Drug interactions
Chlorpropamide + Willow bark
Severity: Minor
Chlorpropamide and Willow bark: minor interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Willow bark contains salicin, which is converted to salicylate. Large salicylate doses can displace sulfonylureas from plasma proteins, reduce their renal clearance and have intrinsic glucose-lowering effects, so hypoglycemia is possible. At the usual doses of willow bark the effect is likely to be small.
What this interaction means in plain words
Chlorpropamide and Willow bark have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised.
Why it happens
Salicylate competes for plasma protein binding and renal tubular secretion of chlorpropamide, and adds its own hypoglycemic effect.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose if willow bark is taken regularly, especially at high doses. Reduce the chlorpropamide dose if hypoglycemia occurs.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there anything I should notice while taking both?
- Do I need to tell my doctor at the next visit?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Chlorpropamide and Willow bark, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Chlorpropamide
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Chlorpropamide with Willow bark?
MediHelp rates the interaction as minor. Chlorpropamide and Willow bark have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised. Willow bark contains salicin, which is converted to salicylate. Large salicylate doses can displace sulfonylureas from plasma proteins, reduce their renal clearance and have intrinsic glucose-lowering effects, so hypoglycemia is possible. At the usual doses of willow bark the effect is likely to be small.
How serious is the interaction between Chlorpropamide and Willow bark?
MediHelp rates it minor, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor blood glucose if willow bark is taken regularly, especially at high doses. Reduce the chlorpropamide dose if hypoglycemia occurs.
What other medicines interact with Chlorpropamide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Chlorpropamide with, for example, Ethanol, Exenatide, Insulin degludec-insulin aspart. The full list is on the Chlorpropamide page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
