Drug & supplement interaction

Yerba Santa + Theophylline

Theophylline brand names: T-Phyl, Duraphyl, Aerolate JR, Aerolate SR, Theo-Dur, and others.

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

We found no known interaction between Yerba Santa and Theophylline 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.

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Interaction report

Yerba Santa and Theophylline

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 Theophylline and Yerba Santa 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.

Yerba Santa safety at a glance

Yerba Santa overall Use caution Generally used in small amounts in foods and teas, but human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information is available, so it is best to avoid medicinal amounts during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety has not been studied in nursing mothers, so avoid medicinal use while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Theophylline and Yerba Santa? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Theophylline

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Theophylline is filed under 6 classifications — including methylxanthines, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates. Yerba Santa has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being lithium (moderate) — and none of Theophylline’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

Yerba Santa Does Interact With Other Medications

Yerba Santa has 1 moderate known drug interaction in our database — Theophylline isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1 No known interaction 2,829 (incl. Theophylline)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Yerba Santa

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

What to actually watch for

What Theophylline’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Yerba Santa. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Theophylline’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 9 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on
  • Trouble passing urine Worth acting on
  • Low potassium Worth acting on
  • High blood sugar Worth acting on
  • An irregular heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Confusion Worth acting on
  • Seizures Worth acting on
  • A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on
  • Hives Worth acting on
  • Heartburn

Showing the 10 most notable of 25 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Theophylline. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 12,164 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Theophylline that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Yerba Santa’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Yerba Santa side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Yerba Santa has no side effects.

From our Q&A

Questions About Yerba Santa or Theophylline

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

This page covers Yerba Santa only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Theophylline page lists 126 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Sida Cordifolia (major), Adrafinil (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 89 moderate · 34 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Theophylline page

“Stop ephedra before anything else if you take theophylline (Theo-Dur, Slo-Bid, and others) for asthma or COPD. Both are stimulants, and together they raise the risk of serious heart and nervous system effects; Sida cordifolia, an herb that contains ephedrine, carries the same major rating.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Theophylline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 276 real supplement products containing Yerba Santa, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Yerba Santa. Even though Yerba Santa itself has no known interaction with Theophylline, 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 Yerba Santa and Theophylline 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 Yerba Santa
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Theophylline
Top half

#841 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.
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Yerba Santa and Theophylline records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 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 Yerba Santa

What is Yerba Santa?

Yerba Santa
  • Coughs and colds
  • Chest congestion (expectorant)
  • Asthma and bronchitis
  • Sore throat
  • Masking bitter tastes in medicines

Yerba Santa is an aromatic shrub from the western United States and Mexico that has long been used in folk medicine for coughs, congestion, and other respiratory complaints. Modern scientific evidence supporting these uses is very limited, with most data coming from laboratory studies rather than human trials. It is best known today as a flavoring agent that helps mask the bitter taste of medicines; talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it for health purposes.

Eriodictyon californicum · Boraginaceae · Leaves · Tea, tincture, capsules, syrup, dried leaf, throat lozenges, and as a flavoring agent

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

Yerba Santa: dosing

There is no established standardized dose for Yerba Santa, and the amount of active compounds can vary a lot from product to product. Because of this, it is hard to recommend a specific safe and effective dose.If you choose to use it, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the recommended amount. A pharmacist or doctor can help you decide whether it is appropriate for you, especially if you take other medicines or have a health condition. Do not use it as a replacement for proven treatments for asthma or infections.

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

Read the full Yerba Santa monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Theophylline

What Is Theophylline Used For?

Brand names: T-Phyl, Duraphyl, Aerolate JR, Aerolate SR, Theo-Dur, Slo-Bid, Theo-24, Uniphyl, Slo-phyllin Gyrocaps, Theolair, Theolair SR, Quibron-T/SR, Quibron-T, Aerolate III, Theo-X, Bronkodyl, Theoclear LA-130, Constant-T, Theoclear LA-260, Elixophyllin, Theovent, Theobid Jr Duracap, Respbid, Theobid Duracap

Theophylline — available as extended-release capsules (Theo-24), extended-release tablets, and oral solution (Elixophyllin) — is used to treat symptoms and reversible airflow obstruction caused by chronic asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.

All supported formulations share these indications. Theophylline is intended for patients with ongoing or recurring symptoms, not for sudden (acute) breathing attacks, which need faster-acting treatments.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Theophylline

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (12,323 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dyspnea 2,441 reports
Asthma 2,097 reports
Pneumonia 1,466 reports
Wheezing 1,417 reports
Vomiting 1,230 reports
See full Theophylline drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Yerba Santa

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

0Major
1Moderate
0Minor
2,828No known interaction
1 Moderate 2,828 No interaction
Moderate

1 interaction

No interaction 2,828 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,828 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Yerba Santa list.

See the full Yerba Santa interactions page
See every supplement checked against Theophylline, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

We checked Yerba Santa against Theophylline in the Natural Medicines interaction database and found no documented interaction on file. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus, and supplement label details from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

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

Keep exploring
Yerba Santa monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Theophylline supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Theophylline, ranked by severity Theophylline drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Yerba Santa and Theophylline Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Yerba Santa with Theophylline?
We do not list a known interaction between Yerba Santa and Theophylline. 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.
How was the Yerba Santa and Theophylline combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Theophylline is filed under 6 classifications, and Yerba Santa has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Theophylline'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 Yerba Santa interact with any other medications?
Yes. Yerba Santa has 1 documented drug interaction in our database — Theophylline 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 Theophylline interact with any supplements?
Yes. Theophylline has documented interactions with 126 supplements in our database — Yerba Santa is not one of them. The Theophylline 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 Theophylline and Yerba Santa?

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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.