Drug & supplement interaction

Calamus + Etoposide

Etoposide brand names: VePesid, VP16, Etopophos.

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

Calamus has a moderate interaction with Etoposide. Theoretically, taking calamus with drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 might increase drug levels and potentially increase the risk of adverse effects.

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

Calamus and Etoposide

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Etoposide

Etoposide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Calamus interacts with.

Theoretically, taking calamus with drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 might increase drug levels and potentially increase the risk of adverse effects.
In vitro research shows that calamus extract inhibits CYP3A4 enzyme.
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 etoposide and calamus. Your body relies on a liver enzyme called CYP3A4 to help break down and clear etoposide. In lab studies, calamus appears to slow that enzyme down. If that happens in people, etoposide could clear more slowly and build up higher than intended. Since etoposide is an active chemotherapy drug (not a prodrug that needs activating), more drug in your system means a bigger chance of its known side effects, like low blood counts, infections, mouth sores, nausea, and fatigue.

One important thing: this concern comes only from test-tube research, not human studies, so it's theoretical. Still, with chemo we don't take chances. Please check with your oncology team or pharmacist before using calamus, which also has its own safety worries.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Pandit S, Mukherjee PK, Ponnusankar S, Venkatesh M, Srikanth N. Metabolism mediated interaction of a-asarone and Acorus calamus with CYP3A4 and CYP2D6. Fitoterapia 2011;82(3):369-74.

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

Calamus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Calamus has 1,097 moderate, 19 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Etoposide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,097 Minor 19 No known interaction 1,714 (incl. Etoposide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Calamus

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Etoposide

This page covers Calamus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Etoposide page lists 152 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 5 major · 107 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Etoposide page

“Chemotherapy is unforgiving of level swings, and swings are exactly what most of this list can cause for etoposide (VePesid, Etopophos). Of the 152 supplements and herbs on file, 121 can change how your liver clears etoposide through the CYP3A4 enzyme, meaning too little drug and an undertreated cancer, or too much and harsher toxicity.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Etoposide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 71 real supplement products containing Calamus, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Calamus. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Etoposide too, on top of Calamus — 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 Calamus and Etoposide 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 Calamus
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Etoposide
Top half

#1,195 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 Calamus

What is Calamus?

Calamus
  • Digestive upset and gas
  • Loss of appetite
  • Memory and focus (traditional)
  • Coughs and colds
  • Calming or sedative effect (traditional)

Calamus is a swamp plant with a long history in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, mostly for digestive and nervous-system complaints. However, it contains beta-asarone, a compound linked to cancer and other toxic effects in animal studies, which is why the U.S. FDA banned it from foods. Because of these safety concerns and a lack of solid human evidence, it is generally best avoided.

Read the full Calamus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Etoposide

What Is Etoposide Used For?

Brand names: VePesid, VP16, Etopophos

Etoposide injection (available as Avopef, Etopophos, Toposar, and Etoposide) is used to treat refractory testicular tumors — cancers that have already been treated with surgery, radiation, and other chemotherapy — always in combination with other cancer drugs. It is also used for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) as a first-line treatment, given together with other chemotherapy and, in the case of Avopef, with immunotherapy as well.

Etoposide capsules (VePesid and Etoposide capsules) are approved for small cell lung cancer as first-line treatment in combination with other chemotherapy agents. Capsule forms are not approved for testicular cancer, as the label notes that adequate data on their use in that setting are not available.

See full Etoposide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Calamus

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

0Major
1,097Moderate
19Minor
1,713No known interaction
1,097 Moderate 19 Minor 1,713 No interaction
Moderate

1,097 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,097 moderate interactions — see all 1,097 on the Calamus page.

Minor

19 interactions

No interaction 1,713 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,713 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Calamus list.

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

Can you take Calamus with Etoposide?
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 Calamus and Etoposide 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 Etoposide and Calamus?

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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.