Is Elderberry Safe To Take With Tylenol?

In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not it is safe to combine Tylenol and Elderberry products.

Question

I have a bit of a cold and want to take something to help me get over it faster. I am currently taking some Tylenol just for my fever and headache. It is okay to take something with elderberry in it?

Asked by Wong On Jul 01, 2022

Answered by
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff

Published Jul 01, 2022
Last updated Mar 28, 2024

Key points

  • There is no known drug interaction between elderberry and Tylenol. They are considered safe to take together.

Thanks for reaching out! I'm more than happy to answer this for you and I want to say that I hope you start to feel better soon as well!

Is It Safe To Take Them Together?

Although it can be challenging to know just how an herbal supplement will interact with prescription and over-the-counter drugs due to a lack of research, elderberry has been fairly well studied and does not appear to have many, if any, significant drug interactions.

In regard to Tylenol (acetaminophen), there are no known drug interactions between elderberry and Tylenol and they appear to be safe to take together.

Now, the combination of both has not been specifically studied, but again, there is no published evidence that there is an interaction, and based on what we know about the mechanism of action of both, we wouldn't presume there being any problem taking them together.

The only well-documented potential interaction as it concerns elderberry is with immunosuppressant drugs since studies show that elderberry likely has immunostimulating actions, which would of course conflict with one another.

It's these very immunostimulating properties of elderberry that make it such a popular over-the-counter herbal supplement.

How Does Elderberry Work?

Elderberry is the dark purple berry from the Black elder tree and has a long history of medicinal use.

There are a number of compounds in elderberries that are thought to have stimulating effects on the immune system, mainly compounds known as anthocyanidins.

Several studies have reported that elderberry may help reduce the severity and duration of the flu and colds by inhibiting viral replication. Similarly, for bacterial infections, elderberry is thought to reduce replication as well. It also appears to have anti-inflammatory effects.

Although we have a general idea about how elderberry works, more studies are needed to better understand it, and just how effective it is in certain situations.

Regardless, it does not appear to have significant interactions with other drugs, including Tylenol, and is generally well-tolerated. So, if you'd like to use it with Tylenol to help treat your cold, it is generally considered safe to do so.

Final Words

Thanks again for your question and feel free to reach out again in the future.

References

  • Absorption and metabolism of anthocyanins in elderly women after consumption of elderberry or blueberry, PubMed
  • The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based, natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines, PubMed
  • Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections, PubMed

About the Pharmacist

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD

Dr. Brian has been practicing pharmacy for over 13 years and has wide-ranging experiences in many different areas of the profession. From retail, clinical, program development, and administrative responsibilities, he's your knowledgeable and go-to source for all your pharmacy and medication-related questions! Dr. Brian Staiger also has herbalist training and educational certificates in the field of medical ethnobotany. Feel free to send him an email at [email protected]! You can also connect with Dr. Brian Staiger on LinkedIn.

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