Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 3 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Open Heart Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula

Liquid Category: Other Combinations
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Open Heart is a dietary supplement by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula with 3 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for constipation (laxative), dry skin (moisturizer), dry, irritated eyes.Based on those ingredients, 233 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Open Heart by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula

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 9 active ingredients.
  • “Proprietary Blend” is a proprietary blend — the label gives one combined amount (1,000 mg) without saying how much of each component you get.
  • “Infusions of the Flowers of” is listed as a grouped ingredient — the label doesn't break down how much of each component you get.

Open Heart contains 9 ingredients total, with evening primrose oil and yerba santa as the two named active botanicals in the flower infusion blend. Evening primrose oil is the seed oil from the evening primrose plant, and yerba santa is a traditional herb.

The formula also includes organic vegetable glycerin as an inactive ingredient to preserve and stabilize the blend, plus purified water and four other flower infusions (rosa californica, nemophila menziesii, calochortus tolmiei, and mimulus lewisii) whose individual components we cannot verify in our data. There are no other inactive ingredients listed.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
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 assessable

We hold no graded evidence for this product's ingredients for its stated purpose.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: Emotional support and suppressed grief relief.
  • We looked for evidence on: Emotional stress, Grief, Emotional wellbeing, Emotional balance.
  • Our graded evidence for these ingredients doesn't cover that particular purpose.

The evidence for this product's active ingredients is mixed and often limited. Evening primrose oil has been studied for asthma, breast pain (mastalgia), and ADHD, but the data show it is likely ineffective for breast pain and possibly ineffective for asthma; the evidence for ADHD is insufficient to rate.

For yerba santa, the available data are insufficient to assess whether it works for obesity. Glycerin — an inactive ingredient here but one with its own monograph — is likely effective for constipation but likely ineffective for stroke and meningitis.

The effectiveness of the flower combination for the product's intended use is not established in the data we hold.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Glycerol

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 3 matched ingredients.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 3 of 3.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 3 of 3.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Evening primrose oil is generally well tolerated in the short term, though some people report abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, and headache when taking it by mouth. Safety in pregnancy is unclear — the data advise caution and consultation with your doctor.

It is considered possibly safe during breastfeeding. Yerba santa is generally used in small amounts in foods and teas, but human safety data are limited; the data advise against medicinal amounts in pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Glycerin, when used in normal amounts, is generally well tolerated, though large oral doses can cause stomach upset, dehydration, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and headache. Specific safety data for larger medicinal doses are limited, so check with your doctor before using them.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Glycerol

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?
  • 2 of the 3 matched ingredients can interact with medications — Yerba Santa, Evening Primrose.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; lithium.
  • For scale: 233 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.

Blood thinners (anticoagulants) and antiplatelet drugs are the most serious concern — evening primrose may raise bleeding risk. Also double-check lithium, phenothiazines (antipsychotic medications), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), and CYP2C9 substrate drugs before starting this product.

No interactions are documented for the other ingredients we could not check.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFormula with limited ingredient disclosure with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

If you take blood thinners, lithium, antipsychotic medications, or HIV antiretroviral drugs — or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding — talk to your pharmacist before using this product. Even if none of those apply, run your exact medications through the checker on this page to be sure.

This formula is a flower essence blend without strong evidence of effectiveness for any named condition.

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

Assessment coverage: 3 of 9 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Oct 23, 2019.

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 Open Heart, straight from the product label.

Brand Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula
Barcode (UPC) 099904087828
Net contents 1.9 fl. Oz.; 57 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Oct 23, 2019
DSLD ID 208511
Product type Other Combinations
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
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 Open Heart by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula, 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 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 mL
Servings per container
57
UPC/BARCODE
099904087828
IngredientAmount% DV
purified Water0 NP--
Proprietary Blend1000 mg--
organic Vegetable Glycerin0 NP--
Infusions of the Flowers of0 NP--
Rosa californica0 NP--
Nemophila menziesii0 NP--
Eriodictyon californicum0 NP--
Calochortus tolmiei0 NP--
Mimulus lewisii0 NP--
Dicentra chrysantha0 NP--
Oenothera elata0 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

Flower Essence Formulas are liquid infusions using only organic ingredients and those derived from flowers grown in organic gardens and pristine wild habitats. Developed for modern issues of occasional emotional and physical stress. Formulated for direct use.

