Drug & supplement interaction

Cordyceps + Encorafenib

Encorafenib brand name: Braftovi.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Cordyceps and Encorafenib 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

Cordyceps and Encorafenib

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 Encorafenib and Cordyceps 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.

Cordyceps safety at a glance

Cordyceps overall Use caution Generally well tolerated short-term, but evidence is limited and product quality varies widely.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety data, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Encorafenib and Cordyceps? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Encorafenib

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Encorafenib is filed under 4 classifications — including qt interval-prolonging drugs, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates. Cordyceps has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), immunosuppressants (moderate) and testosterone (minor) — and none of Encorafenib’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

Cordyceps Does Interact With Other Medications

Cordyceps has 241 moderate, 8 minor known drug interactions in our database — Encorafenib isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cordyceps

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Cordyceps and Encorafenib 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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cordyceps

    “There is a case report of acute cholestatic hepatitis probably associated with the use of a product containing cordyceps. The 64-year-old male was asymptomatic except for jaundice and laboratory markers and recovered once the supplement was stopped. However, it is unclear whether the hepatitis is associated with the cordyceps or with an unknown contaminant.”

    Cordyceps · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hepatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 109704. Thurian D, Montani M, Stickel F. Drug-induced, mixed-type hepatitis following ingestion of Cordyceps sinensis. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2022;60(2):115-120. PubMed

    Encorafenib

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

  • Reduced appetite Additional detail

    Cordyceps

    “Two cases of lead poisoning, characterized by loss of appetite and other symptoms, have been reported for patients taking cordyceps powder. After discontinuing cordyceps supplementation, both patients were treated with chelating agents.”

    Cordyceps · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in poisoning.

    1 source cited
    1. 46135. Wu, T. N., Yang, K. C., Wang, C. M., Lai, J. S., Ko, K. N., Chang, P. Y., and Liou, S. H. Lead poisoning caused by contaminated Cordyceps, a Chinese herbal medicine: two case reports. Sci.Total Environ. 4-5-1996;182(1-3):193-195. PubMed

    Encorafenib

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

  • Stomach upset / Constipation / Diarrhea Additional detail

    Cordyceps

    “Orally, cordyceps has been associated with diarrhea, constipation, abdominal discomfort, dry mouth, and throat discomfort in clinical research. However, these events were uncommon, and in some cases symptoms could be reduced by taking cordyceps after eating.”

    Cordyceps · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    3 sources cited
    1. 92829. Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Tung YS, Kwan TH, Mok CK, Leung C, Chan LS. Cordyceps sinensis (a traditional Chinese medicine) for treating chronic kidney disease (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(12):CD008353. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008353.pub2. PubMed
    2. 105076. Bee Yean O, Zoriah A. Efficacy of Cordyceps sinensis as an adjunctive treatment in hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Tradit Chin Med. 2019;39(1):1-14.
    3. 109705. Yu X, Mao Y, Shergis JL, et al. Effectiveness and safety of oral Cordyceps sinensis on stable COPD of GOLD stages 2-3: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:4903671.

    Encorafenib

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

Reported for Cordyceps but not commonly for Encorafenib: dry mouth and yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Effects for Encorafenib come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Cordyceps come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Overlapping uses

What Encorafenib Is Prescribed For, and What Cordyceps Has Been Studied For

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

Encorafenib is prescribed for: Braftovi is used to treat cancers that have a specific change (mutation) in a gene called BRAF — specifically the V600E or V600K mutation, which must be confirmed by an FDA-authorized test before starting treatment. It is always used in combination with other medicines, never alone as standard therapy. Braftovi (in combination with binimetinib) treats unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation. For metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with a BRAF V600E mutation, Braftovi is used either with cetuximab and fluorouracil-based chemotherapy, or with cetuximab alone after prior therapy.

Read the rest of what Encorafenib is prescribed for

Braftovi (in combination with binimetinib) also treats metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a BRAF V600E mutation.

Cordyceps has been studied for:

  • Lung cancer studied, not established Cordyceps has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Cordyceps for lung cancer

    It is unclear if oral cordyceps is beneficial in patients with lung cancer on chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

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 Encorafenib on your own; if you are taking Cordyceps for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Encorafenib

This page covers Cordyceps only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Encorafenib page lists 151 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), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 104 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Encorafenib page

“Grapefruit is the first thing I would take off the table for anyone on encorafenib (Braftovi), a targeted cancer medicine, because it blocks the enzyme (CYP3A4) that clears the drug, pushing levels and side effects higher. St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Encorafenib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,140 real supplement products containing Cordyceps, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cordyceps. Even though Cordyceps itself has no known interaction with Encorafenib, 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 Cordyceps and Encorafenib 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 Cordyceps
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Encorafenib
Steady interest

#1,840 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 Cordyceps reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Cordyceps and Encorafenib records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Cordyceps

What is Cordyceps?

