Herb & supplement monograph

Umckaloabo Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Umckaloabo interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Umckaloabo is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Umckaloabo is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Umckaloabo Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Umckaloabo drug interaction appears low for most people. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and even the moderate ones come from lab research rather than documented effects in people.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The combination that deserves the most care involves immunosuppressants, the medicines used after an organ transplant or for autoimmune disease. Because Umckaloabo may stimulate the immune system, it could in theory work against these drugs, and even a small loss of effect matters when transplant protection is at stake. For people on blood thinners such as warfarin, the concern is much weaker: Umckaloabo contains a coumarin compound, but animal studies found no effect on clotting or on warfarin, and no bleeding problems have been reported in humans.

What the rest of the list means

Although Umckaloabo appears alongside a long list of medications, that does not mean each pairing is harmful. Most entries reflect theoretical concerns based on how the herb might act in the body, not effects actually seen in people. In fact, the best-studied prediction, a bleeding risk, did not hold up when tested.

Check your medications against Umckaloabo

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Umckaloabo interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Umckaloabo

241 medications have a known interaction with Umckaloabo, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Umckaloabo using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Umckaloabo interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. 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.
Possible. 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
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Umckaloabo combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Umckaloabo affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Umckaloabo is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 2 drug categories Umckaloabo interacts with

ImmunosuppressantsAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs

Immunosuppressants

Theoretically, Pelargonium sidoides might decrease the effectiveness of immunosuppressant therapy.
In vitro research suggests that Pelargonium sidoides has immunostimulant effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, Pelargonium sidoides might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs.
Pelargonium sidoides contains coumarin, which may reduce platelet aggregation. However, in animal models, Pelargonium sidoides extract does not appear to inhibit coagulation or interact with warfarin. This interaction has not been documented in humans.

Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Monograph

Umckaloabo: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Umckaloabo is a root extract from a South African geranium that is most studied for short-term relief of acute bronchitis and other respiratory infections. Some clinical research suggests it may help symptoms resolve a bit faster, but the quality of evidence is mixed and it is not a cure. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a chronic illness.

Scientific name: Pelargonium sidoides
Family: Geraniaceae
Part used: Roots
Common forms: Liquid extract (drops), syrup, tablets, lozenges

People commonly use it for

Acute bronchitis
Common cold
Sinusitis
Sore throat
Upper respiratory infections

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated for short-term use, but quality and standardization vary by product.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Umckaloabo is an herbal remedy made from the roots of Pelargonium sidoides, a flowering plant in the geranium family that grows in South Africa. It is sometimes called African geranium. The name "umckaloabo" comes from traditional African words linked to its long history of use for chest and breathing problems.

Today it is sold as a liquid extract (drops), syrup, tablets, and lozenges. People most often take it for short-term respiratory infections like the common cold, sore throat, sinus infections, and acute bronchitis. A specific standardized extract known as EPs 7630 is the form used in much of the published research.

How it works

The root contains plant compounds such as coumarins and polyphenols. Laboratory and animal studies suggest these compounds may work in a few ways: they may make it harder for bacteria to stick to cells in the airway, they may help the body's immune cells respond to viruses, and they may help loosen mucus so it is easier to clear.

Some research also suggests it has mild antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects. It is important to know that much of this evidence comes from test-tube and animal studies, so it does not fully prove how the extract works in people.

Effectiveness

Does Umckaloabo work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 8 uses evaluated

2 Possibly effective 6 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Acute Bronchitis