Suppressed grief formula Natural flower essence formula that may assist with: Ability to love Suppressed emotion Empathy and compassion Get well keep well Quality, Service, integrity

010087820613

Formulation

Flower Essence Formulas are liquid infusions using only organic ingredients and those derived from flowers grown in organic gardens and pristine wild habitats.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Brand IP Statement(s)

2013

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: Take 10-15 drops under the tongue, then swallow, 4 times daily. Avoid any contact with dropper to eliminate product contamination.

Precautions

This bottle was sealed for your protection. Do not use if outer shrink band is missing or damaged.

See for yourself

Open Heart by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Open Heart by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula

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

Serving size1 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container57 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.

Proprietary Blend

1000 mg per serving
Interaction report

Open Heart by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Open Heart?

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
233Drugs
148 Moderate 85 Minor

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Open Heart 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.

The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Open Heart, from the product label.

Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula

See all Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula products
Name
Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc.
City
Spanish Fork
State
UT
ZipCode
84660
Phone Number
1-800-223-8225
Web Address
www.naturessunshine.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Open Heart by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula: Common Questions

Does Open Heart by Nature's Sunshine Flower Essence Formula interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Open Heart has a known interaction with 233 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Open Heart 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 use this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
Evening primrose is possibly safe in both pregnancy and breastfeeding, but the evidence is unclear. Yerba santa safety data advise against medicinal amounts in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There isn't enough information about the other ingredients. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using this product if you're pregnant or nursing — they can weigh the specific risks and benefits for you.
What side effects might I notice?
Evening primrose oil most commonly causes abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting when taken by mouth. Some people also report dizziness and headache. These effects are generally mild, but if you notice them, let your pharmacist know. Glycerin in large amounts can also cause stomach upset and headache.
Does this product have any fillers or additives?
No inactive ingredients are listed for this product beyond organic vegetable glycerin and purified water. It doesn't have binders, capsule materials, or other fillers on the label.
What is evening primrose oil used for in this formula?
Evening primrose oil is included as one of the active botanical ingredients in the blend. The available evidence shows it is likely ineffective for breast pain and possibly ineffective for asthma, but the evidence for its other uses is insufficient or mixed. The specific reason Nature's Sunshine included it in this formula is not stated in the product data.
Is this formula proven to work?
The effectiveness of the flower combination for any named condition is not established in the data we hold. Evening primrose, one of the main ingredients, lacks strong evidence for most of its studied uses. If you're considering this for a specific health goal, talk to your pharmacist about what the evidence actually shows.

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

Not sure if Open Heart is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.

Open Heart label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Open Heart’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Open Heart'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 41 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.

Glycerol 8 references
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
  2. Wagner DR. Hyperhydrating with glycerol: implications for athletic performance. J Am Diet Assoc 1999;99:207-12. PubMed
  3. Yu YL, Kumana CR, Lauder IJ, et al. Treatment of acute cortical infarct with intravenous glycerol. A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Stroke 1993;24:1119-24. PubMed
  4. Frei A, Cottier C, Wunderlich P, Ludin E. Glycerol and dextran combined in the therapy of acute stroke. A placebo-controlled, double-blind trial with a planned interim analysis. Stroke 1987;18:373-9. PubMed
  5. Balaskas E, Szepietowski JC, Bessis D, Ioannides D, Ponticelli C, Ghienne C, Taberly A, Dupuy P. Randomized, double-blind study with glycerol and paraffin in uremic xerosis. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2011 Apr;6(4):748-52. PubMed
  6. Blanchet-Bardon C, Tadini G, Machado Matos M, Delarue A. Association of glycerol and paraffin in the treatment of ichthyosis in children: an international, multicentric, randomized, controlled, double-blind study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2012 Aug;26 PubMed
  7. Kajita N, Kanamori K, Yamamoto S, Yoshida K. Generalized Urticaria Caused by a Glycerin Enema in an Infant. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2022;32(4):318-319. PubMed
  8. Suzuki R, Fukuyama K, Miyazaki Y, Namiki T. Contact urticaria syndrome and protein contact dermatitis caused by glycerin enema. JAAD Case Reports. 2016;2:108-10. PubMed

