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Dietary supplement

Slippery Elm Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Nature's Sunshine

Slippery Elm label
See full label image
Powder Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Slippery Elm against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Slippery Elm is a dietary supplement by Nature's Sunshine with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for sore throat and cough, heartburn and acid reflux, digestive upset and ibs.Based on those ingredients, 2,022 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Slippery Elm. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine

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

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Sep 10, 2026

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: slippery elm inner bark powder. Slippery elm has been used traditionally to coat and soothe the digestive tract.

The powder comes with no added inactive ingredients.

Does it work?

No specific claim
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
General wellness

This Slippery Elm product is marketed for general wellness, not a specific health condition, so there's no single claim to grade — see Slippery Elm's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets general wellness (“support the digestive system”), not a specific health condition, so there is no single claim to grade against clinical-evidence data.

The evidence we hold doesn't establish how well slippery elm works for any of its common uses — cancer, constipation, cough, diarrhea, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). All of these show insufficient reliable evidence to rate.

That doesn't mean it doesn't work; it means large, well-designed studies backing its use aren't yet in our data.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Slippery Elm

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 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Slippery elm is generally well tolerated when you use it for short periods, though high-quality safety data are limited. The main adverse effects are contact dermatitis and urticaria (hives) from direct exposure to the powder or pollen — some people react to the pollen as an allergen.

Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding isn't well established. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you're pregnant or nursing.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Slippery Elm

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 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Slippery Elm.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • For scale: 2,023 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.

Because slippery elm may reduce the absorption of oral medications (Moderate severity), double-check any drugs you take by mouth — prescription and over-the-counter — with your doctor or pharmacist before starting this product. With 2,023 individual medications potentially affected, this step is important.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula marketed for general wellness rather than one specific gradeable purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Slippery Elm may appeal to you if you're looking for a traditional throat or digestive soother, but the evidence for its effectiveness isn't yet clear in our data. The main caution is that it may slow how your body absorbs oral medications.

Check your exact drugs with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, and let them know 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: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated May 22, 2020.

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 Slippery Elm, straight from the product label.

Brand Nature's Sunshine
Barcode (UPC) 099904013919
Net contents 7 Oz(s); 200 Gram(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD May 22, 2020
DSLD ID 220866
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Powder
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher
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 Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine, 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:
3.9 Gram(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
7.8 Gram(s)
Servings per container
25
UPC/BARCODE
099904013919
IngredientAmount% DV
Slippery Elm7800 mg--

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

010013910719

Product of U.S.A.

Herb Specialists Since 1972

Nature's Sunshine Quality, Service, Integrity

Formula

Slippery Elm has been historically used to support the digestive system.

Ko Kosher Service Pareve

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Recommendation Mix 1 or 2 heaping teaspoon(s) in a glass (8 oz.) of water or juice.

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.

Precautions

This container was sealed for your protection. Do not use if inner seal is missing or damaged.

Formulation

Nature's Sunshine uses natural source materials that are subject to color variation.

Traditionally used to support the digestive system

Guaranteed pure

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Seals/Symbols

Ko Kosher Service Pareve

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine label

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

Slippery Elm label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size3.9 Gram(s) Dosage formPowder Servings per container25 Amounts shown are per serving.

Slippery Elm

Interacts with
2,022 drugs
7800 mg per serving

Slippery elm is a traditional herbal remedy made from the inner bark of a North American elm tree, used mainly to soothe sore throats and irritated di...

Slippery Elm monograph & interactions
Interaction report

Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Slippery Elm?

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
2,022Drugs
2,022 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Slippery Elm 2,022

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Slippery Elm interact with 2,022 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Slippery Elm interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Slippery Elm

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Slippery Elm 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.

Slippery Elm1 drug type · 2,022 drugs

Oral Drugs

Theoretically, slippery elm may slow the absorption and reduce serum levels of oral drugs.
Slippery elm inner bark contains mucilage, which may interfere with the absorption of orally administered drugs.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Slippery Elm full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Slippery Elm, from the product label.

Nature's Sunshine

See all Nature's Sunshine 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

Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine: Common Questions

Does Slippery Elm by Nature's Sunshine interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Slippery Elm has a known interaction with 2,022 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Slippery Elm contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism 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.
Will slippery elm slow down my other medications?
Possibly, yes. Slippery elm contains mucilage, which may interfere with how your body absorbs drugs taken by mouth. This is rated a Moderate interaction concern. Check your specific medications with your doctor or pharmacist before starting it.
Is slippery elm safe to take while I'm pregnant?
There isn't enough reliable safety data to say either way. Some sources caution against using it during pregnancy. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice.
Can I use slippery elm while breastfeeding?
There's too little information on safety while breastfeeding, so caution is advised. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether it's right for you in this situation.
What does slippery elm do?
Slippery elm has been used traditionally to soothe the throat and digestive tract. However, the evidence for how well it works for constipation, cough, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer isn't yet established in our data.
Can slippery elm cause allergic reactions?
Yes. The pollen is an allergen, and the powder itself can cause contact dermatitis or hives in some people after direct exposure. If you have known allergies to tree pollens, be aware of this risk.

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

Not sure if Slippery Elm 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.

Slippery Elm label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Slippery Elm’s Ingredients

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

Herb & supplement monograph

Slippery Elm

Interacts with 2,022 drugs

Slippery elm is a traditional herbal remedy made from the inner bark of a North American elm tree, used mainly to soothe sore throats and irritated digestive tracts. Its mucilage can coat an...

Read the full Slippery Elm monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Slippery Elm'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 3 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.

Slippery Elm 3 references
  1. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  2. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  3. Czarnecki D, Nixon R, Bekhor P, and et al. Delayed prolonged contact urticaria from the elm tree. Contact Dermatitis 1993;28:196-197. PubMed

See these in context on the Slippery Elm 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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