Drug & supplement interaction

Bog Labrador Tea + Lapatinib

Lapatinib brand name: Tykerb.

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

Bog Labrador Tea has a moderate interaction with Lapatinib. In vitro research shows that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Bog Labrador tea leaves can increase the concentration of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzymes.

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

Bog Labrador Tea and Lapatinib

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Lapatinib

Lapatinib falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Bog Labrador Tea interacts with.

In vitro research shows that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Bog Labrador tea leaves can increase the concentration of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzymes. Extracts obtained from different geographical regions in Quebec resulted in differing potency of CYP3A4 induction. Bog Labrador tea might increase the metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates.
Drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 include lovastatin (Mevacor), clarithromycin (Biaxin), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), diltiazem (Cardizem), estrogens, indinavir (Crixivan), amiodarone (Cordarone), ticagrelor (Brilinta), triazolam (Halcion), and others.
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 gist for lapatinib (Tykerb). Your body relies on an enzyme called CYP3A4 to break this medicine down, and lab studies suggest Bog Labrador tea may rev up (induce) that enzyme. If that happens in people too, your liver could clear lapatinib faster than intended, leaving lower levels in your blood. The worry there isn't extra side effects, it's that the drug might not work as well against your cancer.

I want to be honest about the strength of this: it comes only from test-tube research, not from human studies, so it's far from proven. Still, lapatinib is a serious cancer treatment where keeping levels steady matters. Please don't start or stop the tea on your own. Run it by your oncologist or pharmacist first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Tam TW, Liu R, Saleem A, et al. The effect of Cree traditional medicinal teas on the activity of human cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;155(1):841-6. 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

Bog Labrador Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bog Labrador Tea has 642 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Lapatinib one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 642 No known interaction 2,188 (incl. Lapatinib)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bog Labrador Tea

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Lapatinib

This page covers Bog Labrador Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lapatinib page lists 143 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 Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 100 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lapatinib page

“Of the 143 supplements on file for lapatinib (Tykerb), nearly all press on the same point, the CYP3A4 enzyme that clears this HER2-targeted breast cancer drug. That deserves real caution, since lapatinib only works when its blood level stays in range.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lapatinib interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bog Labrador Tea and Lapatinib 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 Bog Labrador Tea
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lapatinib
Steady interest

#2,248 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 Bog Labrador Tea

What is Bog Labrador Tea?

Bog Labrador Tea
  • Coughs and respiratory complaints
  • Digestive upset and diarrhea
  • Anxiety and stress
  • As a warm beverage
  • Aches and pains (traditional use)

Bog Labrador tea is a wetland shrub whose leaves have long been brewed as a traditional beverage and folk remedy, especially among Indigenous peoples of North America. There is very little human research to confirm any health benefit, and the plant is closely related to species that contain toxic compounds, so it should be used cautiously and in moderation. Pregnant or breastfeeding people should avoid it, and anyone considering it should talk with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Bog Labrador Tea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lapatinib

What Is Lapatinib Used For?

Brand name: Tykerb

Lapatinib tablets — sold under the brand name Tykerb — are used to treat advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients whose tumors overexpress the HER2 protein. They are always used in combination with another medicine, not alone.

Tykerb is approved in combination with capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients who have already received prior treatment including an anthracycline, a taxane, and trastuzumab, and whose disease has progressed on trastuzumab. Tykerb is also approved in combination with letrozole for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer when hormonal therapy is appropriate.

See full Lapatinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bog Labrador Tea

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

0Major
642Moderate
0Minor
2,187No known interaction
642 Moderate 2,187 No interaction
Moderate

642 interactions

Showing 60 of 642 moderate interactions — see all 642 on the Bog Labrador Tea page.

No interaction 2,187 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,187 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bog Labrador Tea list.

See the full Bog Labrador Tea interactions page
See every supplement checked against Lapatinib, 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
Bog Labrador Tea monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Lapatinib supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Lapatinib, ranked by severity Lapatinib 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 Bog Labrador Tea and Lapatinib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bog Labrador Tea with Lapatinib?
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 Bog Labrador Tea and Lapatinib 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 Lapatinib and Bog Labrador Tea?

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.