Drug & supplement interaction

African Wild Potato + Diclofenac Potassium

Diclofenac Potassium brand names: Voltaren Rapide, Cataflam, Cataflam IR, Voltarol Rapid, Cambia.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Diclofenac Potassium falls into 3 drug categories that African Wild Potato can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. In vitro evidence shows that African wild potato extract inhibits OAT3.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

African Wild Potato and Diclofenac Potassium

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

African Wild Potato interacts with whole categories of medication. Diclofenac Potassium falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with African Wild Potato in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 3 (OAT3) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Diclofenac Potassium

Diclofenac Potassium falls under ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 3 (OAT3) SUBSTRATES — the group African Wild Potato interacts with.

In vitro evidence shows that African wild potato extract inhibits OAT3. This drug transport protein is involved in renal tubular uptake of some drugs from the blood and then elimination in the urine. Inhibition of this transporter decreases renal elimination and increases drug levels in the body. The clinical significance of this in humans is not known.
Some substrates of OAT3 include cephalosporins, famotidine (Pepcid), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), methotrexate, NSAIDs, probenecid, ranitidine (Zantac).
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: your kidneys use a little transporter called OAT3 to help flush diclofenac out in your urine. In lab dish studies, African Wild Potato seems to block that transporter. If that happened in real life, diclofenac wouldn't clear quite as quickly, so a bit more could linger in your body and nudge up the usual NSAID side effects like stomach upset, heartburn, fluid retention, higher blood pressure, or stress on the kidneys.

The important caveat: this is based only on test-tube work, not on people, so we really don't know if it matters in everyday use. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since both can affect the kidneys, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing them.

References
  1. Fasinu PS, Gutmann H, Schiller H, Bouic PJ, Rosenkranz B. The potential of Hypoxis hemerocallidea for herb-drug interaction. Pharm Biol. 2013 Dec;51(12):1499-507.
Moderate

ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 1 (OAT1) SUBSTRATES

2 of 3

Diclofenac Potassium also falls under ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 1 (OAT1) SUBSTRATES.

In vitro research shows that African wild potato extract inhibits OAT1. This drug transport protein is involved in renal tubular uptake of some drugs from the blood and then elimination in the urine. Inhibition of this transporter decreases renal elimination and increases drug levels in the body. The clinical significance of this in humans is not known.
Some substrates of OAT1 include acyclovir (Zovirax), adefovir (Hepsera), cephalosporins, cidofovir (Vistide), cimetidine (Tagamet), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), NSAIDs, oseltamivir (Tamiflu), pravastatin (Pravachol), probenecid, simvastatin (Zocor), and zidovudine (Retrovir).
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist with diclofenac potassium (Cataflam, Voltaren Rapide). Your kidneys help clear this NSAID out through a transporter called OAT1. In a test-tube study, African Wild Potato seemed to block that transporter. In theory, that could slow how fast diclofenac leaves your body and let levels creep up a bit, which might mean more of the usual NSAID side effects, like stomach upset, heartburn, fluid retention, higher blood pressure, or extra strain on the kidneys.

I want to be honest though: this is only lab data, so we truly don't know if it matters in real people. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since both can affect the kidneys, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Fasinu PS, Gutmann H, Schiller H, Bouic PJ, Rosenkranz B. The potential of Hypoxis hemerocallidea for herb-drug interaction. Pharm Biol. 2013 Dec;51(12):1499-507.
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

3 of 3

Diclofenac Potassium also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES.

In vitro research shows that African wild potato extract inhibits cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9). However, this effect has yet to be reported in humans. Until more is known, use with caution. Theoretically, concomitant use of African wild potato with CYP2C9 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects from these substrates. Some of these drugs include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), ibuprofen (Motrin), meloxicam (Mobic), and piroxicam (Feldene); celecoxib (Celebrex); amitriptyline (Elavil); warfarin (Coumadin); glipizide (Glucotrol); losartan (Cozaar); and others.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: your body relies on a liver enzyme called CYP2C9 to break down diclofenac and clear it out. In lab testing (test tube studies, not people yet), African Wild Potato appeared to slow that same enzyme down. If it does the same thing in the body, diclofenac could clear more slowly and build up a bit, which may nudge up the usual NSAID risks, things like stomach upset, heartburn, ulcers or bleeding, fluid retention, and pressure on the kidneys.

I want to be honest about the evidence though. This is theoretical and only seen in the lab, not confirmed in real patients, so it may not amount to much. Still, since it's easy to play it safe, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing them.

References
  1. Fasinu PS, Gutmann H, Schiller H, Bouic PJ, Rosenkranz B. The potential of Hypoxis hemerocallidea for herb-drug interaction. Pharm Biol. 2013 Dec;51(12):1499-507.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction 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.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

African Wild Potato Also Interacts With Other Medications

African Wild Potato has 1,006 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Diclofenac Potassium one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against African Wild Potato

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against African Wild Potato. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About African Wild Potato or Diclofenac Potassium

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers African Wild Potato or Diclofenac Potassium, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Diclofenac Potassium

This page covers African Wild Potato only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Diclofenac Potassium page lists 306 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

Open the Diclofenac Potassium interaction page

One more smart check

Taking African Wild Potato as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1 real supplement products containing African Wild Potato, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides African Wild Potato. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Diclofenac Potassium too, on top of African Wild Potato — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where African Wild Potato and Diclofenac Potassium Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement African Wild Potato
Top half

#654 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Diclofenac Potassium
Top 25%

#688 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About African Wild Potato

What is African Wild Potato?

  • Immune support
  • Prostate and urinary symptoms
  • Inflammation
  • General tonic/wellness
  • Skin conditions

African Wild Potato (Hypoxis hemerocallidea) is a southern African plant traditionally used as a tonic and for immune, prostate, and inflammatory complaints. Human evidence for these uses is very limited, and safety—especially during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or with serious illness—is not well established. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full African Wild Potato monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Diclofenac

What Is Diclofenac Used For?

Brand names: Voltaren Rapide, Cataflam, Cataflam IR, Voltarol Rapid, Cambia

Diclofenac comes in many forms, and each one is approved for different uses. Which one you get depends on what you are treating.

  • Oral tablets: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and (delayed-release) ankylosing spondylitis, plus period pain and mild to moderate pain for the immediate-release potassium tablets.
  • Capsules: mild to moderate acute pain in adults.
  • Oral solution (powder for solution): acute treatment of migraine attacks in adults.
  • Topical gel and solution: osteoarthritis pain, mainly of the knees (and hands for the gel).
  • Skin patches (Flector, diclofenac epolamine): acute pain from minor strains, sprains and bruises.
See full Diclofenac drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & African Wild Potato

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against African Wild Potato — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
1,006Moderate
0Minor
1,823No known interaction
Moderate

1,006 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,006 moderate interactions — see all 1,006 on the African Wild Potato page.

No interaction 1,823 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked African Wild Potato against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,823 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full African Wild Potato list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking African Wild Potato and Diclofenac Potassium Together: Common Questions

Can you take African Wild Potato with Diclofenac Potassium?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for African Wild Potato and Diclofenac Potassium?
Diclofenac Potassium belongs to more than one drug category, and African Wild Potato interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the African Wild Potato and Diclofenac Potassium interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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