Drug & supplement interaction

Aristolochia + Vericiguat

Vericiguat brand name: Verquvo.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Aristolochia and Vericiguat in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Vericiguat states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Aristolochia and Vericiguat

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Vericiguat and Aristolochia in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Aristolochia safety at a glance

Aristolochia overall Avoid Aristolochia contains aristolochic acid, which can cause kidney failure and cancer; it should not be used.
Pregnancy Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Vericiguat and Aristolochia? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Vericiguat

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Vericiguat is filed under 2 classifications — p-glycoprotein substrates, oral drugs. Aristolochia has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being nephrotoxic drugs (moderate) — and none of Vericiguat’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Aristolochia Does Interact With Other Medications

Aristolochia has 355 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Vericiguat isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Aristolochia

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

What to actually watch for

What Aristolochia Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Vericiguat. It is the side-effect record for Aristolochia on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Aristolochia, this list is the first place to look. 2 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, use of aristolochia can cause end-stage renal failure and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. These adverse effects are well documented. A case of hepatotoxicity associated with aristolochia use has also been reported.”

    Aristolochia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in kidney failure.

    5 sources cited
    1. 12782. Arlt VM, Stiborova M, Schmeiser HH. Aristolochic acid as a probable human cancer hazard in herbal remedies: a review. Mutagenesis 2002;17:265-77. PubMed
    2. 32376. News Potpourri. Southern Medical Journal 2000;93(11):1129-1130.
    3. 94872. Shaohua Z, Ananda S, Ruxia Y, Liang R, Xiaorui C, Liang L. Fatal renal failure due to the Chinese herb "GuanMu Tong" (Aristolochia manshuriensis): autopsy findings and review of literature. Forensic Sci Int. 2010;199(1-3):e5-7. PubMed
    4. 100337. Tazi I, Nafil H, Mahmal L. Fatal renal failure due to self administration of Aristolochia Longa after treatment with chemotherapy. Arab J Nephrol Transplant. 2012 Jan;5(1):54; discussion 55.
    5. 32383. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD). Systematic review: hepatotoxic events associated with herbal medicinal products. 2004;

    “Orally, use of aristolochia can cause end-stage renal failure and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. There have been more than 100 cases of nephropathy, referred to as "Chinese herb nephropathy", characterized by interstitial fibrosis and associated with tea believed to be adulterated with aristolochia. This was originally reported in Belgium with accidental substitution of aristolochia for another herb.”

    Aristolochia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in peritoneal dialysis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 12782. Arlt VM, Stiborova M, Schmeiser HH. Aristolochic acid as a probable human cancer hazard in herbal remedies: a review. Mutagenesis 2002;17:265-77. PubMed
    2. 564. van Ypersele de Strihou C, Vanherweghem JL. The tragic paradigm of Chinese herbs nephropathy. Nephrol Dial Transplant 1995;10:157-60. DOI
    3. 6073. Nortier JL, Martinez MC, Schmeiser HH, et al. Urothelial carcinoma associated with the use of a Chinese herb (Aristolochia fangchi). N Engl J Med 2000;342:1686-92.
    4. 12783. Cronin AJ, Maidment G, Cook T, et al Aristolochic acid as a causative factor in a case of Chinese herbal nephropathy. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2002;17:524-5. PubMed
    5. 12784. Chang CH, Wang YM, Yang AH, Chiang SS. Rapidly progressive interstitial renal fibrosis associated with Chinese herbal medications. Am J Nephrol 2001;21:441-8. PubMed
    6. 12785. Lord GM, Cook T, Arlt VM, et al. Urothelial malignant disease and Chinese herbal nephropathy. Lancet 2001;358:1515-6. PubMed
  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Recorded for Aristolochia in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Kidney problems above.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Aristolochia — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Vericiguat’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Vericiguat column appears here.

Special populations

Aristolochia in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Unsafe

When used orally; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Vericiguat Products Have a Food Rule — Aristolochia Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Vericiguat says to take it with food. If you take Aristolochia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Vericiguat with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Vericiguat products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The recommended starting dose of VERQUVO is 5 mg orally once daily with food.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Vericiguat — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. See the Vericiguat drug page ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Vericiguat

This page covers Aristolochia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Vericiguat page lists 54 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), St. John's Wort (major), Bitter Melon (moderate), Black Pepper (moderate) and Bulbine Natalensis (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 35 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Vericiguat page

“No supplement on this page worries me more for vericiguat (Verquvo) users than St. John's wort.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Vericiguat interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Aristolochia and Vericiguat 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 Aristolochia
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Vericiguat
Steady interest

#2,165 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Aristolochia reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Aristolochia and Vericiguat records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Aristolochia

What is Aristolochia?

Aristolochia
  • Promoting menstruation
  • Aphrodisiac
  • Immune stimulation
  • Snakebite remedies
  • Pain and inflammation

Aristolochia contains aristolochic acid, a potent toxin linked to severe kidney damage and cancer, and it is not safe to take. The FDA and other health authorities have warned against any product containing aristolochic acid. Despite its history in traditional medicine, no proven benefit outweighs these serious dangers.

