Drug & supplement interaction

Ecklonia Cava + Ipilimumab

Ipilimumab brand name: Yervoy.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab 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

Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab

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 Ipilimumab and Ecklonia Cava 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 Ecklonia Cava at all — not against Ipilimumab, 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.

Ecklonia Cava safety at a glance

Ecklonia Cava overall Use caution Generally taken short-term in studies, but long-term safety and iodine content are not well established.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data, and seaweed can carry high iodine levels, so it is best avoided.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data during breastfeeding, so avoid use.

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

Still wondering about combining Ipilimumab and Ecklonia Cava? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab 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.

  • Hair loss Additional detail

    Ecklonia Cava

    “Orally, alopecia has been reported by one person in a clinical trial.”

    Ecklonia Cava · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in alopecia.

    1 source cited
    1. 106335. Lee DH, Park MY, Shim BJ, et al. Effects of Ecklonia cava polyphenol in individuals with hypercholesterolemia: a pilot study. J Med Food. 2012;15(11):1038-44.

    Ipilimumab

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

  • Stomach upset / Diarrhea / Nausea reported in 7.3% of FDA reports for Ipilimumab Additional detail

    Ecklonia Cava

    “Orally, nausea, dyspepsia, and diarrhea have been reported by one person each in a clinical trial.”

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

    1 source cited
    1. 106335. Lee DH, Park MY, Shim BJ, et al. Effects of Ecklonia cava polyphenol in individuals with hypercholesterolemia: a pilot study. J Med Food. 2012;15(11):1038-44.

    Ipilimumab

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

Effects for Ipilimumab come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Ecklonia Cava come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 42,912 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Ipilimumab 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.

Overlapping uses

What Ipilimumab Is Prescribed For, and What Ecklonia Cava Has Been Studied For

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

Ipilimumab is prescribed for: Yervoy (ipilimumab) is used to treat a range of advanced cancers. As a single agent, Yervoy treats unresectable (cannot be surgically removed) or metastatic melanoma in adults and children 12 and older, and is also used as adjuvant (after-surgery) treatment in adults with melanoma that has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Most of its other uses are in combination with nivolumab. In combination with nivolumab, Yervoy is indicated for advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), MSI-H or dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer (in adults and children 12+), unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma, and unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Read the rest of what Ipilimumab is prescribed for

Some of these uses require tumor testing for specific markers (such as PD-L1 expression or MSI-H/dMMR status) before treatment begins.

Ecklonia Cava has been studied for:

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

    Ecklonia Cava for cancer

    Although there is interest in using oral Ecklonia cava for cancer, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of Ecklonia cava for this condition.

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

One more smart check

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

We hold 63 real supplement products containing Ecklonia Cava, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ecklonia Cava. Even though Ecklonia Cava itself has no known interaction with Ipilimumab, 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 Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab 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 Ecklonia Cava
Steady interest

#1,097 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ipilimumab
Top 25%

#370 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 Ecklonia Cava reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab 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 Ecklonia Cava

What is Ecklonia Cava?

  • Antioxidant support
  • Heart and circulation health
  • Blood sugar support
  • Inflammation
  • Allergy symptoms
  • Erectile or sexual function

Ecklonia cava is an edible brown seaweed rich in plant compounds called phlorotannins that are studied as antioxidants. Early human and lab research hints at possible benefits for blood vessels, blood sugar, and inflammation, but the evidence is limited and far from proven. Because it contains iodine and has not been well studied for long-term safety, talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Ecklonia cava · Lessoniaceae · Whole brown seaweed (thallus), used to make extracts · Capsules, tablets, powders, and standardized extracts (often sold under branded names)

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

Ecklonia Cava: dosing

There is no official or standardized dose of Ecklonia cava. Studies have used different branded extracts at different amounts, so there is no single recommended dose for the general public.If you choose to use it, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the suggested amount. A pharmacist can help you review the product and decide whether it is appropriate for you, especially if you take other medicines or have a health condition.

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

Read the full Ecklonia Cava monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ipilimumab Injection

What Is Ipilimumab Injection Used For?

Brand name: Yervoy

Yervoy (ipilimumab) is used to treat a range of advanced cancers. As a single agent, Yervoy treats unresectable (cannot be surgically removed) or metastatic melanoma in adults and children 12 and older, and is also used as adjuvant (after-surgery) treatment in adults with melanoma that has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Most of its other uses are in combination with nivolumab.

In combination with nivolumab, Yervoy is indicated for advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), MSI-H or dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer (in adults and children 12+), unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma, and unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Some of these uses require tumor testing for specific markers (such as PD-L1 expression or MSI-H/dMMR status) before treatment begins.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Ipilimumab

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (42,912 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Malignant neoplasm progression 3,782 reports
Diarrhea 3,128 reports
Colitis 2,316 reports
Fever 2,057 reports
Rash 1,805 reports
See full Ipilimumab Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ecklonia Cava

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Ecklonia Cava — 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Ecklonia Cava References

The 1 references that drive our Ecklonia Cava 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. Lee DH, Park MY, Shim BJ, et al. Effects of Ecklonia cava polyphenol in individuals with hypercholesterolemia: a pilot study. J Med Food. 2012;15(11):1038-44.

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 Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Ecklonia Cava with Ipilimumab?
We do not list a known interaction between Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab. 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 Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 4 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 Ecklonia Cava and Ipilimumab 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 Ecklonia Cava in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Ipilimumab is being adjusted to a target.

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

Still Have a Question About Ipilimumab and Ecklonia Cava?

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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.