride one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Yellow Dock

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ammonium Chloride

This page covers Yellow Dock only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ammonium Chloride page lists 200 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Lithium (major) and Oleander (major).

By severity: 7 major · 169 moderate · 24 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ammonium Chloride page

“Ammonium chloride, an old drug still used to acidify the urine and correct certain acid-base imbalances, sits in caution territory in my read of this page. Most of the interactions on file involve supplements that push blood pressure up or down or that compound the fluid and potassium shifts tied to its use, and a smaller set can chang…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ammonium Chloride interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 753 real supplement products containing Yellow Dock, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Yellow Dock. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ammonium Chloride too, on top of Yellow Dock — 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 Yellow Dock and Ammonium Chloride 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 Yellow Dock
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ammonium Chloride
Steady interest

#1,428 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 Yellow Dock

What is Yellow Dock?

  • Constipation
  • Digestive support
  • Skin conditions
  • Iron-deficiency or 'blood-building' tonic
  • Liver and detox support

Yellow dock is a traditional herb used mostly as a mild laxative and a digestive and skin tonic. Good-quality human studies are lacking, so its benefits are largely unproven, and its naturally occurring oxalates and anthraquinones mean it should be used cautiously and not long-term.

Read the full Yellow Dock monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Yellow Dock

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

75Major
2Moderate
0Minor
2,752No known interaction
Major

75 interactions

Showing 60 of 75 major interactions — see all 75 on the Yellow Dock page.

Moderate

2 interactions

No interaction 2,752 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 Yellow Dock and Ammonium Chloride Together: Common Questions

Can you take Yellow Dock with Ammonium Chloride?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Yellow Dock and Ammonium Chloride interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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.