Drug & supplement interaction

Yellow Dock + Tocilizumab

Tocilizumab brand name: Actemra.

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 Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab 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 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

Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab

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 Tocilizumab and Yellow Dock 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.

Yellow Dock safety at a glance

Yellow Dock overall Use caution May act as a laxative and contains oxalates; use short-term and with care.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Yellow dock contains anthraquinone glycosides; unstandardized laxatives are not desirable during pregnancy. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Anthraquinones are secreted into breast milk. Read the full breastfeeding detail

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 Tocilizumab and Yellow Dock? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Tocilizumab

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Tocilizumab is filed under 2 classifications — immunosuppressants, hepatotoxic drugs. Yellow Dock has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being digoxin (lanoxin) (major), diuretic drugs (major) and warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Tocilizumab’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

Yellow Dock Does Interact With Other Medications

Yellow Dock has 76 major, 2 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Tocilizumab isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 76 Moderate 2 No known interaction 2,752 (incl. Tocilizumab)
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.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab 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. 4 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney stones Worth acting on Additional detail

    Yellow Dock

    “Orally, yellow dock seems to be well tolerated when properly prepared and consumed in food amounts. Consuming raw yellow dock leaves or rhizomes may be unsafe.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Raw leaves or rhizomes can cause hypocalcemia, kidney stones, and vomiting.”

    Yellow Dock · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypocalcemia.

    “Orally, yellow dock can cause polyuria when consumed in large amounts (6). There is one report of a death, preceded by kidney failure, after ingestion of 500 grams (17). Oxalic acid, a constituent of yellow dock, reacts with calcium in plasma, forming insoluble calcium oxalate, which can cause hypocalcemia; the crystals may precipitate in the kidneys.”

    Yellow Dock · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypocalcemia.

    3 sources cited
    1. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
    2. 17. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
    3. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

    Tocilizumab

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

  • Low potassium Worth acting on Additional detail

    Yellow Dock

    “Orally, yellow dock can cause hypokalemia when taken in large amounts (4). There is one report of a death, preceded by severe metabolic acidosis, after ingestion of 500 grams of yellow dock (17). Oxalic acid, a constituent of yellow dock, reacts with calcium in plasma, forming insoluble calcium oxalate, which can cause hypocalcemia;”

    Yellow Dock · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypocalcemia.

    4 sources cited
    1. 4. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
    2. 17. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
    3. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
    4. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.

    Tocilizumab

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

  • A low platelet count / Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Yellow Dock

    “Orally, in one case report, a 38-year-old female developed immune-mediated thrombocytopenia after consuming a "cleansing" tea containing unknown amounts of yellow dock and burdock. The patient presented with bruising, mild weakness, and fatigue, which started 2-3 days after consuming the tea, and was found to have a platelet count of 5,000 per mcL.”

    Yellow Dock · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in fatigue.

    1 source cited
    1. 108971. Latif A, Fichadiya H, Abid F, Capo G. Herbal Teas and Thrombocytopenia: A Curious Case of Yellow Dock and Burdock-Induced Thrombocytopenia. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2022;9(3):003247. PubMed

    Tocilizumab

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

  • A skin rash reported in 12.1% of FDA reports for Tocilizumab Additional detail

    Yellow Dock

    “Orally, yellow dock can cause dermatitis when consumed in large amounts (4). Topically, contact with the plant may cause dermatitis in people sensitive to yellow dock (6).”

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

    2 sources cited
    1. 4. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
    2. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.

    Tocilizumab

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

  • Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Nausea Additional detail

    Yellow Dock

    “Orally, vomiting may occur after ingestion of fresh rhizome (18). Consuming excessive amounts can cause diarrhea and nausea (6). Excessive use can also cause abdominal cramps and intestinal atrophy (4). There is one report of a death, preceded by vomiting and diarrhea, after ingestion of 500 grams of yellow dock (17). Older or uncooked leaves should be avoided (6).”

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

    4 sources cited
    1. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    2. 6. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
    3. 4. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
    4. 17. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.

