Drug & supplement interaction

Zedoary + Erythromycin Stearate

Erythromycin Stearate brand names: Erythro-S, Erythrocin, Ethril.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Zedoary has a moderate interaction with Erythromycin Stearate. Theoretically, zedoary might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

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

Zedoary and Erythromycin Stearate

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Erythromycin Stearate

Erythromycin Stearate falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Zedoary interacts with.

Theoretically, zedoary might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In-vitro research shows that a methanol extract of zedoary strongly inhibits the CYP3A4 metabolism of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors lapatinib and sorafenib, and to a lesser extent, gefitinib.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction 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.

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

Here's the basic idea: your body uses a liver enzyme called CYP3A4 to help clear erythromycin. Zedoary, in lab dish studies, seems to slow that same enzyme down. If that held true in people, erythromycin could linger longer in your system and its effects could run a bit stronger than expected.

With erythromycin specifically, that might mean more stomach upset, nausea, or cramping, and rarely a change in heart rhythm (QT prolongation). I want to be honest, though: this is only theoretical, based on test-tube work, not on real patients taking these two together. A pinch of zedoary as a spice almost certainly won't matter. Concentrated supplement doses are the bigger question mark. Before combining them, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Rodseeda C, Yamanont P, Pinthong D, Korprasertthaworn P. Inhibitory effects of Thai herbal extracts on the cytochrome P450 3A-mediated the metabolism of gefitinib, lapatinib and sorafenib. Toxicol Rep 2022;9:1846-1852. 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

Zedoary Also Interacts With Other Medications

Zedoary has 642 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Erythromycin Stearate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 642 No known interaction 2,188 (incl. Erythromycin Stearate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Zedoary

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Zedoary or Erythromycin Stearate

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

This page covers Zedoary only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Erythromycin Stearate page lists 204 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Beer (major) and Cesium (major).

By severity: 11 major · 153 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Erythromycin Stearate page

“Erythromycin stearate (Erythrocin, Ethril) is an antibiotic that asks for real vigilance around supplements. It blocks the body's main drug-clearing enzyme, so the largest share of this list is herbs whose blood levels can climb while you take it.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Erythromycin Stearate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 83 real supplement products containing Zedoary, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Zedoary. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Erythromycin Stearate too, on top of Zedoary — 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 Zedoary and Erythromycin Stearate 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 Zedoary
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Erythromycin Stearate
Steady interest

#1,449 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 Zedoary

What is Zedoary?

  • Digestive upset and bloating
  • Loss of appetite
  • Menstrual discomfort
  • Inflammation and pain
  • Traditional flavoring and tonic

Zedoary is a ginger-family root used in traditional Asian and Indian medicine, mostly for digestion and as a spice. Scientific evidence in humans is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy.

Read the full Zedoary monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Erythromycin

What Is Erythromycin Used For?

Brand names: Erythro-S, Erythrocin, Ethril

Erythromycin treats bacterial infections caused by susceptible organisms. Oral and intravenous forms are used for upper and lower respiratory tract infections, skin and soft-tissue infections, pertussis (whooping cough), Legionnaires' disease, sexually transmitted infections (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia), listeriosis, and other conditions. Erythrocin Lactobionate IV and erythromycin lactobionate injection are specifically for patients who cannot take oral medication or who need rapid, high blood levels due to severe infection — IV therapy should be switched to oral as soon as appropriate.

Erythromycin topical solution 2% and Ery 2% Pads (swabs) are indicated only for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris (acne) and are applied directly to the skin — they are not used for internal infections.

See full Erythromycin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Zedoary

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

0Major
642Moderate
0Minor
2,187No known interaction
642 Moderate 2,187 No interaction
Moderate

642 interactions

Showing 60 of 642 moderate interactions — see all 642 on the Zedoary page.

No interaction 2,187 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,187 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Zedoary list.

See the full Zedoary interactions page
See every supplement checked against Erythromycin Stearate, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Zedoary monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Erythromycin Stearate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Erythromycin Stearate, ranked by severity Erythromycin 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 Zedoary and Erythromycin Stearate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Zedoary with Erythromycin Stearate?
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.
How serious is the Zedoary and Erythromycin Stearate 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

Still Have a Question About Erythromycin Stearate and Zedoary?

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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.