Drug & supplement interaction

Artichoke + Imiquimod

Imiquimod brand names: Aldara, Zyclara, Vyloma.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Artichoke and Imiquimod 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Artichoke and Imiquimod

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 Imiquimod and Artichoke 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.

Artichoke safety at a glance

Artichoke overall Use caution Generally well tolerated as a food and short-term supplement, but quality and dosing vary by product.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so it is best avoided in supplement form during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety during breastfeeding has not been established, so it is best avoided.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Imiquimod

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Imiquimod is filed under a single classification — topical drugs. Artichoke has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate), antihypertensive drugs (moderate) and cytochrome p450 2b6 (cyp2b6) substrates (moderate) — and none of Imiquimod’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

Artichoke Does Interact With Other Medications

Artichoke has 363 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Imiquimod isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 363 No known interaction 2,467 (incl. Imiquimod)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Artichoke

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Artichoke and Imiquimod May Share a Side Effect

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    Artichoke

    “Orally, artichoke extract might increase abdominal discomfort, flatulence, diarrhea, hunger, and nausea in some patients. Abdominal pain and a bitter taste in the mouth were reported by a single person following oral use of a dietary supplement containing artichoke extract, as well as red yeast rice, pine bark extract, and garlic extract.”

    Artichoke · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    5 sources cited
    1. 2562. Walker AF, Middleton RW, Petrowicz O. Artichoke leaf extract reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in a post-marketing surveillance study. Phytother Res 2001;15:58-61. PubMed
    2. 52238. Held C. Von der 1. Deutsche-Ungarischen Phytopharmakon-Konferenz, Budapest, 20. November 1991. Z Klin Med 1992;47:92-93.
    3. 91475. Huber R, Müller M, Naumann J, Schenk T, Lüdtke R. Artichoke leave extract for chronic hepatitis C - a pilot study. Phytomedicine. 2009 Sep;16(9):801-4. PubMed
    4. 89452. Barrat E, Zaïr Y, Ogier N, et al. A combined natural supplement lowers LDL cholesterol in subjects with moderate untreated hypercholesterolemia: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2013;64(7):882-9. PubMed
    5. 97716. Caputo F, Barranco R, Bonsignore A, Fraternali Orcioni G, Ventura F. A rare case of fatal bowel obstruction secondary to a colonic bezoar. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2018;39(1):38-40. PubMed

    Imiquimod

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Imiquimod. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Artichoke but not commonly for Imiquimod: a bowel blockage, stomach upset, an allergic reaction and a severe allergic reaction.

Effects for Imiquimod come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Artichoke come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Imiquimod

This page covers Artichoke only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Imiquimod page lists 3 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) (moderate), Turpentine Oil (moderate) and Alchemilla (minor).

By severity: 2 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Imiquimod page

“Imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara, Vyloma) is a cream for warts, precancerous spots, and certain skin cancers, and its supplement list is short and workable for most people. Only 3 ingredients are on file, none rated major, and all involve products applied to the skin rather than swallowed.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Imiquimod interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Artichoke as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,715 real supplement products containing Artichoke, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Artichoke. Even though Artichoke itself has no known interaction with Imiquimod, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Artichoke and Imiquimod 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 Artichoke
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Imiquimod
Steady interest

#1,982 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 Artichoke reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Artichoke and Imiquimod 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 Artichoke

What is Artichoke?

Artichoke
  • High cholesterol
  • Indigestion and heartburn
  • Constipation and bloating
  • Liver and gallbladder support
  • General digestive health

Artichoke leaf extract is a generally well-tolerated supplement that may have a mild cholesterol-lowering effect and is often used for indigestion, though the evidence is modest. It is not a replacement for proven treatments, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a medical condition.

Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus · Asteraceae · Leaves (most common in supplements); also flower buds and roots · Capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, tea, and as a food (the edible flower bud)

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

Artichoke: dosing

There is no single official dose for artichoke supplements. The right amount depends on the specific product and the type of extract used, since the strength can vary widely between brands.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and choose a reputable, standardized product.

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

Read the full Artichoke monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Imiquimod Topical

What Is Imiquimod Topical Used For?

Brand names: Aldara, Zyclara, Vyloma

Imiquimod cream is used to treat three skin conditions in adults: actinic keratoses (rough, scaly patches on the skin caused by sun damage) on the face or scalp; superficial basal cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer) on the trunk, neck, or limbs when surgery is not the best option; and external genital and perianal warts (condyloma acuminata) in patients 12 years and older.

