Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 2 of 3 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Boldo Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Herb Xtra

Capsule Category: Botanical With Nutrients
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Boldo is a dietary supplement by Herb Xtra with 3 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for joint and bone health, skin, hair, and nail support, source of dietary protein.Based on those ingredients, 482 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Boldo. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Boldo by Herb Xtra

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Low disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Low

Most active ingredients don't disclose an individual amount — you can't tell how much of each you're getting.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 0 of its 3 active ingredients.

This product contains 3 ingredients: gelatin (the capsule shell), water, and boldo leaf extract. Boldo is a South American plant traditionally used for digestive and gallbladder concerns, though the evidence for those uses isn't well established in our data.

The active component here is boldo; gelatin and water are inactive ingredients that make up the capsule itself.

Does it work?

Not established
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not established

The graded evidence we hold for these ingredients covers different conditions than the ones this product is marketed for, so there's no established rating for its stated use.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: Herbal supplement for digestive and liver support.
  • We looked for evidence on: Gallbladder disease, Indigestion, Bloating, Liver function.
  • The closest evidence on file: Boldo is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Gallbladder disease (Natural Medicines).

The evidence for boldo's effectiveness is limited in our data. The product makes no specific health claims, and the traditional uses studied — benign prostatic hyperplasia, gallbladder disease, and kidney stones — all carry insufficient evidence ratings, meaning we don't have reliable data on whether it works for those purposes.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Gelatin Boldo

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 2 of the 2 matched ingredients.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 2 of 2.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 2 of 2.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Boldo is generally well tolerated in food amounts, but in medicinal doses — the kind in a supplement — it poses real safety concerns. Boldo leaf contains ascaridole, a liver toxin, and hepatotoxicity (liver damage) has been documented in people taking it.

The most common side effects are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Gelatin can occasionally cause belching, bloating, and indigestion, and in rare cases allergic reactions including anaphylaxis in people sensitive to gelatin.

For pregnancy and breastfeeding, the safety data advises against boldo: it may stimulate the uterus and is considered unsafe in pregnancy, and there isn't enough safety information for breastfeeding, so it's best avoided.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Gelatin Boldo

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 2 matched ingredients can interact with medications — Boldo.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; immunosuppressants / transplant drugs; lithium.
  • For scale: 483 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Check this product against any medications you take that could stress your liver, any blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs, lithium, and especially warfarin or tacrolimus — boldo carries Moderate-severity interactions with all of these. No interactions are documented for the gelatin capsule material itself.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFormula with limited ingredient disclosure with no established evidence rating for its marketed use. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

This product carries meaningful drug interaction and safety concerns, chiefly because boldo can damage your liver — especially if you're already taking other liver-stressing medications. If you take any prescription medication, check it against this product before you start.

Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about whether boldo is right for you, and avoid it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 2 of 3 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Feb 25, 2013.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Boldo, straight from the product label.

Brand Herb Xtra
Barcode (UPC) 777949999336
Net contents 100 Capsule(s); 450 mg
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Feb 25, 2013
DSLD ID 17641
Product type Botanical With Nutrients
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years)
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Boldo by Herb Xtra, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
UPC/BARCODE
777949999336
IngredientAmount% DV
Gelatin0 NP--
Water0 NP--
Boldo0 NP--

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
General Statements

Boldea fragrans

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Use: As a Herbal Supplement: 1 capsule 3 times daily with a glass of water.

General

H307800

See for yourself

Boldo by Herb Xtra label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Boldo by Herb Xtra

These are the 3 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Gelatin

No known
interactions
0 NP per serving

Gelatin is a protein made from animal collagen, used as a food, a capsule ingredient, and a supplement for joint, skin, and bone health. For most heal...

Gelatin monograph & interactions

Water

0 NP per serving

Boldo

Interacts with
482 drugs
0 NP per serving

Boldo is a South American shrub whose leaves are traditionally used for digestive and gallbladder complaints, but good human evidence is very limited....

Boldo monograph & interactions
Interaction report

Boldo by Herb Xtra Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Boldo?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
482Drugs
482 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Boldo 482

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Boldo with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Boldo5 drug types · 482 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, taking boldo with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.
Animal and in vitro research shows that boldine, a constituent of boldo, has antiplatelet activity. In one case report, an adult taking a combination of boldo and fenugreek with warfarin experienced an increase in international normalized ratio (INR); however, it is unclear if this effect was due to boldo, fenugreek, the combination, or another factor.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Hepatotoxic Drugs

Theoretically, taking boldo with hepatotoxic drugs might increase the risk of hepatic injury and disease.
Boldo leaf contains ascaridole, a known liver toxin. Many cases of hepatotoxicity, including elevated liver transaminase levels and jaundice, have been reported in patients taking boldo.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Lithium

Theoretically, taking boldo with lithium might increase the levels and clinical effects of lithium.
Boldo is believed to have diuretic effects. Theoretically, these diuretic effects might reduce the excretion of lithium. The dose of lithium might need to be decreased.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Tacrolimus (Prograf)

Taking boldo with tacrolimus may decrease the levels and clinical effects of tacrolimus, potentially increasing the risk of transplant rejection.
In one case report, a patient with a long-term history of stable tacrolimus levels developed subtherapeutic levels after taking boldo 300 mg twice daily orally for several weeks. Tacrolimus levels returned to normal after discontinuing boldo. However, the mechanism of this interaction is unclear.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Warfarin (Coumadin)

A combination of boldo and fenugreek was thought to be associated with an increased international normalized ratio (INR) in a female on warfarin. It is not clear if boldo, fenugreek, or the combination played a role in this interaction. Therefore, boldo may have additive effects with warfarin.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Boldo, from the product label.