See these in context on the Glycerol monograph →

Evening Primrose 33 references
  1. Shaw D, Leon C, Kolev S, Murray V. Traditional remedies and food supplements: a 5-year toxicological study (1991-1995). Drug Saf 1997;17:342-56.
  2. Laivuori H, Hovatta O, Viinikka L, et al. Dietary supplementation with primrose oil or fish oil does not change urinary excretion of prostacyclin and thromboxane metabolites in pre-eclamptic women. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1993;49:691-4. PubMed
  3. Dove D, Johnson P. Oral evening primrose oil: its effect on length of pregnancy and selected intrapartum outcomes in low-risk nulliparous women (abstract). J Nurse Midwifery 1999;44:320-4. PubMed
  4. Guivernau M, Meza N, Barja P, Roman O. Clinical and experimental study on the long-term effect of dietary gamma-linolenic acid on plasma lipids, platelet aggregation, thromboxane formation, and prostacyclin production. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty A PubMed
  5. Cant A, Shay J, Horrobin DF. The effect of maternal supplementation with linoleic and gamma- linolenic acids on the fat composition and content of human milk: a placebo-controlled trial. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1991;37:573-9. PubMed
  6. Keen H, Payan J, Allawi J, et al. Treatment of diabetic neuropathy with gamma-linolenic acid. The gamma-Linolenic Acid Multicenter Trial Group. Diabetes Care 1993;16:8-15.
  7. Blommers J, de Lange-De Klerk ES, Kuik DJ, et al. Evening primrose oil and fish oil for severe chronic mastalgia: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1389-94.. DOI
  8. Cheung KL. Management of cyclical mastalgia in oriental women: pioneer experience of using gamolenic acid (Efamast) in Asia. Aust N Z J Surg 1999;69:492-4..
  9. Das UN. The lipids that matter from infant nutrition to insulin resistance. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2002;67:1-12. PubMed
  10. Wedig KE, Whitsett JA. Down the primrose path: petechiae in a neonate exposed to herbal remedy for parturition. J Pediatr 2008;152:140, 140.e1. PubMed
  11. Ty-Torredes KA. The effect of oral evening primrose oil on bishop score and cervical length amongst term gravidas. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;195(6 Suppl 1):S30.
  12. Moodley J and Norman RJ. Attempts at dietary alteration of prostaglandin pathways in the management of pre-eclampsia. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1989;37(3):145-147. PubMed
  13. Tong M. [Treatment of hyperlipemia with evening primrose oil capsules]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1988;8:469-71, 452-3.
  14. Holman CP and Bell AF. A trial of evening primrose oil in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia. J Orhtomolecular Psych 1983;12:302-304.
  15. Vaddadi KS. The use of gamma-linolenic acid and linoleic acid to differentiate between temporal lobe epilepsy and schizophrenia. Prostaglandins Med 1981;6(4):375-379. PubMed
  16. Zou L, Harkey MR, and Henderson GL. Effects of herbal components on cDNA-expressed cytochrome P450 enzyme catalytic activity. Life Sci 8-16-2002;71(13):1579-1589. PubMed
  17. Yoon, S., Lee, J., and Lee, S. The therapeutic effect of evening primrose oil in atopic dermatitis patients with dry scaly skin lesions is associated with the normalization of serum gamma-interferon levels. Skin Pharmacol Appl.Skin Physiol 2002;15(1):20- PubMed
