Drug & supplement interaction

Cannabinol (cbn) + tipranavir

tipranavir brand name: Aptivus.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

tipranavir falls into 2 drug categories that Cannabinol (cbn) can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, CYP3A4 inhibitors might increase the levels and clinical effects of cannabinol.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Cannabinol (cbn) and tipranavir

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Cannabinol (cbn) interacts with whole categories of medication. tipranavir falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Cannabinol (cbn) in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS

1 of 2

Why this applies to tipranavir

tipranavir falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS — the group Cannabinol (cbn) interacts with.

Theoretically, CYP3A4 inhibitors might increase the levels and clinical effects of cannabinol.
In vitro research shows that CYP3A4 enzymes are involved in the 8-hydroxylation of cannabinol. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 the supplement is the one that gets affected, not your HIV medicine. Tipranavir (taken with ritonavir) is a strong blocker of the liver enzyme CYP3A4, and lab studies suggest that same enzyme helps break down CBN. So in theory, tipranavir could slow how your body clears CBN, letting it build up. That might mean more pronounced CBN effects, like extra drowsiness, grogginess, or feeling out of it.

Keep in mind this is only based on test-tube research and has never actually been reported in people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Still, since CBN products vary a lot and your HIV regimen is important, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before combining the two.

References
  1. Watanabe K, Yamaori S, Funahashi T, Kimura T, Yamamoto I. Cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the metabolism of tetrahydrocannabinols and cannabinol by human hepatic microsomes. Life Sci. 2007;80(15):1415-9. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

tipranavir also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, cannabinol might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C9 substrates.
In vitro research shows that cannabinol potently inhibits CYP2C9 enzymes. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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: lab studies (test tube only, not real people) hint that CBN can block a liver enzyme called CYP2C9, which is one of the pathways your body uses to clear tipranavir. If that pathway slows down, tipranavir levels could theoretically creep up, which might mean more of its known side effects like nausea, diarrhea, stomach upset, tiredness, or stress on the liver.

I want to be honest, though: this hasn't actually been seen in humans, and it's based only on lab data, so it's pretty theoretical. Tipranavir is also already taken with ritonavir, which complicates the picture. CBN is not a prodrug situation here, so the concern is buildup, not weaker effect. Since tipranavir is serious HIV medicine, please don't add CBN without checking with your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Nasrin S, Watson CJW, Perez-Paramo YX, Lazarus P. Cannabinoid Metabolites as Inhibitors of Major Hepatic CYP450 Enzymes, with Implications for Cannabis-Drug Interactions. Drug Metab Dispos 2021;49(12):1070-1080. 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

Cannabinol (cbn) Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cannabinol (cbn) has 388 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the tipranavir one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cannabinol (cbn)

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Cannabinol (cbn). Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With tipranavir

This page covers Cannabinol (cbn) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the tipranavir page lists 212 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), 1,3-dmaa (moderate) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 165 moderate · 44 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the tipranavir page

“Keeping tipranavir (Aptivus) at a steady blood level is what keeps HIV suppressed, so this is a supplement list that deserves genuine care, and the three major-rated entries come first. St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the tipranavir interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Cannabinol (cbn) and tipranavir 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 Cannabinol (cbn)
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication tipranavir
Steady interest

#2,328 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 Cannabinol (cbn)

What is Cannabinol (cbn)?

  • Sleep support
  • Relaxation
  • Pain or discomfort
  • Appetite-related concerns

Cannabinol (CBN) is a minor cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, often marketed as a 'sleep' aid, but solid human research is very limited. Because it comes from cannabis and product quality varies widely, talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Cannabinol (cbn) monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tipranavir

What Is Tipranavir Used For?

Brand name: Aptivus

Aptivus (tipranavir) is used to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and in pediatric patients weighing 36 kg or more who have already tried other HIV medications and whose virus has become resistant to more than one protease inhibitor. It must always be taken together with ritonavir to work properly.

Aptivus is not recommended for people who have never been treated for HIV before. It works best when combined with other active HIV medications, and a resistance test is usually done first to confirm the virus will respond to it.

See full Tipranavir drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cannabinol (cbn)

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

0Major
388Moderate
0Minor
2,441No known interaction
Moderate

388 interactions

Showing 60 of 388 moderate interactions — see all 388 on the Cannabinol (cbn) page.

No interaction 2,441 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Cannabinol (cbn) and tipranavir Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cannabinol (cbn) with tipranavir?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Cannabinol (cbn) and tipranavir?
tipranavir belongs to more than one drug category, and Cannabinol (cbn) interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Cannabinol (cbn) and tipranavir 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

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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.