Drug & supplement interaction

Cat's Claw + Orlistat

Orlistat brand names: Xenical, Alli.

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 Orlistat 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 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 Orlistat

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 Orlistat 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 Orlistat and Cat's Claw? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Orlistat

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Orlistat is filed under 2 classifications — including 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 Orlistat’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 — Orlistat 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. Orlistat)
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 Orlistat 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.

  • Trouble sleeping / Tiredness / Headache 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.

    Orlistat

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

  • Diarrhea / Stomach pain / Vomiting / Nausea reported in 7.6% of FDA reports for Orlistat 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.

    Orlistat

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

  • Itching Additional detail

    Cat's Claw

    “Orally, itchy skin lesions occurred rarely 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 solid tumors.

    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.

    Orlistat

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

Reported for Cat's Claw but not commonly for Orlistat: a low platelet count, kidney stones, kidney problems and constipation.

Effects for Orlistat 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 25,755 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Orlistat 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

From our Q&A

Questions About Cat's Claw or Orlistat

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 Orlistat, 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 Orlistat

This page covers Cat's Claw only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Orlistat page lists 18 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Fish Oil (moderate) and Glucomannan (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 8 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Orlistat page

“People who take Orlistat (Xenical, Alli) for weight loss often browse the very supplement aisle where fiber products and fish oil sit, and both show up on this page, so it deserves genuine attention before you mix anything in. Nearly all 18 ingredients on file can change how oral medications absorb from the gut, and the single major-ra…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Orlistat 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 Orlistat, 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 Orlistat 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Orlistat
Top half

#921 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 Orlistat 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 Orlistat

What Is Orlistat Used For?

Brand names: Xenical, Alli

Xenical and prescription-strength orlistat are approved to help obese adults lose weight and keep it off when used with a reduced-calorie diet. They are intended for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher if other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol or fat levels in the blood) are present.

Alli is the over-the-counter version, approved for weight loss in overweight adults 18 and older when used with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Orlistat

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (25,755 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Rectal discharge 2,434 reports
Gastrointestinal disorder 2,186 reports
Constipation 1,991 reports
Diarrhea 1,960 reports
Weight increased 1,944 reports
See full Orlistat 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 Orlistat, 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 Orlistat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Cat's Claw with Orlistat?
We do not list a known interaction between Cat's Claw and Orlistat. 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 Orlistat have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 8 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.
How was the Cat's Claw and Orlistat combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Orlistat is filed under 2 classifications, and Cat's Claw has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — none of Orlistat'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 — Orlistat 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 Orlistat interact with any supplements?
Yes. Orlistat has documented interactions with 18 supplements in our database — Cat's Claw is not one of them. The Orlistat 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 Orlistat drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Orlistat supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Orlistat, 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

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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.