Cordyceps
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Athletic performance and stamina
  • Respiratory and lung support
  • Immune support
  • Kidney health support
  • General wellness/anti-aging

Cordyceps is a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine for energy, exercise performance, and lung and immune support. Human research is limited and mostly low quality, so its benefits are not well proven. It appears generally well tolerated in the short term, but quality varies and it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to lack of safety data.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis · Ophiocordycipitaceae · Whole fungus (fruiting body and mycelium), often grown in culture as the Cs-4 strain · Capsules, tablets, powders, extracts, teas, and tinctures

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

Cordyceps: dosing

There is no official or standardized dose for cordyceps. Doses used in studies have varied widely depending on the product, species, and extract type.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Cordyceps monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Cordyceps monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Encorafenib

What Is Encorafenib Used For?

Brand name: Braftovi

Braftovi is used to treat cancers that have a specific change (mutation) in a gene called BRAF — specifically the V600E or V600K mutation, which must be confirmed by an FDA-authorized test before starting treatment. It is always used in combination with other medicines, never alone as standard therapy.

Braftovi (in combination with binimetinib) treats unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation. For metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with a BRAF V600E mutation, Braftovi is used either with cetuximab and fluorouracil-based chemotherapy, or with cetuximab alone after prior therapy. Braftovi (in combination with binimetinib) also treats metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a BRAF V600E mutation.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Encorafenib

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Nausea 842 reports
Fatigue 770 reports
Diarrhea 634 reports
Fever 599 reports
Neoplasm progression 552 reports
See full Encorafenib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cordyceps

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

0Major
241Moderate
8Minor
2,580No known interaction
Moderate

241 interactions

Showing 60 of 241 moderate interactions — see all 241 on the Cordyceps page.

Minor

8 interactions

No interaction 2,580 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Cordyceps References

The 14 references that drive our Cordyceps 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. Zhu JS, Halpern GM, Jones K. The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal medicine: Cordyceps sinensis: part I. J Altern Complement Med 1998;4:289-303.
  2. Zhu JS, Halpern GM, Jones K. The scientific rediscovery of a precious ancient Chinese herbal regimen: Cordyceps sinensis: part II. J Altern Complement Med 1998;4:429-57.
  3. Chen YJ, Shiao MS, Lee SS, Wang SY. Effect of Cordyceps sinensis on the proliferation and differentiation of human leukemic U937 cells. Life Sci 1997;60:2349-59. PubMed
  4. Zhao Y. [Inhibitory effects of alcoholic extract of Cordyceps sinensis on abdominal aortic thrombus formation in rabbits]. Chung Hua I Hsueh Tsa Chih (Taipei) 1991;71:612-5, 42.
  5. Chen GZ, Chen GL, Sun T, et al. Effects of Cordyceps sinensis on murine T lymphocyte subsets. Chin Med J (English) 1991;104:4-8.
  6. Zhu XY, Yu HY. [Immunosuppressive effect of cultured Cordyceps sinensis on cellular immune response]. Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih 1990;10:485-7, 454.
  7. Hsu, C. C., Huang, Y. L., Tsai, S. J., Sheu, C. C., and Huang, B. M. In vivo and in vitro stimulatory effects of Cordyceps sinensis on testosterone production in mouse Leydig cells. Life Sci 9-5-2003;73(16):2127-2136. PubMed
  8. Ikumoto, T., Sasaki, S., Namba, H., Toyama, R., Moritoki, H., and Mouri, T. [Physiologically active compounds in the extracts from tochukaso and cultured mycelia of Cordyceps and Isaria]. Yakugaku Zasshi 1991;111(9):504-509. PubMed
  9. Wu, T. N., Yang, K. C., Wang, C. M., Lai, J. S., Ko, K. N., Chang, P. Y., and Liou, S. H. Lead poisoning caused by contaminated Cordyceps, a Chinese herbal medicine: two case reports. Sci.Total Environ. 4-5-1996;182(1-3):193-195. PubMed
  10. Hong T, Zhang M, Fan J. Cordyceps sinensis (a traditional Chinese medicine) for kidney transplant recipients (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(10):CD009698. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009698.pub2.
  11. Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Tung YS, Kwan TH, Mok CK, Leung C, Chan LS. Cordyceps sinensis (a traditional Chinese medicine) for treating chronic kidney disease (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(12):CD008353. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008353.pub2. PubMed
  12. Bee Yean O, Zoriah A. Efficacy of Cordyceps sinensis as an adjunctive treatment in hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Tradit Chin Med. 2019;39(1):1-14.
  13. Thurian D, Montani M, Stickel F. Drug-induced, mixed-type hepatitis following ingestion of Cordyceps sinensis. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2022;60(2):115-120. PubMed
  14. Yu X, Mao Y, Shergis JL, et al. Effectiveness and safety of oral Cordyceps sinensis on stable COPD of GOLD stages 2-3: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:4903671.

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 Cordyceps and Encorafenib Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Cordyceps with Encorafenib?
We do not list a known interaction between Cordyceps and Encorafenib. 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 Cordyceps and Encorafenib have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 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.
Are Cordyceps and Encorafenib 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 Cordyceps in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Encorafenib is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Cordyceps and Encorafenib combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Encorafenib is filed under 4 classifications, and Cordyceps has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Encorafenib'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 Cordyceps interact with any other medications?
Yes. Cordyceps has 249 documented drug interactions in our database — Encorafenib 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 Encorafenib interact with any supplements?
Yes. Encorafenib has documented interactions with 151 supplements in our database — Cordyceps is not one of them. The Encorafenib interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Encorafenib and Cordyceps?

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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.