Drug & supplement interaction

Bridelia + Defibrotide Sodium

Defibrotide Sodium brand name: Defitelio.

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

Bridelia has a moderate interaction with Defibrotide Sodium. In animals, orally administered extracts of Bridelia ferruginea stem bark inhibit ADP/adrenaline-induced thrombosis by approximately 62%.Theoretically, Bridelia might increase the risk of bleeding when used concomitantly with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs.

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

Bridelia and Defibrotide Sodium

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Defibrotide Sodium

Defibrotide Sodium falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Bridelia interacts with.

In animals, orally administered extracts of Bridelia ferruginea stem bark inhibit ADP/adrenaline-induced thrombosis by approximately 62%.Theoretically, Bridelia might increase the risk of bleeding when used concomitantly with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs.
Some of these drugs include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: Defibrotide is a powerful clot-preventing medicine given by IV in the hospital, usually for a serious liver complication after a stem-cell transplant. Bridelia, in animal studies, seems to thin the blood and slow clotting on its own. Stack those two together and you could, in theory, tip the scales toward too much blood thinning.

What that might look like is easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or more serious bleeding that's harder to stop. I'll be honest, this concern is theoretical and comes only from animal data, not human studies. But since defibrotide is already a hospital-monitored medicine, please don't add Bridelia without first clearing it with your care team or pharmacist.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Olajide, O. A. Investigation of the effects of selected medicinal plants on experimental thrombosis. Phytother Res 1999;13(3):231-232. DOI

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

Bridelia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bridelia has 329 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Defibrotide Sodium one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 329 No known interaction 2,501 (incl. Defibrotide Sodium)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bridelia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Defibrotide Sodium

This page covers Bridelia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Defibrotide Sodium page lists 202 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Danshen (major), Piracetam (major), Aconite (moderate), Allspice (moderate) and Aloe (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 183 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Defibrotide Sodium page

“Defibrotide (Defitelio) is an intravenous drug for severe veno-occlusive disease of the liver after a stem cell transplant, and part of how it works is by reducing the blood's tendency to clot. That makes bleeding the single thread running through this entire list, and it deserves real care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Defibrotide Sodium interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bridelia and Defibrotide Sodium 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 Bridelia
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Defibrotide Sodium
Steady interest

#2,209 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 Bridelia

What is Bridelia?

  • Blood sugar support
  • Digestive complaints and diarrhea
  • Wound care and skin conditions
  • Antimicrobial use
  • Mouth and gum care (traditional chewing stick)

Bridelia is a group of tropical plants, with Bridelia ferruginea widely used in traditional African medicine for diabetes, infections, and digestive problems. Scientific evidence is mostly limited to laboratory and animal studies, so its benefits and safety in people are not well established. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take other medicines or have a health condition.

Read the full Bridelia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Defibrotide Injection

What Is Defibrotide Injection Used For?

Brand name: Defitelio

Defitelio is used in adults and children to treat hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD), also called sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS). It is used when VOD comes with kidney or lung dysfunction after a hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (HSCT).

VOD is a serious liver complication that can follow a transplant.

See full Defibrotide Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bridelia

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

0Major
329Moderate
0Minor
2,500No known interaction
329 Moderate 2,500 No interaction
Moderate

329 interactions

Showing 60 of 329 moderate interactions — see all 329 on the Bridelia page.

No interaction 2,500 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,500 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bridelia list.

See the full Bridelia interactions page
See every supplement checked against Defibrotide Sodium, 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
Bridelia monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Defibrotide Sodium supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Defibrotide Sodium, ranked by severity Defibrotide Injection 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 Bridelia and Defibrotide Sodium Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bridelia with Defibrotide Sodium?
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 Bridelia and Defibrotide Sodium 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 Defibrotide Sodium and Bridelia?

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.