Herb Xtra

See all Herb Xtra products
Name
GOURMET NUTRITION F.B. INC.
City
STE-JULIE
State
QUEBEC
ZipCode
J3E 1Z2
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Boldo by Herb Xtra: Common Questions

Does Boldo by Herb Xtra interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Boldo has a known interaction with 482 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Boldo contains 3 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Can I take this with warfarin?
No — don't start this without talking to your doctor first. A case report linked boldo with increased warfarin effect, raising bleeding risk. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose or monitor you more closely, but you shouldn't take them together without clear medical guidance.
What does boldo actually do?
Boldo has been traditionally used for gallbladder and prostate concerns, but we don't have reliable evidence that it works for those uses. The evidence rating for each of those purposes is insufficient.
Is it safe to use if I have liver disease?
No. Boldo leaf contains ascaridole, a liver toxin, and liver damage has been reported in people taking it. If you have any liver condition or take medications that affect your liver, avoid this product entirely.
Can I take this while breastfeeding?
No — the safety data advises against it. There isn't enough information on boldo safety during breastfeeding, so it's best avoided. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about what's safe for you and your baby.
What are the common side effects?
The most common ones are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The gelatin capsule itself may cause belching, bloating, or indigestion in some people.
Is this safe for a long time?
No — boldo is meant for short-term use in low doses only, and even then the liver toxin ascaridole in the leaf raises real safety concerns. Talk to your pharmacist about how long it's safe for you to use it.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Boldo label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Boldo's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 21 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Gelatin 11 references
  1. Lewis CJ. Letter to reiterate certain public health and safety concerns to firms manufacturing or importing dietary supplements that contain specific bovine tissues. FDA. Available at: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dspltr05.html.
  2. Schwick HG, Heide K. Immunochemistry and immunology of collagen and gelatin. Bibl Haematol 1969;33:111-25. PubMed
  3. Moskowitz RW. Role of collagen hydrolysate in bone and joint disease.Semin Arthritis Rheum 2000;30:87-99. PubMed
  4. Kelso JM. The gelatin story. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:200-2.
  5. Nakayama T, Aizawa C, Kuno-Sakai H. A clinical analysis of gelatin allergy and determination of its causal relationship to the previous administration of gelatin-containing acellular pertussis vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids. J Allerg PubMed
  6. Sakaguchi M, Inouye S. Anaphylaxis to gelatin-containing rectal suppositories. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001;108:1033-4. PubMed
  7. PDR Electronic Library. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 2001.
  8. de la Fuente Tornero E, Vega Castro A, de Sierra Hernández PÁ, et al. Kounis syndrome during anesthesia: Presentation of indolent systemic mastocytosis: A case report. A Case Rep. 2017;8(9):226-228. PubMed
  9. Ventura Spagnolo E, Calapai G, Minciullo PL, Mannucci C, Asmundo A, Gangemi S. Lethal anaphylactic reaction to intravenous gelatin in the course of surgery. Am J Ther. 2016;23(6):e1344-e1346. PubMed
  10. Li Y, He H, Yang L, Li X, Li D, Luo S. Therapeutic effect of Colla corii asini on improving anemia and hemoglobin compositions in pregnant women with thalassemia. Int J Hematol. 2016;104(5):559-565. PubMed
  11. Coury JR, Skaggs KF, Marciano GF, et al. Intraoperative Anaphylaxis to the Bovine Flowable Gelatin Matrix: A Report of 2 Cases. JBJS Case Connect 2022;12(1). PubMed

See these in context on the Gelatin monograph →

Boldo 10 references
  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. Lambert J, Cormier J. Potential interaction between warfarin and boldo-fenugreek. Pharmacotherapy 2001;21:509-12. PubMed
  3. Piscaglia F, Leoni S, Venturi A, et al. Caution in the use of boldo in herbal laxatives: a case of hepatotoxicity. Scand J Gastroenterol 2005;40:236-9. PubMed
  4. Agarwal SC, Crook JR, Pepper CB. Herbal remedies -- how safe are they? A case report of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation induced by herbal medication used for obesity. Int J Cardiol 2006;106:260-1. PubMed
  5. Teng, C. M., Hsueh, C. M., Chang, Y. L., Ko, F. N., Lee, S. S., and Liu, K. C. Antiplatelet effects of some aporphine and phenanthrene alkaloids in rabbits and man. J Pharm Pharmacol 1997;49(7):706-711. PubMed
  6. Carbajal R, Yisfalem A, Pradhan N, et al. Case report: Boldo (Peumus boldus) and tacrolimus interaction in a renal transplant patient. Transplant Proc 2014;46(7):2400-2. PubMed
  7. Almeida ER, Melo AM, Xavier H. Toxicological evaluation of the hydro-alcohol extract of the dry leaves of Peumus boldus and boldine in rats. Phytother Res 2000;14(2):99-102. DOI
  8. Ribeiro RJ, Silvestre C, Duarte C. Hidden risks of alternative medicines: a case of boldo-induced hepatotoxicity. J Diet Suppl 2017;14(2):186-90. PubMed
  9. Oliveira Sá A, Pimentel T, Oliveira N. Boldo-Induced Hepatotoxicity: A Case of Unexplained Jaundice. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2020;7(12):002116. PubMed
  10. Valdes R, Feuereisen A, Bellinghausen M. Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Boldo. Dermatitis 2021;32(2):e31-e32. PubMed

See these in context on the Boldo monograph →

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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