Drug & supplement interaction

Cat's Claw + Alectinib Hydrochloride

Alectinib Hydrochloride brand name: Alecensa.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Alectinib Hydrochloride states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Alectinib Hydrochloride and Cat's Claw in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Cat's Claw safety at a glance

Cat's Claw overall Use caution Generally well tolerated short-term in healthy adults, but long-term safety is not well studied.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally. There is concern that cat's claw might be unsafe based on its traditional use as a contraceptive; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid Avoid while breastfeeding due to insufficient safety information.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Alectinib Hydrochloride and Cat's Claw? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Alectinib Hydrochloride

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Alectinib Hydrochloride is filed under 3 classifications — photosensitizing drugs, hepatotoxic drugs, oral drugs. Cat's Claw has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antihypertensive drugs (moderate) and calcium channel blockers (moderate) — and none of Alectinib Hydrochloride’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Cat's Claw Does Interact With Other Medications

Cat's Claw has 962 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Alectinib Hydrochloride isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 962 No known interaction 1,868 (incl. Alectinib Hydrochloride)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cat's Claw

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Cat's Claw. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cat's Claw

    “Several case reports link cat's claw to kidney injury. A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus developed acute kidney failure after taking cat's claw, which improved upon its discontinuation. Another patient with a history of cancer who consumed keto-diet shakes containing cat's claw developed biopsy-confirmed acute interstitial nephritis requiring treatment with prednisone.”

    Cat's Claw · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cancer.

    4 sources cited
    1. 40279. Hilepo, J. N., Bellucci, A. G., and Mossey, R. T. Acute renal failure caused by 'cat's claw' herbal remedy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Nephron 1997;77(3):361. PubMed
    2. 111737. Portalatin G, Shettigar S, Carrion-Rodriguez A, et al. Ketogenic-Diet Shake Containing Uncaria tomentosa-Associated Acute Interstitial Nephritis. Case Rep Nephrol Dial 2022;12(3):219-225.
    3. 40244. Flythe, J. E., Rueda, J. F., Riscoe, M. K., and Watnick, S. Silicate nephrolithiasis after ingestion of supplements containing silica dioxide. Am.J.Kidney Dis. 2009;54(1):127-130. PubMed
    4. 92502. De Paula LCL, Fonseca F, Perazzo F, et al. Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) improves quality of life in patients with advanced solid tumors. J Altern Complement Med. 2015;21(1):22-30.

    Alectinib Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Alectinib Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Anemia / A low white blood cell count Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cat's Claw

    “In one clinical study of oral cat's claw, anemia occurred in 12% of patients and leukopenia and thrombocytopenia each occurred in 2% of patients. As the patients in this study had solid tumors with no further therapeutic options, it cannot be determined if any adverse effects were due to the course of disease or to cat's claw. No placebo was used in the study.”

    Cat's Claw · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anemia.

    1 source cited
    1. 92502. De Paula LCL, Fonseca F, Perazzo F, et al. Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) improves quality of life in patients with advanced solid tumors. J Altern Complement Med. 2015;21(1):22-30.

    Alectinib Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Alectinib Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Constipation / Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting / Nausea reported in 6.1% of FDA reports for Alectinib Hydrochloride Additional detail

    Cat's Claw

    “Orally, cat's claw has been reported to cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, constipation, epigastric pain, and diarrhea in 2% to 10% of individuals in one clinical study. As the patients in this study had solid tumors with no further therapeutic options, it cannot be determined if any adverse effects were due to the course of disease or to cat's claw. No placebo was used in the study.”

    Cat's Claw · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    1 source cited
    1. 92502. De Paula LCL, Fonseca F, Perazzo F, et al. Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) improves quality of life in patients with advanced solid tumors. J Altern Complement Med. 2015;21(1):22-30.

    Alectinib Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Alectinib Hydrochloride, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Tiredness / Headache reported in 7.1% of FDA reports for Alectinib Hydrochloride Additional detail

    Cat's Claw

    “In one clinical study of oral cat's claw, headache occurred in 2% of patients, fatigue and insomnia each occurred in 4% of patients, and neuropathy occurred in 8% of patients. As the patients in this study had solid tumors with no further therapeutic options, it cannot be determined if any adverse effects were due to the course of disease or to cat's claw. No placebo was used in the study.”

    Cat's Claw · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    1 source cited
    1. 92502. De Paula LCL, Fonseca F, Perazzo F, et al. Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) improves quality of life in patients with advanced solid tumors. J Altern Complement Med. 2015;21(1):22-30.

