Drug & supplement interaction

Dodder + Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz

Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz brand name: Atripla.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Oct 4, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz 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 Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz 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

Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz

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 Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz and Dodder 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Dodder at all — not against Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Dodder safety at a glance

Dodder overall Use caution Human safety data are limited, so use cautiously and under guidance from a healthcare professional.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is no reliable 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 Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz and Dodder? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz 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.

  • Reduced appetite / Stomach upset Additional detail

    Dodder

    “Orally, a combination of whey and dodder seed extract has been reported to cause anorexia, mild dyspepsia, and feelings of stomach heaviness. It is not known if these symptoms are related to whey, dodder, or the combination. Intestinal colic and diarrhea have been reported as possible symptoms of dodder overdose. Traditional sources suggest a maximum daily dose of 8 grams of dodder aerial parts.”

    Dodder · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    2 sources cited
    1. 99156. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed
    2. 99157. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med

    Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    Dodder

    “Orally, dodder is generally well tolerated. High doses may cause intestinal colic and diarrhea (18,99156).”

    Dodder · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    2 sources cited
    1. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    2. 99156. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed

    Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Effects for Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Dodder 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.

How to take them

Some Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz Products Have a Food Rule — Dodder Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Dodder included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz on its own and move Dodder to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz 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.

( 2.1 ) Recommended dosage in adults and pediatric patients weighing at least 40 kg: One tablet once daily taken orally on an empty stomach, preferably at bedtime.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz — 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz

This page covers Dodder only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz page lists 193 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 7 major · 149 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz page

“Anyone taking Atripla (tenofovir, emtricitabine, and efavirenz) for HIV depends on steady drug levels to keep the virus suppressed, and that is exactly what many of the 193 supplements on this list can disturb, so I treat this one as a real warning rather than a formality. Seven entries rate major, and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Dodder, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dodder. Even though Dodder itself has no known interaction with Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz, 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 Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz 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 Dodder
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz
Steady interest

#2,061 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 Dodder reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz 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 Dodder

What is Dodder?

Dodder
  • Sexual health and impotence
  • Energy and fatigue
  • Kidney and reproductive support (in traditional medicine)
  • Eye health and vision
  • Liver support

Dodder (Cuscuta) is a parasitic plant whose seeds are used in traditional Chinese and Middle Eastern medicine, mainly for sexual, kidney, and energy-related complaints. Human evidence for any of these uses is very limited, and safety has not been well studied, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Cuscuta chinensis · Convolvulaceae · Seeds (and sometimes the whole vine) · Dried seeds, powders, capsules, tinctures, teas, and ingredients in traditional Chinese herbal formulas

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

Dodder: dosing

There is no well-established, standardized dose of dodder for any health condition. Traditional formulas vary widely, and the strength of commercial products differs from brand to brand.If you choose to use a dodder product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Dodder monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dodder

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dodder list.

See the full Dodder interactions page
See every supplement checked against Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Dodder References

The 3 references that drive our Dodder 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. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  2. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed
  3. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med

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 Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Dodder with Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz?
We do not list a known interaction between Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz. 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 Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 3 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 Dodder and Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz on its own and move Dodder to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz interact with any supplements?
Yes. Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz has documented interactions with 193 supplements in our database — Dodder is not one of them. The Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz 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

Dodder monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz, 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 3 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz and Dodder?

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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.