Drug & supplement interaction

Bilberry + Deferiprone

Deferiprone brand name: Ferriprox.

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 Bilberry and Deferiprone 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 Deferiprone states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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

Bilberry and Deferiprone

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 Deferiprone and Bilberry 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.

Bilberry safety at a glance

Bilberry overall Use caution Bilberry fruit is generally safe as food, but supplement evidence and long-term safety are limited.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally in the amounts commonly found in foods. However, there is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of bilberry when used in... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally in the amounts commonly found in foods. However, there is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of bilberry when used in... 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 Deferiprone and Bilberry? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Deferiprone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Deferiprone is filed under a single classification — oral drugs. Bilberry has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and cytochrome p450 2e1 (cyp2e1) substrates (moderate) — and none of Deferiprone’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

Bilberry Does Interact With Other Medications

Bilberry has 275 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Deferiprone isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 275 No known interaction 2,555 (incl. Deferiprone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bilberry

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Bilberry and Deferiprone May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

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.

  • Stomach upset Additional detail

    Bilberry

    “Orally, bilberry fruit, juice, and extracts seem to be well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Dark-colored stools, flatulence, and gastrointestinal discomfort.”

    Bilberry · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in flatulence.

    Deferiprone

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

  • Nausea reported in 5.3% of FDA reports for Deferiprone Additional detail

    Bilberry

    “In one small clinical trial, mild-to-moderate flatulence was reported in 33% of patients taking sieved bilberries and concentrated bilberry juice. However, the patients in this study had ulcerative colitis, and the study lacked a control group, limiting the validity of this finding.”

    Bilberry · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in age-related cognitive decline.

    4 sources cited
    1. 91506. Biedermann L, Mwinyi J, Scharl M, Frei P, Zeitz J, Kullak-Ublick GA, et al. Bilberry ingestion improves disease activity in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis-an open pilot study. 2013 May;7(4):271-9. PubMed
    2. 110641. Bøhn SK, Myhrstad MCW, Thoresen M, et al. Bilberry/red grape juice decreases plasma biomarkers of inflammation and tissue damage in aged men with subjective memory impairment -a randomized clinical trial. BMC Nutr 2021;7(1):75. PubMed
    3. 35500. Morazzoni P and Magistretti MJ. Effects of Vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on prostacyclin-like activity in rat arterial issue. Fitoterapia 1986;57:11-14.
    4. 35462. Hawrelak, J. A. and Myers, S. P. Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16(10):1065-1071. PubMed

    Deferiprone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Deferiprone, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Bilberry but not commonly for Deferiprone: memory problems, bloating or gas and heartburn.

Effects for Deferiprone come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Bilberry come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 3,004 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Deferiprone that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Bilberry in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally in the amounts commonly found in foods. However, there is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of bilberry when used in medicinal amounts during pregnancy and lactation; 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 Deferiprone Products Have a Food Rule — Bilberry Should Not Break It

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

Recommended Dosage for 1,000 mg FERRIPROX T ablets ( twice a day) for Adult and Pediatric Patients with Transfusional Iron Overload due to Thalassemia Syndromes, Sickle Cell Disease or Other Anemias Starting Dos ag e for T wice a Day Tablets The recommended starting oral dosage of FERRIPROX Tablets (twice a day) is 75 mg/kg/day (actual body weight) in two divided doses per day (taken approxima

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Deferiprone — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

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 Deferiprone

This page covers Bilberry only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Deferiprone page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Deferiprone page

“Deferiprone (Ferriprox) pulls excess iron out of the body in conditions like thalassemia, and that job depends on the pill actually being absorbed. Every one of the 17 supplements flagged against it threatens that step, which is why this list warrants real vigilance rather than a shrug.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Deferiprone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 3,883 real supplement products containing Bilberry, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bilberry. Even though Bilberry itself has no known interaction with Deferiprone, 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 Bilberry and Deferiprone 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 Bilberry
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Deferiprone
Top half

#1,400 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 Bilberry reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Bilberry and Deferiprone 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 Bilberry

What is Bilberry?

Bilberry
  • Eye and vision health
  • Antioxidant support
  • Diarrhea and digestive upset
  • Circulation and vein health
  • Blood sugar support

Bilberry is a blueberry-like fruit rich in antioxidant plant compounds called anthocyanins, and it has a long history of traditional use for eye health, circulation, and mild diarrhea. While it is generally well tolerated as a food and supplement, strong scientific proof for most health claims is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using bilberry supplements, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a health condition.

Vaccinium myrtillus · Ericaceae · Berries (fruit) and sometimes leaves · Capsules, tablets, standardized extracts, dried berries, tea, liquid extracts

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

Bilberry: dosing

There is no single official or standardized dose of bilberry. Studies have used different forms and amounts, often using extracts standardized to a certain percentage of anthocyanins.Because products vary widely in strength, it is best to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Bilberry monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Deferiprone

What Is Deferiprone Used For?