It is not effective for molluscum contagiosum in children ages 2–12, and it has not been proven safe or effective in people with weakened immune systems. It should not be used for warts inside the urethra, vagina, cervix, rectum, or anal canal.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Imiquimod

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Erythema 183 reports
Fatigue 179 reports
Nausea 114 reports
Influenza like illness 102 reports
Application site erythema 100 reports
See full Imiquimod Topical drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Artichoke

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

0Major
363Moderate
0Minor
2,466No known interaction
363 Moderate 2,466 No interaction
Moderate

363 interactions

Showing 60 of 363 moderate interactions — see all 363 on the Artichoke page.

No interaction 2,466 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,466 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Artichoke list.

See the full Artichoke interactions page
See every supplement checked against Imiquimod, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Artichoke References

The 16 references that drive our Artichoke 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. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  2. Walker AF, Middleton RW, Petrowicz O. Artichoke leaf extract reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in a post-marketing surveillance study. Phytother Res 2001;15:58-61. PubMed
  3. Pittler MH, White AR, Stevinson C, Ernst E. Effectiveness of artichoke extract in preventing alcohol-induced hangovers: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ 2003;169:1269-73.
  4. Romano, C., Ferrara, A., and Falagiani, P. A case of allergy to globe artichoke and other clinical cases of rare food allergy. J Investig.Allergol.Clin Immunol. 2000;10(2):102-104.
  5. Miralles, J. C., Garcia-Sells, J., Bartolome, B., and Negro, J. M. Occupational rhinitis and bronchial asthma due to artichoke (Cynara scolymus). Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2003;91(1):92-95. PubMed
  6. Franck, P., Moneret-Vautrin, D. A., Morisset, M., Kanny, G., Megret-Gabeaux, M. L., and Olivier, J. L. Anaphylactic reaction to inulin: first identification of specific IgEs to an inulin protein compound. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2005;136(2):155-158. PubMed
  7. Meding, B. Allergic contact dermatitis from artichoke, Cynara scolymus. Contact Dermatitis 1983;9(4):314.
  8. Quirce, S., Tabar, A. I., Olaguibel, J. M., and Cuevas, M. Occupational contact urticaria syndrome caused by globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus). J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996;97(2):710-711. PubMed
  9. Held C. Von der 1. Deutsche-Ungarischen Phytopharmakon-Konferenz, Budapest, 20. November 1991. Z Klin Med 1992;47:92-93.
  10. Barrat E, Zaïr Y, Ogier N, et al. A combined natural supplement lowers LDL cholesterol in subjects with moderate untreated hypercholesterolemia: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2013;64(7):882-9. PubMed
  11. Huber R, Müller M, Naumann J, Schenk T, Lüdtke R. Artichoke leave extract for chronic hepatitis C - a pilot study. Phytomedicine. 2009 Sep;16(9):801-4. PubMed
  12. Caputo F, Barranco R, Bonsignore A, Fraternali Orcioni G, Ventura F. A rare case of fatal bowel obstruction secondary to a colonic bezoar. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2018;39(1):38-40. PubMed
  13. Elsebai MF, Abass K, Hakkola J, Atawia AR, Farag MA. The wild Egyptian artichoke as a promising functional food for the treatment of hepatitis C virus as revealed via UPLC-MS and clinical trials. Food Funct. 2016;7(7):3006-16. PubMed
  14. Moradi M, Sohrabi G, Golbidi M, et al. Effects of artichoke on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med 2021;57:102668. PubMed
  15. Jalili C, Moradi S, Babaei A, et al. Effects of Cynara scolymus L. on glycemic indices: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Complement Ther Med 2020;52:102496. 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 Artichoke and Imiquimod Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Artichoke with Imiquimod?
We do not list a known interaction between Artichoke and Imiquimod. 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.
Do Artichoke and Imiquimod have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Artichoke and Imiquimod combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Imiquimod is filed under 1 classification, and Artichoke has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Imiquimod'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 Artichoke interact with any other medications?
Yes. Artichoke has 363 documented drug interactions in our database — Imiquimod 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 Imiquimod interact with any supplements?
Yes. Imiquimod has documented interactions with 3 supplements in our database — Artichoke is not one of them. The Imiquimod interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Artichoke monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Imiquimod Topical drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Imiquimod supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Imiquimod, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 16 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Imiquimod and Artichoke?

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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.