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.
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?
Jul 01, 2022- There are no known drug interactions between elderberry and Tylenol, and they appear to be safe to take together. Elderberry is generally well-tolerated and does not appear to have significant interactions with other drugs. The main documented interaction concern with elderberry is with immunosuppressant drugs, not with Tylenol.
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 & sources
- 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
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Drug interactions
- Changes in how a medication works or unwanted effects that happen when two or more drugs are taken together.
- Herbal supplement
- A product made from plants or plant parts taken by mouth to support health or treat symptoms.
- Acetaminophen
- A common over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer, also known as Tylenol.
- Mechanism of action
- The specific way a drug or substance works in the body to produce its effects.
- Immunosuppressant drugs
- Medications that reduce the body's immune system activity, often used after transplants or for certain diseases.
- Immunostimulating
- Causing the immune system to become more active in fighting off infections and disease.
- Anthocyanidins
- Natural plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties found in dark purple fruits like elderberries.
- Viral replication
- The process by which viruses make copies of themselves to spread and infect more cells.
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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