    Alectinib Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Alectinib Hydrochloride, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Cat's Claw but not commonly for Alectinib Hydrochloride: a low platelet count, kidney stones, itching and trouble sleeping.

Effects for Alectinib Hydrochloride come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Cat's Claw come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 7,249 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Alectinib Hydrochloride that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Cat's Claw in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. There is concern that cat's claw might be unsafe based on its traditional use as a contraceptive; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Alectinib Hydrochloride Products Have a Food Rule — Cat's Claw Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Alectinib Hydrochloride says to take it with food. If you take Cat's Claw on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Alectinib Hydrochloride with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Alectinib Hydrochloride products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Administer ALECENSA with food.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Alectinib Hydrochloride — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Overlapping uses

What Alectinib Hydrochloride Is Prescribed For, and What Cat's Claw Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Alectinib Hydrochloride is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Cat's Claw is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Alectinib Hydrochloride is prescribed for: Alecensa (alectinib) is used in adults with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors test positive for a gene change called ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase). Your tumor must be confirmed ALK-positive by an FDA-approved test before starting treatment. Alecensa is approved for two situations: as adjuvant treatment (after surgery to remove the tumor, for tumors that are large enough or have spread to nearby lymph nodes) to help prevent the cancer from coming back, and for metastatic NSCLC (cancer that has already spread to other areas of the body).

Cat's Claw has been studied for:

  • Cancer studied, not established Cat's Claw has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Cat's Claw for cancer

    It is unclear if oral cat's claw is beneficial for improving quality of life in patients with cancer.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Alectinib Hydrochloride on your own; if you are taking Cat's Claw for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Cat's Claw or Alectinib Hydrochloride

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Cat's Claw or Alectinib Hydrochloride, 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 Alectinib Hydrochloride

This page covers Cat's Claw only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Alectinib Hydrochloride page lists 74 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Alfalfa (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 60 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Alectinib Hydrochloride page

“Alectinib (Alecensa) treats ALK-positive lung cancer, and because your liver already has to tolerate this drug, check this page before adding any supplement, not after. Of the 74 ingredients on file, 38 can add stress to the liver, and three of the four major-rated entries (beer, wine, and Siberian cocklebur) are the clearest examples…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Alectinib Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Cat's Claw as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 910 real supplement products containing Cat's Claw, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cat's Claw. Even though Cat's Claw itself has no known interaction with Alectinib Hydrochloride, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Cat's Claw and Alectinib 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 Cat's Claw
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Alectinib Hydrochloride
Steady interest

#1,823 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Cat's Claw reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Cat's Claw

What is Cat's Claw?

Cat's Claw
  • Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
  • Inflammation
  • Immune support
  • Digestive complaints
  • General wellness/tonic

Cat's claw is a South American vine traditionally used for inflammation, joint pain, and immune support. Some small studies hint it may help with arthritis symptoms, but the overall evidence is limited and not strong enough to confirm clear benefits. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Uncaria tomentosa · Rubiaceae · Bark and root · Capsules, tablets, liquid extracts/tinctures, tea

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Cat's Claw is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Cat's Claw record says about it on its own.

Cat's Claw: dosing

There is no official or well-established standard dose of cat's claw. The amount used in studies has varied depending on the type of product (such as a dried bark extract versus a standardized extract).The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not take more than recommended.

From our Cat's Claw monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Cat's Claw monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Alectinib

What Is Alectinib Used For?

Brand name: Alecensa

Alecensa (alectinib) is used in adults with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors test positive for a gene change called ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase). Your tumor must be confirmed ALK-positive by an FDA-approved test before starting treatment.

Alecensa is approved for two situations: as adjuvant treatment (after surgery to remove the tumor, for tumors that are large enough or have spread to nearby lymph nodes) to help prevent the cancer from coming back, and for metastatic NSCLC (cancer that has already spread to other areas of the body).

Most-Reported Side Effects for Alectinib Hydrochloride

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (7,249 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 518 reports
Constipation 445 reports
Rash 257 reports
Dyspnea 234 reports
Disease progression 210 reports
See full Alectinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cat's Claw

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

0Major
962Moderate
0Minor
1,867No known interaction
962 Moderate 1,867 No interaction
Moderate

962 interactions

Showing 60 of 962 moderate interactions — see all 962 on the Cat's Claw page.

