Drug & supplement interaction

Black Pepper + Clobetasol

Clobetasol brand names: Temovate, Clobex.

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

Black Pepper has a moderate interaction with Clobetasol. Theoretically, black pepper might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.

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

Black Pepper and Clobetasol

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Clobetasol

Clobetasol falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Black Pepper interacts with.

Theoretically, black pepper might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.
In vitro research shows that piperine, a constituent of black pepper, seems to inhibit P-glycoprotein.
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 good news on this pairing. The concern with black pepper (really its compound piperine) is that in lab dishes it can slow down a transport protein called P-glycoprotein, which could let more of certain drugs build up. But clobetasol is a topical steroid. You rub it on your skin, and very little gets absorbed into your bloodstream when used as directed.

Because of that, this interaction is mostly theoretical and based only on test-tube studies, not real people. Eating black pepper at dinner or even taking a piperine supplement is very unlikely to change how your skin cream works or cause more steroid side effects. If you're using clobetasol on large, broken, or raw areas for a long time, just check in with your pharmacist to be safe.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Bhardwaj RK, Glaeser H, Becquemont L, et al. Piperine, a major constituent of black pepper, inhibits human P-glycoprotein and CYP3A4. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2002;302:645-50. PubMed
  2. Han, Y., Chin Tan, T. M., and Lim, L. Y. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the effects of piperine on P-gp function and expression. Toxicol.Appl.Pharmacol. 8-1-2008;230(3):283-289. PubMed
  3. Aher, S., Biradar, S., Gopu, C. L., and Paradkar, A. Novel pepper extract for enhanced P-glycoprotein inhibition. J Pharm.Pharmacol. 2009;61(9):1179-1186. 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

Black Pepper Also Interacts With Other Medications

Black Pepper has 975 moderate, 43 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Clobetasol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 975 Minor 43 No known interaction 1,812 (incl. Clobetasol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Black Pepper

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Black Pepper or Clobetasol

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Black Pepper or Clobetasol, 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 Clobetasol

This page covers Black Pepper only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Clobetasol page lists 74 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Lily-of-the-valley (major), St. John's Wort (major), Alder Buckthorn (moderate) and Bitter Melon (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 18 minor.

Open the Clobetasol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 5,528 real supplement products containing Black Pepper, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Black Pepper. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Clobetasol too, on top of Black Pepper — 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 Black Pepper and Clobetasol 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 Pepper
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Clobetasol
Top half

#864 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 Pepper

What is Black Pepper?

Black Pepper
  • Flavoring and culinary use
  • Digestive complaints like bloating and indigestion
  • Boosting absorption of other supplements
  • Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support
  • Cold and congestion remedies

Black pepper is a common kitchen spice that is generally safe in the amounts used in food. Its extract, piperine, is mostly added to supplements to help the body absorb other ingredients (like curcumin from turmeric). Strong human evidence for black pepper treating specific health conditions is limited, so use supplement-strength products with care and check with your pharmacist.

Read the full Black Pepper monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Clobetasol Topical

What Is Clobetasol Topical Used For?

Brand names: Temovate, Clobex

Clobetasol topical is used to treat moderate to severe scalp psoriasis and plaque psoriasis. It reduces the redness, scaling, and itching associated with these skin conditions.

Treatment is intended for short-term use only and should be limited to the minimum time needed to bring the condition under control. It should not be used on the face, groin, or underarm areas.

See full Clobetasol Topical drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Black Pepper

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

0Major
975Moderate
43Minor
1,811No known interaction
975 Moderate 43 Minor 1,811 No interaction
Moderate

975 interactions

Showing 60 of 975 moderate interactions — see all 975 on the Black Pepper page.

Minor

43 interactions

No interaction 1,811 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,811 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Black Pepper list.

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

Can you take Black Pepper with Clobetasol?
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 Black Pepper and Clobetasol 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 Clobetasol and Black Pepper?

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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.