Drug & supplement interaction

Chokeberry + Selpercatinib

Selpercatinib brand name: Retevmo.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Chokeberry has a moderate interaction with Selpercatinib. Theoretically, chokeberry might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

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

Chokeberry and Selpercatinib

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Selpercatinib

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

Theoretically, chokeberry might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro research shows that chokeberry inhibits CYP3A4. In humans, there is one case report of a drug interaction with trabectedin, a CYP3A4 substrate, which is hypothesized to have been caused by chokeberry inhibition of CYP3A4.
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: your body uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to clear selpercatinib (Retevmo) out of your system. Chokeberry, at least in test-tube studies, seems to slow that enzyme down. If it does the same thing in real life, your selpercatinib levels could drift higher than expected, which may mean more of its side effects, things like high blood pressure, swelling, dry mouth, diarrhea, fatigue, or changes in liver tests.

I want to be honest about how thin the evidence is. This is mostly lab data plus one case report involving a different cancer drug, so it's more of a theoretical caution than a proven problem. The occasional chokeberry in juice or jam is unlikely to matter much. A concentrated daily supplement is where I'd pause. Please run it by your oncology team or pharmacist before starting one.

References
  1. Bräunlich M, Christensen H, Johannesen S, Slimestad R, Wangensteen H, Malterud KE, Barsett H. In vitro inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 by Aronia melanocarpa constituents. Planta Med. 2013 Jan;79(2):137-41. PubMed
  2. Strippoli S, Lorusso V, Albano A, Guida M. Herbal-drug interaction induced rhabdomyolysis in a liposarcoma patient receiving trabectedin. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Jul 30;13:199. 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

Chokeberry Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chokeberry has 810 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Selpercatinib one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chokeberry

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Selpercatinib

This page covers Chokeberry only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Selpercatinib page lists 178 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Beer (major) and Cesium (major).

By severity: 11 major · 132 moderate · 35 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Selpercatinib page

“People facing a RET-driven lung or thyroid cancer often add supplements for strength, sleep, or immune support, and with selpercatinib (Retevmo) that instinct needs a careful check. Eleven of the 178 ingredients here carry a major rating, and the largest cluster affects how the drug is cleared by the CYP3A4 enzyme: St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Selpercatinib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 493 real supplement products containing Chokeberry, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chokeberry. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Selpercatinib too, on top of Chokeberry — 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 Chokeberry and Selpercatinib 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 Chokeberry
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Selpercatinib
Steady interest

#1,551 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 Chokeberry

What is Chokeberry?

Chokeberry
  • Antioxidant support
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Blood pressure support
  • Blood sugar support
  • Common cold symptoms
  • Anti-inflammatory support

Chokeberry (aronia) is a dark berry rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, and it's widely eaten as juice, jam, and supplements. Early research hints it may support heart health, blood pressure, and blood sugar, but the evidence is still limited and far from proven. It's generally well tolerated as a food, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Chokeberry monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Selpercatinib

What Is Selpercatinib Used For?

Brand name: Retevmo

Selpercatinib treats cancers driven by changes in the RET gene — either a gene fusion (where RET joins abnormally with another gene) or a RET mutation (a change in the gene itself). Your doctor will confirm one of these changes with an FDA-approved test before prescribing it.

It is approved for adults with RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer; adults and children 2 and older with RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer or RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer; and adults and children 2 and older with other advanced solid tumors that have a RET gene fusion and have not responded to prior treatment.

See full Selpercatinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chokeberry

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

0Major
810Moderate
0Minor
2,019No known interaction
Moderate

810 interactions

Showing 60 of 810 moderate interactions — see all 810 on the Chokeberry page.

No interaction 2,019 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 Chokeberry and Selpercatinib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chokeberry with Selpercatinib?
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 Chokeberry and Selpercatinib 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 Selpercatinib and Chokeberry?

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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.