Drug & supplement interaction

Cabbage + Irinotecan Hydrochloride

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

Cabbage has a moderate interaction with Irinotecan Hydrochloride. Theoretically, cabbage might increase clearance and decrease the effects of drugs metabolized through glucuronide conjugation.

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

Cabbage and Irinotecan Hydrochloride

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

Moderate

GLUCURONIDATED DRUGS

Why this applies to Irinotecan Hydrochloride

Irinotecan Hydrochloride falls under GLUCURONIDATED DRUGS — the group Cabbage interacts with.

Theoretically, cabbage might increase clearance and decrease the effects of drugs metabolized through glucuronide conjugation.
A small clinical study shows that daily consumption of cabbage and Brussels sprout decreases levels of some drugs metabolized through glucuronide conjugation.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

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 gist for irinotecan (Onivyde). Your body partly clears the active part of this chemo drug by attaching a sugar molecule to it, a process called glucuronidation. There's a small clinical study suggesting that eating cabbage (and Brussels sprouts) every day can speed that clearing-out step up. In theory, that could lower the amount of active drug in your system and make the treatment work a little less well.

I want to keep this in perspective, though. The evidence here is limited and mostly theoretical, and normal food-sized servings of cabbage are unlikely to upset a carefully dosed cancer treatment. Since irinotecan is a serious chemo drug with a tight dosing window, I'd just mention to your oncologist or pharmacist if you plan to eat large amounts of cabbage regularly. Don't change anything on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Pantuck EJ, Pantuck CB, Anderson KE, et al. Effect of brussels sprouts and cabbage on drug conjugation. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1984;35:161-9. 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

Cabbage Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cabbage has 324 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Irinotecan Hydrochloride one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 324 No known interaction 2,506 (incl. Irinotecan Hydrochloride)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cabbage

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Irinotecan Hydrochloride

This page covers Cabbage only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Irinotecan Hydrochloride page lists 135 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Apple (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Sweet Orange (major) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 100 moderate · 31 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Irinotecan Hydrochloride page

“Irinotecan hydrochloride is chemotherapy, most often used against colorectal cancer, so the 135 supplements and foods on this page call for genuine care rather than a shrug. Four entries rate major, and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Irinotecan Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,304 real supplement products containing Cabbage, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cabbage. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Irinotecan Hydrochloride too, on top of Cabbage — 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 Cabbage and Irinotecan Hydrochloride 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 Cabbage
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Irinotecan Hydrochloride
Top half

#1,411 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 Cabbage

What is Cabbage?

Cabbage
  • Breast engorgement during breastfeeding
  • Joint pain and swelling (topical)
  • Digestive and stomach upset
  • General nutrition and antioxidant support
  • Skin and minor inflammation (topical)

Cabbage is a nutritious, low-calorie vegetable that is safe to eat as food and is sometimes applied to the skin as a leaf wrap for breast engorgement or sore joints. Most medicinal claims are based on tradition or limited research, with the strongest (though still modest) evidence being for cooling cabbage leaves on engorged breasts. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using cabbage in large amounts or as a treatment.

Read the full Cabbage monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Irinotecan Lipid Complex Injection

What Is Irinotecan Lipid Complex Injection Used For?

  • Irinotecan lipid complex is used in combination with other medications to treat pancreatic cancer that has spread to other parts of the body that has worsened after treatment with other chemotherapy medications. Irinotecan lipid complex is in a class of antineoplastic medications called topoisomerase I inhibitors. It works by stopping the growth of cancer cells.

See full Irinotecan Lipid Complex Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cabbage

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

0Major
324Moderate
0Minor
2,505No known interaction
324 Moderate 2,505 No interaction
Moderate

324 interactions

Showing 60 of 324 moderate interactions — see all 324 on the Cabbage page.

No interaction 2,505 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,505 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cabbage list.

See the full Cabbage interactions page
See every supplement checked against Irinotecan Hydrochloride, 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
Cabbage monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Irinotecan Hydrochloride supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Irinotecan Hydrochloride, ranked by severity Irinotecan Lipid Complex 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 Cabbage and Irinotecan Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cabbage with Irinotecan Hydrochloride?
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 Cabbage and Irinotecan Hydrochloride 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 Irinotecan Hydrochloride and Cabbage?

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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.