Aristolochia spp. · Aristolochiaceae · Root, stem, and aerial parts (in traditional remedies) · Dried herb, powders, capsules, teas, and traditional tinctures

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Aristolochia is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Aristolochia record says about it on its own.

Aristolochia: dosing

There is no safe or recommended dose of Aristolochia. Because it contains a toxic, cancer-causing compound, it should not be taken at all.If you come across a supplement, tea, or traditional remedy that lists Aristolochia (or related names like birthwort, Mu Tong, or Fang Ji) as an ingredient, do not use it.

From our Aristolochia monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Aristolochia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Vericiguat

What Is Vericiguat Used For?

Brand name: Verquvo

Verquvo (vericiguat) is used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization due to heart failure. It is specifically for adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure whose heart pumps with reduced function (ejection fraction less than 45%), following a recent hospitalization for heart failure or a need for IV diuretics given outside the hospital.

Verquvo is taken on top of other standard heart failure treatments — it is not a replacement for them.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Vericiguat

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (966 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Hypotension 111 reports
Cardiac failure 72 reports
Dizziness 68 reports
Anemia 40 reports
Blood pressure decreased 40 reports
See full Vericiguat drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Aristolochia

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

0Major
355Moderate
0Minor
2,474No known interaction
Moderate

355 interactions

Showing 60 of 355 moderate interactions — see all 355 on the Aristolochia page.

No interaction 2,474 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Aristolochia References

The 27 references that drive our Aristolochia monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. van Ypersele de Strihou C, Vanherweghem JL. The tragic paradigm of Chinese herbs nephropathy. Nephrol Dial Transplant 1995;10:157-60. DOI
  2. Nortier JL, Martinez MC, Schmeiser HH, et al. Urothelial carcinoma associated with the use of a Chinese herb (Aristolochia fangchi). N Engl J Med 2000;342:1686-92.
  3. Lewis CJ, Alpert S. Letter to health care professionals -- FDA concerned about botanical products, including dietary supplements, containing aristolochic acid. Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, Dietary Supplements. Center for Food Safety and Appli
  4. Arlt VM, Stiborova M, Schmeiser HH. Aristolochic acid as a probable human cancer hazard in herbal remedies: a review. Mutagenesis 2002;17:265-77. PubMed
  5. Cronin AJ, Maidment G, Cook T, et al Aristolochic acid as a causative factor in a case of Chinese herbal nephropathy. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2002;17:524-5. PubMed
  6. Chang CH, Wang YM, Yang AH, Chiang SS. Rapidly progressive interstitial renal fibrosis associated with Chinese herbal medications. Am J Nephrol 2001;21:441-8. PubMed
  7. Lord GM, Cook T, Arlt VM, et al. Urothelial malignant disease and Chinese herbal nephropathy. Lancet 2001;358:1515-6. PubMed
  8. Lord GM, Tagore R, Cook T, et al. Nephropathy caused by Chinese herbs in the UK. Lancet 1999;354:481-2. PubMed
  9. Nortier JL, Vanherweghem JL. Renal interstitial fibrosis and urothelial carcinoma associated with the use of a Chinese herb (Aristolochia fangchi). Toxicology 2002;181-182:577-80. PubMed
  10. Martinez M. C., Nortier J., Vereerstraeten P., Vanherweghem J. L. Progression rate of Chinese herb nephropathy: impact of Aristolochia fangchi ingested dose. Nephrol.Dial.Transplant. 2002;17(3):408-12. PubMed
  11. Nortier, J. [Renal interstitial fibrosis and urotelial carcinomas after ingestion of a Chinese herb (Aristolochia fangchi)]. Nephrologie 2002;23(1):37-38.
  12. Ioset, J. R., Raoelison, G. E., and Hostettmann, K. Detection of aristolochic acid in Chinese phytomedicines and dietary supplements used as slimming regimens. Food Chem Toxicol 2003;41(1):29-36. PubMed
  13. Yu Y., Zheng F. L., Li H. [Chinese herbs-induced renal failure with Fanconi syndrome: a report of 6 cases]. Zhonghua Nei Ke.Za Zhi. 2003;42:110-12.
  14. Schaneberg, B. T. and Khan, I. A. Analysis of products suspected of containing Aristolochia or Asarum species. J.Ethnopharmacol. 2004;94(2-3):245-249. PubMed
  15. Chan, T. Y., Tam, H. P., Lai, C. K., and Chan, A. Y. A multidisciplinary approach to the toxicologic problems associated with the use of herbal medicines. Ther Drug Monit. 2005;27(1):53-57. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Aristolochia and Vericiguat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Aristolochia with Vericiguat?
We do not list a known interaction between Aristolochia and Vericiguat. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Should I take Aristolochia and Vericiguat at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Vericiguat says to take it with food. If you take Aristolochia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Vericiguat with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Vericiguat products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Aristolochia and Vericiguat combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Vericiguat is filed under 2 classifications, and Aristolochia has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Vericiguat's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Aristolochia interact with any other medications?
Yes. Aristolochia has 355 documented drug interactions in our database — Vericiguat is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Vericiguat interact with any supplements?
Yes. Vericiguat has documented interactions with 54 supplements in our database — Aristolochia is not one of them. The Vericiguat interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Vericiguat and Aristolochia?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.