Drug & supplement interaction

Banaba + Irinotecan

Irinotecan brand names: Camptosar, Onivyde.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Banaba has a moderate interaction with Irinotecan. Theoretically, concomitant use of banaba with substrates of OATP might reduce the bioavailability of the OATP substrate.

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

Banaba and Irinotecan

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ORGANIC ANION-TRANSPORTING POLYPEPTIDE SUBSTRATES (OATP)

Why this applies to Irinotecan

Irinotecan falls under ORGANIC ANION-TRANSPORTING POLYPEPTIDE SUBSTRATES (OATP) — the group Banaba interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of banaba with substrates of OATP might reduce the bioavailability of the OATP substrate.
In vitro research shows that banaba inhibits OATP, particularly OATP2B1. OATPs are expressed in the small intestine and liver and are responsible for the absorption of drugs and other compounds.
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 situation with banaba and irinotecan (Camptosar). Banaba may block a transporter called OATP, which helps move certain drugs into the body. In lab dishes, this slowed how much of an OATP drug got absorbed. So in theory, banaba could lower how much irinotecan your body picks up, which might make the chemotherapy a little less effective. I want to stress that this is theory only, drawn from test-tube research, not from people.

Irinotecan is serious cancer treatment with a narrow margin, so I wouldn't add any supplement on your own. Before trying banaba or any blood sugar herb, please check with your oncology team or pharmacist first. They can keep your treatment on track safely.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Fuchikami H, Satoh H, Tsujimoto M, Ohdo S, Ohtani H, Sawada Y. Effects of herbal extracts on the function of human organic anion-transporting polypeptide OATP-B. Drug Metab Dispos 2006;34:577-82. PubMed

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

Banaba Also Interacts With Other Medications

Banaba has 298 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Irinotecan one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 298 No known interaction 2,532 (incl. Irinotecan)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Banaba

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Irinotecan

This page covers Banaba only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Irinotecan page lists 153 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Apple (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Sweet Orange (major).

By severity: 5 major · 107 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Irinotecan page

“St. John's wort is the single riskiest supplement for anyone receiving irinotecan (Camptosar, Onivyde).”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Irinotecan interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 573 real supplement products containing Banaba, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Banaba. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Irinotecan too, on top of Banaba — 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 Banaba and Irinotecan 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 Banaba
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Irinotecan
Steady interest

#2,277 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 Banaba

What is Banaba?

Banaba
  • Blood sugar support
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Weight management
  • High blood pressure
  • Cholesterol support

Banaba is a leaf extract most often used to help support healthy blood sugar, and small early studies suggest its active compound corosolic acid may modestly lower glucose. The overall evidence is limited and short-term, so it should not replace prescribed diabetes care. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, especially if you take blood sugar medicine.

Read the full Banaba monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Irinotecan Lipid Complex Injection

What Is Irinotecan Lipid Complex Injection Used For?

Brand names: Camptosar, Onivyde

  • Irinotecan lipid complex is used in combination with other medications to treat pancreatic cancer that has spread to other parts of the body that has worsened after treatment with other chemotherapy medications. Irinotecan lipid complex is in a class of antineoplastic medications called topoisomerase I inhibitors. It works by stopping the growth of cancer cells.

See full Irinotecan Lipid Complex Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Banaba

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

0Major
298Moderate
0Minor
2,531No known interaction
298 Moderate 2,531 No interaction
Moderate

298 interactions

Showing 60 of 298 moderate interactions — see all 298 on the Banaba page.

No interaction 2,531 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,531 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Banaba list.

See the full Banaba interactions page
See every supplement checked against Irinotecan, ranked by severity
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
Banaba monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Irinotecan supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Irinotecan, ranked by severity Irinotecan Lipid Complex Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Banaba and Irinotecan Together: Common Questions

Can you take Banaba with Irinotecan?
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.
How serious is the Banaba and Irinotecan 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

Still Have a Question About Irinotecan and Banaba?

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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.