Drug & supplement interaction

Berberine + Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv

Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv brand name: Tivdak.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Berberine has a moderate interaction with Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv. Theoretically, berberine might increase serum levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

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

Berberine and Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv

Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Berberine interacts with.

Theoretically, berberine might increase serum levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro research and preliminary clinical research show that berberine moderately inhibits CYP3A4. Theoretically, use of berberine with drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 might increase drug levels and increase the risk of adverse effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence A

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 idea behind this one. Tisotumab vedotin (Tivdak) is an antibody that carries a powerful chemotherapy payload called MMAE. Once that payload is released inside the body, it's cleared in part by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. Berberine can mildly slow that same enzyme down, so in theory it could let more of the active drug hang around than intended.

If that happened, you might see more of Tivdak's known side effects, things like worse nausea, fatigue, low blood counts, nerve tingling or numbness, and eye problems. I want to be honest though: this concern is mostly theoretical and based on lab work, not on people taking these two together. Still, since this is serious cancer treatment, please loop in your oncology team before adding berberine.

References
  1. Wu X, Li Q, Xin H, Yu A, Zhong M. Effects of berberine on the blood concentration of cyclosporin A in renal transplanted recipients: clinical and pharmacokinetic study. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2005;61:567-72. PubMed
  2. Budzinski JW, Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, Arnason JT. An in vitro evaluation of human cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibition by selected commercial herbal extracts and tinctures. Phytomedicine 2000;7:273-82. PubMed
  3. Guo, Y., Chen, Y., Tan, Z. R., Klaassen, C. D., and Zhou, H. H. Repeated administration of berberine inhibits cytochromes P450 in humans. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2012;68(2):213-217. PubMed
  4. Hermann, R. and von, Richter O. Clinical evidence of herbal drugs as perpetrators of pharmacokinetic drug interactions. Planta Med 2012;78(13):1458-1477. 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

Berberine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Berberine has 1 major, 1,158 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Berberine

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Berberine or Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Berberine or Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv, 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 Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv

This page covers Berberine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv page lists 121 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Adrafinil (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 87 moderate · 32 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv page

“If you are receiving tisotumab vedotin (Tivdak), an infusion used to treat cervical cancer, treat this page with real care and clear every supplement with your oncology team first. All 121 ingredients here act through the same liver enzyme, CYP3A4, which processes the chemotherapy portion of this drug.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 908 real supplement products containing Berberine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Berberine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv too, on top of Berberine — 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 Berberine and Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv 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 Berberine
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv
Top 10%

#215 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 Berberine

What is Berberine?

Berberine
  • Blood sugar control
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart and metabolic health
  • Digestive upset
  • Antimicrobial support
  • Weight management

Berberine is a yellow plant compound that has shown promise for lowering blood sugar and cholesterol in some studies, but the quality of research varies and it is not a replacement for prescribed medicine. It can cause stomach upset and should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially if you take other medications.

Read the full Berberine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tisotumab vedotin-tftv

What Is Tisotumab vedotin-tftv Used For?

Brand name: Tivdak

  • Tisotumab vedotin-tftv injection is used to treat cervical cancer (cancer that begins in the opening of the uterus [womb]) that has not improved or has come back after treatment with other medications or has spread to other parts of the body. Tisotumab vedotin-tftv is in a class of medications called antibody-drug conjugates. It works by killing cancer cells.

See full Tisotumab vedotin-tftv drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Berberine

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

1Major
1,158Moderate
0Minor
1,670No known interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

1,158 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,158 moderate interactions — see all 1,158 on the Berberine page.

No interaction 1,670 drugs checked — show the 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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Berberine and Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv Together: Common Questions

Can you take Berberine with Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv?
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 Berberine and Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv 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 Tisotumab Vedotin-Tftv and Berberine?

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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.