    Tocilizumab

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

Reported for Yellow Dock but not commonly for Tocilizumab: kidney problems, vomiting, passing urine more often and tiredness.

Effects for Tocilizumab come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Yellow Dock come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 112,048 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Tocilizumab 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

Yellow Dock in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally; avoid using. Yellow dock contains anthraquinone glycosides; unstandardized laxatives are not desirable during pregnancy.

Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally; avoid using. Anthraquinones are secreted into breast milk.

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tocilizumab

This page covers Yellow Dock only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tocilizumab page lists 89 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate) and Alfalfa (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 85 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tocilizumab page

“Tocilizumab (Actemra) calms an overactive immune system in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, and it is also known to strain the liver, which is exactly where its supplement interactions concentrate. This page deserves genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tocilizumab 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. Even though Yellow Dock itself has no known interaction with Tocilizumab, 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 Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tocilizumab
Top half

#1,266 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 Yellow Dock reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab 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 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.

Rumex crispus · Polygonaceae · Root (rhizome); leaves are sometimes used · Capsules, tinctures, liquid extracts, dried root for tea, and sometimes topical ointments

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

Yellow Dock: dosing

There is no official or standardized dose for yellow dock, and product strengths vary widely between teas, tinctures, and capsules. Because of this, the safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed them.Use it for the shortest time needed rather than as a long-term daily supplement.

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

Read the full Yellow Dock monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tocilizumab Injection

What Is Tocilizumab Injection Used For?

Brand name: Actemra

Tocilizumab injection is used to treat several serious inflammatory and immune-related conditions. Actemra (tocilizumab) is indicated for moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis in adults who haven't responded well to other disease-modifying drugs, giant cell arteritis in adults, systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) to slow lung function decline, polyarticular and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients 2 years and older, and severe or life-threatening cytokine release syndrome (CRS) caused by CAR T-cell therapy in adults and children 2 and older.

Actemra is also approved for hospitalized adults and children aged 2 and older with COVID-19 who are on corticosteroids and need supplemental oxygen or mechanical breathing support. Not every brand or route is approved for every use — your prescriber will choose the right form for your specific condition.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Tocilizumab

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (113,819 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Rheumatoid arthritis 22,747 reports
Arthralgia 17,322 reports
Joint swelling 16,327 reports
Fatigue 15,391 reports
Rash 13,781 reports
See full Tocilizumab Injection drug information
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.

76Major
2Moderate
0Minor
2,751No known interaction
76 Major 2 Moderate 2,751 No interaction
Major

76 interactions

Showing 60 of 76 major interactions — see all 76 on the Yellow Dock page.

Moderate

2 interactions

No interaction 2,751 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,751 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Yellow Dock list.

See the full Yellow Dock interactions page
See every supplement checked against Tocilizumab, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Yellow Dock References

The 8 references that drive our Yellow Dock 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. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. Foster S, Tyler VE. Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies. 3rd ed., Binghamton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1993.
  3. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  4. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  5. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
  6. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  7. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  8. Latif A, Fichadiya H, Abid F, Capo G. Herbal Teas and Thrombocytopenia: A Curious Case of Yellow Dock and Burdock-Induced Thrombocytopenia. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2022;9(3):003247. PubMed

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 Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Yellow Dock with Tocilizumab?
We do not list a known interaction between Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab. 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 Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab 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.
How was the Yellow Dock and Tocilizumab combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Tocilizumab is filed under 2 classifications, and Yellow Dock has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Tocilizumab'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 Yellow Dock interact with any other medications?
Yes. Yellow Dock has 78 documented drug interactions in our database — Tocilizumab 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 Tocilizumab interact with any supplements?
Yes. Tocilizumab has documented interactions with 89 supplements in our database — Yellow Dock is not one of them. The Tocilizumab 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

Yellow Dock monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Tocilizumab Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Tocilizumab supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Tocilizumab, 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 8 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Tocilizumab and Yellow Dock?

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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.