Does Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Have Any Drug Interactions?
In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses whether or not Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Gummies has any drug interactions.
I bought Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Gummies for my kids. They take a few different medications, like Zyrtec for allergies and one of them is taking Adderall. Is the product safe to use?
Jan 04, 2023- Elderberry does not appear to cause significant changes to how drugs are metabolized in the body or absorbed. Theoretical interactions may exist with immunosuppressant drugs and immune-suppressing medications due to elderberry's potential immune-boosting effects, but clinical studies have not confirmed these interactions actually occur. The small amount of zinc in Nature's Way Sambucus Elderberry Gummies is unlikely to cause any clinically significant interactions.
Answer
Thanks for reaching out! I'm more than happy to go over this topic.
According to the manufacturer's website, Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Gummies contains Black Elder (Sambucus nigra extract), a type of elderberry. So, I'll be discussing whether or not this specific elderberry has documented drug interactions.
Below is an image of the bottle and the 'Supplement Facts'.
Does Black Elder Have Drug Interactions?
Black Elder, commonly known simply as 'elderberry' or 'Sambucus nigra', has been reported to be relatively safe in the drug interaction department.
Multiple studies have reported that elderberry does not seem to cause significant changes to metabolizing enzymes in the body and does not appear to otherwise affect how drugs are absorbed or metabolized.
The only interactions that have been documented with elderberry are theoretical ones with immunosuppressant drugs since elderberry may have immune-boosting effects.
So, this would include drugs like cyclosporine, mercaptopurine, sirolimus, and tacrolimus. It also could theoretically reduce the effectiveness of drugs that work by inhibiting specific components of our immune system (like Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)), such as Humira and Enbrel.
However, as mentioned, this is all based on elderberry's purported effects of having immunostimulant activity, but I could not find clinical studies that thoroughly evaluated whether or not elderberry reduced the effectiveness of any specific drug. It's just important to be aware of though if you are taking a drug that works by altering the immune system or any component of it.
There are no known interactions between the drugs you mentioned in your question (Adderall and Zyrtec) and elderberry.
If you'd like a comprehensive list of reported drug interactions, take a look at our specific 'elderberry interaction page'.
Other Ingredients In Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Gummies
I want to point out also that Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Gummies contain vitamin C and zinc.
Zinc does have documented drug interactions, but the amount contained in this product, 1.1mg, likely isn't an amount that would cause any clinically significant problems. That amount is well within the amount you would take in daily as part of your normal diet.
Final Words
I highly recommend using our 'drug-herbal interaction tool' if you want to search for any interactions between a natural product (like herbal or plant-based medicine) and OTC or prescription drugs.
Thanks so much for reaching out to us!
References & sources
- Evaluation of the in vitro/in vivo potential of five berries (bilberry, blueberry, cranberry, elderberry, and raspberry ketones) commonly used as herbal supplements to inhibit uridine diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase — PubMed
- Elderberry — PubMed
- Long-Term Supplementation of Black Elderberries Promotes Hyperlipidemia, but Reduces Liver Inflammation and Improves HDL Function and Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability in Apolipoprotein E-Knockout Mice — PubMed
- In vitro inhibition of human CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4 by six herbs commonly used in pregnancy — PubMed
- An evidence-based systematic review of elderberry and elderflower (Sambucus nigra) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration — PubMed
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Sambucus nigra
- The scientific name for the black elderberry plant, which is the source of the extract in this supplement.
- Metabolizing enzymes
- Proteins in your body that break down drugs so your body can process and eliminate them.
- Immunosuppressant drugs
- Medications that reduce or suppress the body's immune system response, often used after organ transplants or for certain autoimmune conditions.
- Immune-boosting
- The ability to strengthen or enhance the body's natural defense system against infection and disease.
- Immunostimulant activity
- The property of a substance to activate or strengthen the immune system's ability to fight infections or disease.
- Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)
- A protein in the body involved in inflammation that certain medications work to block or inhibit.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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