Drug & supplement interaction

Cannabis + Enzalutamide

Enzalutamide brand name: Xtandi.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Enzalutamide falls into 2 drug categories that Cannabis can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, CYP3A4 inducers might reduce the levels and clinical effects of cannabis.

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

Cannabis and Enzalutamide

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Cannabis interacts with whole categories of medication. Enzalutamide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Cannabis 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) INDUCERS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Enzalutamide

Enzalutamide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INDUCERS — the group Cannabis interacts with.

Theoretically, CYP3A4 inducers might reduce the levels and clinical effects of cannabis.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active constituent of cannabis, is a substrate of CYP3A4 enzymes.
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 angle that matters for this pair: enzalutamide (Xtandi) is the medicine doing the affecting, and cannabis is the thing being affected. Enzalutamide is a strong inducer of a liver enzyme called CYP3A4, which means it speeds that enzyme up. Since THC (the part of cannabis that gets you high) is broken down by CYP3A4, taking them together could clear the THC out of your system faster than usual.

In real terms, your cannabis might feel weaker or wear off sooner while you're on enzalutamide. This is a theoretical concern based on how the enzyme works, not on solid human studies, so don't panic. The bigger point is just to loop in your oncology team, since cannabis can also affect appetite, mood, and alertness during cancer treatment.

References
  1. Product information for Marinol. AbbVie. North Chicago, IL 60064. August 2017. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/018651s029lbl.pdf.
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) INDUCERS

2 of 2

Enzalutamide also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) INDUCERS.

Theoretically, drugs that are CYP2C9 inducers might decrease the effects of cannabis.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active constituent of cannabis, is a substrate of CYP2C9 enzymes.
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 key thing to understand: in this pairing, it's the cannabis that gets affected, not your Xtandi. Enzalutamide is a known booster (an inducer) of the liver enzyme CYP2C9, which is one of the enzymes that helps break down THC, the active compound in cannabis. So while you're on enzalutamide, your body may clear THC a little faster than usual, meaning the cannabis could feel weaker or wear off sooner than you'd expect.

I want to be honest about how solid this is: it's theoretical, based on how these compounds work in the lab, not on real-world studies. Your prostate cancer treatment itself shouldn't be thrown off by cannabis here. Still, please loop in your oncology team or pharmacist before combining them, since cannabis can add to drowsiness and other side effects.

References
  1. Product information for Marinol. AbbVie. North Chicago, IL 60064. August 2017. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/018651s029lbl.pdf.

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

Cannabis Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cannabis has 2 major, 1,108 moderate, 25 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Enzalutamide 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 Cannabis

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Cannabis or Enzalutamide

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Cannabis or Enzalutamide, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Enzalutamide

This page covers Cannabis only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Enzalutamide page lists 49 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Alkanna (moderate), Alpine Ragwort (moderate), Black Tea (moderate) and Boneset (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 36 moderate · 12 minor.

Open the Enzalutamide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 21 real supplement products containing Cannabis, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cannabis. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Enzalutamide too, on top of Cannabis — 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 Cannabis and Enzalutamide 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 Cannabis
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Enzalutamide
Top half

#814 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 Cannabis

What is Cannabis?

Cannabis
  • Chronic pain
  • Nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy
  • Muscle spasticity (e.g., multiple sclerosis)
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Sleep problems
  • Appetite stimulation

Cannabis contains many active compounds, mainly THC (which causes a 'high') and CBD (which does not). Some uses, such as chemotherapy-related nausea, certain seizure disorders, and muscle spasticity, have meaningful evidence, while many other popular uses are not well proven. It can cause real side effects and impairment, so talk to your doctor or pharmacist and follow your local laws before using it.

Read the full Cannabis monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Enzalutamide

What Is Enzalutamide Used For?

Brand name: Xtandi

Xtandi (enzalutamide) is used to treat prostate cancer in three specific situations: castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), and non-metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer with biochemical recurrence at high risk for metastasis (high-risk BCR).

Castration-resistant means the cancer has continued to grow despite low testosterone levels. Castration-sensitive means the cancer still responds to testosterone-lowering therapy. In most of these cases, Xtandi is used alongside a GnRH analog (a hormone-lowering injection) or after surgical removal of the testicles — except in the high-risk BCR setting, where it may be used with or without a GnRH analog.

See full Enzalutamide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cannabis

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

2Major
1,108Moderate
25Minor
1,694No known interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

1,108 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,108 moderate interactions — see all 1,108 on the Cannabis page.

Minor

25 interactions

No interaction 1,694 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 Cannabis and Enzalutamide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cannabis with Enzalutamide?
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 Cannabis and Enzalutamide?
Enzalutamide belongs to more than one drug category, and Cannabis 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 Cannabis and Enzalutamide 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 Enzalutamide and Cannabis?

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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.