Drug & supplement interaction

Cordyceps + Fondaparinux

Fondaparinux brand name: Arixtra.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Cordyceps has a moderate interaction with Fondaparinux. Theoretically, cordyceps may increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.

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

Cordyceps and Fondaparinux

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Fondaparinux

Fondaparinux falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Cordyceps interacts with.

Theoretically, cordyceps may increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.
In vitro and animal research suggests that cordyceps extract inhibits platelet aggregation and function. However, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 situation with cordyceps and Fondaparinux (Arixtra). Fondaparinux is already a blood thinner that lowers your blood's ability to clot. The concern is that cordyceps may add to that effect. In lab and animal studies, cordyceps appeared to slow down how platelets stick together, so stacking it on top of a blood thinner could, in theory, nudge your bleeding risk a little higher.

I want to be honest about the strength of this, though. This interaction has only been seen in test tubes and animals, never reported in people, so it's theoretical. Still, since fondaparinux is given around surgery and for clots, I'd play it safe. Watch for easy bruising, nosebleeds, or bleeding that won't stop, and check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining them.

References
  1. 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.
  2. 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

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

Cordyceps Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cordyceps has 240 moderate, 8 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Fondaparinux 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 Cordyceps

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Fondaparinux

This page covers Cordyceps only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fondaparinux page lists 202 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Danshen (major), Piracetam (major), Aconite (moderate), Allspice (moderate) and Aloe (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 183 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Fondaparinux page

“Most people on fondaparinux (Arixtra) are recovering from surgery or treating a blood clot, exactly the moment supplements for circulation and recovery come out of the cabinet. This pairing deserves real care, because nearly all 202 ingredients on this list share one problem: they thin the blood a little on their own, so adding them to…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Fondaparinux 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. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Fondaparinux too, on top of Cordyceps — 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 Cordyceps and Fondaparinux 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Fondaparinux
Top 5%

#132 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 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.

Read the full Cordyceps monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Fondaparinux Injection

What Is Fondaparinux Injection Used For?

Brand name: Arixtra

Fondaparinux sodium injection is used to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) — blood clots that form in the legs — in adults who are having hip fracture surgery, hip replacement surgery, knee replacement surgery, or abdominal surgery. For hip fracture patients, an extended course of prevention is recommended after the initial treatment period.

It is also used to treat an existing DVT or acute pulmonary embolism (PE — a clot in the lungs) in adults, always given alongside warfarin sodium until warfarin reaches a therapeutic level. In pediatric patients aged 1 year and older who weigh at least 10 kg, fondaparinux sodium injection is approved for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE — blood clots in the veins).

See full Fondaparinux Injection 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
240Moderate
8Minor
2,581No known interaction
Moderate

240 interactions

Showing 60 of 240 moderate interactions — see all 240 on the Cordyceps page.

Minor

8 interactions

No interaction 2,581 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 Cordyceps and Fondaparinux Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cordyceps with Fondaparinux?
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 Cordyceps and Fondaparinux 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 Fondaparinux 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.