Brand name: Ferriprox

Deferiprone is used to remove excess iron that builds up in the body from repeated blood transfusions — a condition called transfusional iron overload. Too much iron in the body can damage organs over time, so deferiprone works to capture and remove it.

Ferriprox oral solution is approved for adults and children 3 years and older with thalassemia syndromes, sickle cell disease, or other anemias. Ferriprox tablets are approved for adults and children 8 years and older with the same conditions. Deferiprone tablets (generic) are approved for adult patients with thalassemia syndromes when their current iron-removal treatment is not working well enough.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Deferiprone

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (3,004 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Sickle cell anaemia with crisis 191 reports
Agranulocytosis 158 reports
Nausea 158 reports
Fatigue 138 reports
Ill-defined disorder 135 reports
See full Deferiprone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bilberry

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

0Major
275Moderate
0Minor
2,554No known interaction
275 Moderate 2,554 No interaction
Moderate

275 interactions

Showing 60 of 275 moderate interactions — see all 275 on the Bilberry page.

No interaction 2,554 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,554 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bilberry list.

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

Bilberry References

The 14 references that drive our Bilberry 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. Cignarella A, Nastasi M, Cavalli E, Puglisi L. Novel lipid-lowering properties of Vaccinium myrtillus L. leaves, a traditional antidiabetic treatment, in several models of rat dyslipidaemia: a comparison with ciprofibrate. Thromb Res 1996;84:311-22. PubMed
  2. Morazzoni P, Magistretti MJ. Activity of Myrtocyan, an anthosyanoside complex from Vaccinium myrtillus (VMA), on platelet aggregation and adhesiveness. Fitoterapia 1990;61:13-21.
  3. Erlund, I., Koli, R., Alfthan, G., Marniemi, J., Puukka, P., Mustonen, P., Mattila, P., and Jula, A. Favorable effects of berry consumption on platelet function, blood pressure, and HDL cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87(2):323-331. PubMed
  4. Hawrelak, J. A. and Myers, S. P. Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16(10):1065-1071. PubMed
  5. Morazzoni P and Magistretti MJ. Effects of Vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on prostacyclin-like activity in rat arterial issue. Fitoterapia 1986;57:11-14.
  6. Pulliero G, Montin S, Bettini V, and et al. Ex vivo study of the inhibitory effects of Vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on human platelet aggregation. Fitoterapia 1989;60:69-75.
  7. Bottecchia D. Preliminary report on the inhibitory effect of vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on platelet aggregation and clot retraction. Fitoterapia 1987;48:3-8.
  8. Fdez, M., Zaragoza, F., and Alvarez, P. In vitro platelet aggregation effects of anthocyanosides of vaccinium myrtilus L. Anales de la Real Academia de Farmacia 1983;49:79-90.
  9. Biedermann L, Mwinyi J, Scharl M, Frei P, Zeitz J, Kullak-Ublick GA, et al. Bilberry ingestion improves disease activity in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis-an open pilot study. 2013 May;7(4):271-9. PubMed
  10. Hoggard N, Cruickshank M, Moar KM, Bestwick C, Holst J, Russell W, et al. A single supplement of a standardized bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) extract (36% wet weight anthocyanins) modifies glycaemic response in individuals with type 2 diabetes control
  11. Aichinger G, Pahlke G, Nagel LJ, Berger W, Marko D. Bilberry extract, its major phenolic compounds, and soy isoflavone genistein antagonize the cytostatic drug erlotinib in human epithelial cells. Food Funct 2016;7(8):3628-36.
  12. Prokop J, Lněničková K, Cibicek N, et al. Effect of bilberry extract (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) on drug-metabolizing enzymes in rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2019;129:382-90. PubMed
  13. Chan SW, Chu TTW, Choi SW, Benzie IFF, Tomlinson B. Impact of short-term bilberry supplementation on glycemic control, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and antioxidant status in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Phytother Res 2021. Online ahead o PubMed
  14. Bøhn SK, Myhrstad MCW, Thoresen M, et al. Bilberry/red grape juice decreases plasma biomarkers of inflammation and tissue damage in aged men with subjective memory impairment -a randomized clinical trial. BMC Nutr 2021;7(1):75. 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 Bilberry and Deferiprone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Bilberry with Deferiprone?
We do not list a known interaction between Bilberry and Deferiprone. 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 Bilberry and Deferiprone have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 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.
Should I take Bilberry and Deferiprone at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Deferiprone says to take it with food. If you take Bilberry on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Deferiprone with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Deferiprone products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Bilberry and Deferiprone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Deferiprone is filed under 1 classification, and Bilberry has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Deferiprone'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 Bilberry interact with any other medications?
Yes. Bilberry has 275 documented drug interactions in our database — Deferiprone 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 Deferiprone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Deferiprone has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Bilberry is not one of them. The Deferiprone 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

Bilberry monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Deferiprone drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Deferiprone supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Deferiprone, 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 14 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Deferiprone and Bilberry?

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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.