  18. Bamford, J. T., Gibson, R. W., and Renier, C. M. Atopic eczema unresponsive to evening primrose oil (linoleic and gamma- linolenic acids). J Am.Acad.Dermatol. 1985;13(6):959-965.
  19. Preece PE, Hanslip JI Gilbert L. Evening primrose oil (Efamol) for mastalgia. In: Horrobin DF. Clinical Uses of Essential Fatty Acids . Montreal, Quebec: Eden;1982.
  20. Parveen, S. Sarwar G. Ali M. Channa G. A. Danazol versus oil of evening primrose in the treatment of mastalgia. Pakistan Journal of Surgery. 2007;23(1):10-13.
  21. Belch JJF, Shaw B, O'Dowd A, et al. Evening primrose oil (Efamol) as a treatment for cold-induced vasospasm (Raynaud's phenomenon). Prog Lipid Res 1986;25:335-40.
  22. Johnson, M., Ostlund, S., Fransson, G., Kadesjo, B., and Gillberg, C. Omega-3/omega-6 fatty acids for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized placebo-controlled trial in children and adolescents. J.Atten.Disord. 2009;12(5):394-401. PubMed
  23. Farzaneh F, Fatehi S, Sohrabi MR, Alizadeh K. The effect of oral evening primrose oil on menopausal hot flashes: a randomized clinical trial. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2013;288(5):1075-9. PubMed
  24. Puri BK. The safety of evening primrose oil in epilepsy. Prostaglandins Leukotrienes Essential Fatty Acids 2007;77:101-3. PubMed
  25. Jalloh MA, Gregory PJ, Hein D, et al. Dietary supplement interactions with antiretrovirals: a systematic review. Int J STD AIDS. 2017 Jan;28(1):4-15. PubMed
  26. Osman M, Badawi E. Evening primrose oil reducing serum lithium concentration. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2016 Oct;6(5):343-44. PubMed
  27. Kalati M, Kashanian M, Jahdi F, Naseri M, Haghani H, SHeikhansari N. Evening primrose oil and labour, is it effective? A randomized clinical trial. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2018 Feb 9:1-5.
  28. Sharif SN, Darsareh F. Impact of evening primrose oil consumption on psychological symptoms of postmenopausal women: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial. Menopause. 2020;27(2):194-198. PubMed
  29. Shahraki AD, Mirhoseini S, Movahedi M, Hajihashemy M, Haghollahi F. Comparative Study of the Effect of Vaginal use of Primrose Oil with Misoprostol on Cervical Preparation of Prim Gravid Women: A Double-blind Clinical Trial. Adv Biomed Res 2023;12:78. PubMed
  30. Shahinfar S, Abedi P, Jahanfar S, Khajehpoor M, Chashmyazdan M. The effect of evening primrose oil on cervical ripening and birth outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon 2023;9(2):e13414. PubMed
  31. Mahmoodinasab M, Loripoor M, Vazirinejad R, Aminzadeh F. Effect of misoprostol with and without evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) on induction of missed abortion. Avicenna J Phytomed 2023;13(5):454-462.
  32. Hashemi H, Hasanpoor-Azghady SB, Farahani M, Amiri-Farahani L. Comparison of the effect of vaginal misoprostol and evening primrose oil capsule with misoprostol alone on the consequences of abortion in women with intrauterine fetal death: a randomized cli
  33. Ariana S, Amjadi N, Kazemi SN, Ahmadli Z. The Use of Evening Primrose Oil for Cervical Ripening in Low-Risk Women with Term Pregnancy: A Randomized Double-Blinded Controlled Trial. Complement Med Res 2024;31(3):215-221. PubMed

See these in context on the Evening Primrose 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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