No interaction 1,867 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,867 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cat's Claw list.

See the full Cat's Claw interactions page
See every supplement checked against Alectinib Hydrochloride, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Cat's Claw References

The 16 references that drive our Cat's Claw monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Budzinski JW, Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, Arnason JT. An in vitro evaluation of human cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibition by selected commercial herbal extracts and tinctures. Phytomedicine 2000;7:273-82. PubMed
  3. Sandoval M, Charbonnet RM, Okuhama NN, et al. Cat's claw inhibits TNFalpha production and scavenges free radicals: role in cytoprotection. Free Radic Biol Med 2000;29:71-78.
  4. Müller AC, Kanfer I. Potential pharmacokinetic interactions between antiretrovirals and medicinal plants used as complementary and African traditional medicines. Biopharm Drug Dispos. 2011;32(8):458-70. PubMed
  5. Sheng, Y., Bryngelsson, C., and Pero, R. W. Enhanced DNA repair, immune function and reduced toxicity of C-MED-100, a novel aqueous extract from Uncaria tomentosa. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000;69(2):115-126. PubMed
  6. Lamm, S., Sheng, Y., and Pero, R. W. Persistent response to pneumococcal vaccine in individuals supplemented with a novel water soluble extract of Uncaria tomentosa, C-Med-100. Phytomedicine 2001;8(4):267-274.
  7. Sheng, Y., Li, L., Holmgren, K., and Pero, R. W. DNA repair enhancement of aqueous extracts of Uncaria tomentosa in a human volunteer study. Phytomedicine 2001;8(4):275-282.
  8. Chen, C. X., Jin, R. M., Li, Y. K., Zhong, J., Yue, L., Chen, S. C., and Zhou, J. Y. Inhibitory effect of rhynchophylline on platelet aggregation and thrombosis. Zhongguo Yao Li Xue.Bao. 1992;13(2):126-130.
  9. Flythe, J. E., Rueda, J. F., Riscoe, M. K., and Watnick, S. Silicate nephrolithiasis after ingestion of supplements containing silica dioxide. Am.J.Kidney Dis. 2009;54(1):127-130. PubMed
  10. Zhou, J. and Zhou, S. Antihypertensive and neuroprotective activities of rhynchophylline: the role of rhynchophylline in neurotransmission and ion channel activity. J.Ethnopharmacol. 10-28-2010;132(1):15-27. PubMed
  11. Zhou, J. Y. and Zhou, S. W. Isorhynchophylline: A plant alkaloid with therapeutic potential for cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases. Fitoterapia 2012;83(4):617-626. PubMed
  12. Hemingway, S. R. and Phillipson, J. D. Proceedings: Alkaloids from S. American species of Uncaria (Rubiaceae). J.Pharm.Pharmacol. 1974;26 Suppl:113P.
  13. Hilepo, J. N., Bellucci, A. G., and Mossey, R. T. Acute renal failure caused by 'cat's claw' herbal remedy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Nephron 1997;77(3):361. PubMed
  14. De Paula LCL, Fonseca F, Perazzo F, et al. Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) improves quality of life in patients with advanced solid tumors. J Altern Complement Med. 2015;21(1):22-30.
  15. Portalatin G, Shettigar S, Carrion-Rodriguez A, et al. Ketogenic-Diet Shake Containing Uncaria tomentosa-Associated Acute Interstitial Nephritis. Case Rep Nephrol Dial 2022;12(3):219-225.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Cat's Claw with Alectinib Hydrochloride?
We do not list a known interaction between Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Alectinib Hydrochloride says to take it with food. If you take Cat's Claw on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Alectinib Hydrochloride with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Alectinib Hydrochloride products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Cat's Claw in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Alectinib Hydrochloride is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Cat's Claw and Alectinib Hydrochloride combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Alectinib Hydrochloride is filed under 3 classifications, and Cat's Claw has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — none of Alectinib Hydrochloride's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Cat's Claw interact with any other medications?
Yes. Cat's Claw has 962 documented drug interactions in our database — Alectinib Hydrochloride is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Alectinib Hydrochloride interact with any supplements?
Yes. Alectinib Hydrochloride has documented interactions with 74 supplements in our database — Cat's Claw is not one of them. The Alectinib Hydrochloride interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Cat's Claw monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Alectinib drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Alectinib Hydrochloride supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Alectinib Hydrochloride, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 16 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Alectinib Hydrochloride and Cat's Claw?

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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.