Green Tea - Gleevec (Imatinib) Interaction

Interaction Details

Imatinib is classified as belonging to the following category: Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates

Green tea is unlikely to produce clinically significant changes in the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro and in vivo research suggests that green tea can inhibit intestinal CYP3A and induce hepatic CYP3A4 enzymes. However, this effect is unlikely to be clinically significant, as green tea does not appear to affect CYP3A4 activity in humans.

Interaction Rating

Likelihood of Occurrence

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

References

• Donovan JL, Chavin KD, Devane CL, et al. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract does not alter cytochrome P450 3A4 or 2D6 activity in healthy volunteers. Drug Metab Dispos 2004;32:906-8.
• Nishikawa, M., Ariyoshi, N., Kotani, A., Ishii, I., Nakamura, H., Nakasa, H., Ida, M., Nakamura, H., Kimura, N., Kimura, M., Hasegawa, A., Kusu, F., Ohmori, S., Nakazawa, K., and Kitada, M. Effects of continuous ingestion of green tea or grape seed extrac
• Chow, H. H., Hakim, I. A., Vining, D. R., Crowell, J. A., Cordova, C. A., Chew, W. M., Xu, M. J., Hsu, C. H., Ranger-Moore, J., and Alberts, D. S. Effects of repeated green tea catechin administration on human cytochrome P450 activity. Cancer Epidemiol.B
• Engdal, S. and Nilsen, O. G. In vitro inhibition of CYP3A4 by herbal remedies frequently used by cancer patients. Phytother.Res. 2009;23(7):906-912.
• Schönthal AH. Adverse effects of concentrated green tea extracts. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011 Jun;55(6):874-85.

Interaction Details

Imatinib is classified as belonging to the following category: Imatinib (Gleevec)

Theoretically, green tea might reduce the levels and clinical effects of imatinib.
In animal research, a single dose of green tea extract reduces the area under the curve (AUC) of imatinib by up to approximately 64% and its main metabolite N-desmethyl imatinib by up to approximately 81%. This interaction has not been shown in humans. The mechanism of action is unclear but may involve multiple pathways.

Interaction Rating

Likelihood of Occurrence

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists

References

• Darweesh RS, El-Elimat T, Zayed A, et al. The effect of grape seed and green tea extracts on the pharmacokinetics of imatinib and its main metabolite, N-desmethyl imatinib, in rats. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol. 2020;21(1):77.

Imatinib Overview

• Imatinib is used to treat certain types of leukemia (cancer that begins in the white blood cells) and other cancers and disorders of the blood cells. Imatinib is also used to treat certain types of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST; a type of tumor that grows in the walls of the digestive passages and may spread to other parts of the body). Imatinib is also used to treat dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (a tumor that forms under the top layer of skin) when the tumor cannot be removed surgically, has spread to other parts of the body, or has come back after surgery. Imatinib is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. It works by blocking the action of the abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This helps stop the spread of cancer cells.

Green Tea - More Interactions

Green Tea interacts with 1188 drugs

Interaction Rating Key

These severity listings are for informational use only. Never start, stop or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.