Pharmaceutical Drugs that Interact with DANDELION

Some pharmaceutical drugs react with the herb dandelion.  Please use caution when using the herb if you are prescribed the following medications:

  • Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics)

    Dandelion might decrease how much antibiotic the body absorbs. Taking dandelion along with antibiotics might decrease the effectiveness of some antibiotics. 

    • Examples of drugs that might interact with dandelion include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).

  • Lithium

    Dandelion might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic."  Taking dandelion might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium.  This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.

  • Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates are medications that are changed by the liver.  Dandelion might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking dandelion along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before taking dandelion, talk to your healthcare provider.


    Some medications that are changed by the liver include amitriptyline (Elavil), haloperidol (Haldol), ondansetron (Zofran), propranolol (Inderal), theophylline (Theo-Dur, others), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, others), and others.

  • Glucuronidated Drugs are medications that are changed by the liver.

    The body breaks down some medications to get rid of them. The liver helps break down these medications and dandelion might increase how quickly some medications are changed by the liver, decreasing how well the medication works in the body.

    • Some of these medications changed by the liver include acetaminophen, atorvastatin (Lipitor), diazepam (Valium), digoxin, entacapone (Comtan), estrogen, irinotecan (Camptosar), lamotrigine (Lamictal), lorazepam (Ativan), lovastatin (Mevacor), meprobamate, morphine, oxazepam (Serax), and others.

  • Water pills / Potassium-sparing diuretics.  Dandelion contains significant amounts of potassium. Some "water pills" can also increase potassium levels in the body. Taking some "water pills" along with dandelion might cause too much potassium to be in the body.


    Some "water pills" that increase potassium in the body include amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone), and triamterene (Dyrenium).

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