The short answer
If this root product contains glycyrrhizin-rich licorice, it may worsen low potassium during terbutaline use. Verify its identity before taking it.
What this answer covers
Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae is an incompletely specified licorice root/rhizome name; species, extract and glycyrrhizin content require confirmation.
- Supplement or preparation
- Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae
- Medication ingredient
- terbutaline
The two potassium effects differ
Licorice can promote kidney potassium loss through hormone-related effects. Terbutaline can shift potassium into cells. These mechanisms can plausibly compound a low blood result, but do not establish the size of the effect for your root product.
What the reported case showed
A man with severe persistent low potassium reported nonspecific licorice intake, twelve to fourteen terbutaline inhalations daily and high water intake. Potassium normalized after several changes together, so the report cannot isolate the contribution of each exposure. No arrhythmia was seen on monitoring.
Verify the botanical identity
Ask the pharmacist to check the species, plant part, extract and glycyrrhizin content. The recorded root name is not enough to determine a dose. Do not self-treat the risk by adding potassium.
Keep the route and dose clear
The reviewed US products are sulfate tablets and subcutaneous injection. Human inhalation and intravenous studies are identified separately. Do not change the medicine dose or substitute a stimulant supplement for asthma treatment.
Respond to new symptoms
Report troublesome tremor, palpitations or weakness after a product change. Chest pain, fainting, a sustained irregular heartbeat or severe breathing difficulty needs urgent assessment. More frequent terbutaline use can indicate worsening asthma and needs a treatment review.
Evidence and practical considerations
Side effects & toxicity
Conditional low-potassium concern is supported by licorice mineralocorticoid effects and terbutaline cellular shifts. The original co-use case is indirect for the exact root product and oral/subcutaneous routes because it involved nonspecific licorice and excessive inhalations.
- Exact scope
- Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae is an incompletely specified licorice root/rhizome name; species, extract and glycyrrhizin content require confirmation. with Exact terbutaline sulfate oral tablets and subcutaneous injection. Exact RxNorm IN10368, sulfate oral tablet and subcutaneous injection. Intravenous and inhaled research exposures are explicitly separated from these labeled routes.
- Medication form and route
- oral; subcutaneous
- Timing or duration
- Source-specific single-dose, repeated-dose and observational exposures distinguished.
What remains uncertain
- One confounded case with high water intake and simultaneous changes, undefined botanical species and dose; no exact-pair incidence or safe interval. Glycyrrhizin-depleted products cannot inherit the same magnitude.
Factors that may matter: preparation and plant part; clinical indication; dose; other medicines; baseline alertness.
Read the supporting source summaries
Source 1: current product label
dailymed.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: People prescribed terbutaline.
Cardiovascular and CNS stimulation, transient hypokalemia and other sympathomimetic precautions; animal methylxanthine combination findings have unknown clinical significance.
How this applies: Exact RxNorm IN10368, sulfate oral tablet and subcutaneous injection. Intravenous and inhaled research exposures are explicitly separated from these labeled routes.
No universal supplement dose, interval, event rate or untested formulation equivalence.
Source 2: current product label
dailymed.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: People prescribed terbutaline.
Cardiovascular and CNS stimulation, transient hypokalemia and other sympathomimetic precautions; animal methylxanthine combination findings have unknown clinical significance.
How this applies: Exact RxNorm IN10368, sulfate oral tablet and subcutaneous injection. Intravenous and inhaled research exposures are explicitly separated from these labeled routes.
No universal supplement dose, interval, event rate or untested formulation equivalence.
Source 3: original human study
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: One man with persistent hypokalemia and hypertension.
Potassium normalized after several simultaneous changes; no arrhythmia on telemetry.
How this applies: Only the named drug, preparation, route and measured endpoints apply.
Confounded single case, undefined licorice preparation/species and excessive inhaled drug; cannot quantify risk for exact root product or labeled oral/subcutaneous doses.
Source 4: original human study
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: Ten healthy men in randomized crossover.
Serum potassium and urinary potassium excretion decreased; QTc increased but ventricular ectopic beats did not.
How this applies: Only the named drug, preparation, route and measured endpoints apply.
Intravenous study, not oral tablet or subcutaneous dose equivalence; serum redistribution does not establish dietary depletion.
Research assessment: · Open full citations ↗
Review and change history
- Publication status
- Published research summary
- Clinical review
- Not yet recorded
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| Research summary published | |
| Article prepared | |
| Current exact available claims adjudicated using original captures and explicit identity and comparator limits. |
Article revision: 5f20bea456d747b6
This guide brings together the evidence records used by our interaction checker. Each finding retains its own preparation limits, research date, and source summaries.
Full citations require verification. Reading this answer and the source summaries does not.
Taking other supplements or medications?
Use the checker to explore your other combinations. Ask a pharmacist to review the exact products, amounts and medical conditions in your complete list.
Open the interaction checkerInformation, not medical advice. Do not change prescribed treatment based on this guide.