Drug & supplement interaction

Black Hoof Mushroom + Pomalidomide

Pomalidomide brand name: Pomalyst.

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

Pomalidomide falls into 2 drug categories that Black Hoof Mushroom can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, black hoof mushroom might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP1A2 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Black Hoof Mushroom and Pomalidomide

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Black Hoof Mushroom interacts with whole categories of medication. Pomalidomide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Black Hoof Mushroom in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Pomalidomide

Pomalidomide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Black Hoof Mushroom interacts with.

Theoretically, black hoof mushroom might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP1A2 substrates.
In vitro, polysaccharides from black hoof mushroom grown in culture inhibit CYP1A2. This effect has not been reported in humans.
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 simple version. Your body uses an enzyme called CYP1A2 to help clear pomalidomide (Pomalyst). In test-tube studies, compounds from Black Hoof Mushroom appeared to slow that enzyme down. If that happened in real life, pomalidomide could build up a little more than usual, which might mean stronger side effects like low blood counts, fatigue, infections, blood clots, or nausea.

But here's the honest part: this is only a theoretical concern based on lab data, and it has never actually been shown in people. Still, because pomalidomide is a serious cancer medicine with real risks, I wouldn't add this mushroom on your own. Please run it by your oncologist or pharmacist first so they can weigh in for your situation.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Shon, Y. H. and Nam, K. S. Inhibition of cytochrome P450 isozymes in rat liver microsomes by polysaccharides derived from Phellinus linteus. Biotechnol Lett 2003;25(2):167-172. PubMed
Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

2 of 2

Pomalidomide also falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS.

Theoretically, black hoof mushroom might reduce the effects of immunosuppressant medications.
In animal research, polysaccharides from black hoof mushroom and black hoof mushroom extract stimulate immune responses.
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 is the idea behind this one. Pomalidomide isn't a classic immune-suppressing drug, but it does change how your immune system behaves while fighting multiple myeloma or Kaposi's sarcoma. Black Hoof Mushroom, on the other hand, has been shown in lab and animal studies to rev up immune activity. So in theory, taking the mushroom could push your immune system in the opposite direction and potentially work against what your treatment is trying to do.

I want to be honest with you, though: this is a theoretical concern based on how these things behave in test tubes and animals, not from people taking them together. We simply don't have human data here. Because pomalidomide is serious cancer therapy, I'd hold off on the mushroom and run it by your oncology team or pharmacist first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Song, K. S., Cho, S. M., Lee, J. H., Kim, H. M., Han, S. B., Ko, K. S., and Yoo, I. D. B-lymphocyte-stimulating polysaccharide from mushroom Phellinus linteus. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1995;43(12):2105-2108. PubMed
  2. Matsuba, S., Matsuno, H., Sakuma, M., and Komatsu, Y. Phellinus linteus Extract Augments the Immune Response in Mitomycin C-Induced Immunodeficient Mice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2008;5(1):85-90.
  3. Kim, G. Y., Roh, S. I., Park, S. K., Ahn, S. C., Oh, Y. H., Lee, J. D., and Park, Y. M. Alleviation of experimental septic shock in mice by acidic polysaccharide isolated from the medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus. Biol Pharm Bull 2003;26(10):1418-1423 PubMed
  4. Oh, G. S., Lee, M. S., Pae, H. O., Kwon, J., Lee, S. S., Jeong, J. G., Shin, M. K., Kwon, T. O., and Chung, H. T. Effects of oral administration of Phellinus linteus on the production of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines in mice. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2
  5. Kim, G. Y., Lee, J. Y., Lee, J. O., Ryu, C. H., Choi, B. T., Jeong, Y. K., Lee, K. W., Jeong, S. C., and Choi, Y. H. Partial characterization and immunostimulatory effect of a novel polysaccharide-protein complex extracted from Phellinus linteus. Biosci B

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

Black Hoof Mushroom Also Interacts With Other Medications

Black Hoof Mushroom has 307 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Pomalidomide one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 307 No known interaction 2,523 (incl. Pomalidomide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Black Hoof Mushroom

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pomalidomide

This page covers Black Hoof Mushroom only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pomalidomide page lists 207 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 162 moderate · 42 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pomalidomide page

“Pomalidomide (Pomalyst) treats multiple myeloma, and with a cancer medicine carrying stakes this high, my honest read is that this list calls for real vigilance. Start with the three entries rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pomalidomide interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Black Hoof Mushroom and Pomalidomide 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 Black Hoof Mushroom
Steady interest

#1,223 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Pomalidomide
Top half

#1,129 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 Black Hoof Mushroom

What is Black Hoof Mushroom?

Black Hoof Mushroom
  • Immune system support
  • Antioxidant support
  • General wellness
  • Traditional cancer-supportive use
  • Inflammation

Black Hoof Mushroom (Phellinus linteus) is a medicinal mushroom long used in East Asian traditional medicine, mainly for immune support. Most of the supporting evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies, and high-quality human research is limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a health condition or take other medicines.

Read the full Black Hoof Mushroom monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pomalidomide

What Is Pomalidomide Used For?

Brand name: Pomalyst

Pomalidomide capsules treat two types of cancer in adults. The first is multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood's plasma cells. It is used together with dexamethasone in people who have already tried at least two other treatments, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor, and whose disease progressed on or within 60 days of the last one.

The second is Kaposi sarcoma. It is used for AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has failed, and for Kaposi sarcoma in people who are HIV-negative. This use was approved under accelerated approval based on response rate, and continued approval may depend on confirmatory trials.

See full Pomalidomide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Black Hoof Mushroom

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

0Major
307Moderate
0Minor
2,522No known interaction
307 Moderate 2,522 No interaction
Moderate

307 interactions

Showing 60 of 307 moderate interactions — see all 307 on the Black Hoof Mushroom page.

No interaction 2,522 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,522 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Black Hoof Mushroom list.

See the full Black Hoof Mushroom interactions page
See every supplement checked against Pomalidomide, 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
Black Hoof Mushroom monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Pomalidomide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Pomalidomide, ranked by severity Pomalidomide 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 Black Hoof Mushroom and Pomalidomide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Black Hoof Mushroom with Pomalidomide?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Black Hoof Mushroom and Pomalidomide?
Pomalidomide belongs to more than one drug category, and Black Hoof Mushroom interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Black Hoof Mushroom and Pomalidomide 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 Pomalidomide and Black Hoof Mushroom?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.