Drug & supplement interaction

Eleuthero + Pazopanib

Pazopanib brand name: Votrient.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Pazopanib falls into 4 drug categories that Eleuthero can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, eleuthero might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions4
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Eleuthero and Pazopanib

These two interact in 4 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 4 Interactions?

Eleuthero interacts with whole categories of medication. Pazopanib falls into 4 of those categories, so it can interact with Eleuthero in 4 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

1 of 4

Why this applies to Pazopanib

Pazopanib falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Eleuthero interacts with.

Theoretically, eleuthero might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.
In vitro research suggests that eleuthero can inhibit the multi-drug transporter protein, P-glycoprotein. However, it is too soon to tell if this is clinically important. 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 gist for pazopanib (Votrient). Your body uses a tiny pump called P-glycoprotein to move certain drugs around and help clear them out. Lab studies hint that eleuthero may slow this pump down. If that happened in real life, a bit more pazopanib could stay in your system, which in theory might mean stronger effects and more side effects like high blood pressure, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, or changes in liver tests.

I want to be honest, though: this is only seen in test tube studies, not in actual people, so we don't truly know if it matters. Still, because pazopanib is a serious cancer medicine, I'd run any eleuthero or herbal supplement past your oncologist or pharmacist before combining them.

References
  1. Takahashi T, Kaku T, Sato T, et al. Effects of Acanthopanax senticosus HARMS extract on drug transport in human intestinal cell line Caco-2. J Nat Med. 2010;64(1):55-62. PubMed
  2. Freye E, GLeske J. Siberian ginseng results in beneficial effects on glucose metabolism in diabetes type 2 patients: a double blind placebo-controlled study in comparison to panax ginseng. Int J Clin Nutr. 2013;1(1):11-17.
Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

2 of 4

Pazopanib also falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS.

Theoretically, eleuthero may have antiplatelet effects and may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro and animal research shows that a constituent of eleuthero, dihydroxybenzoic acid, appears to inhibit platelet aggregation. Concomitant use with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding. This effect 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 eleuthero and your pazopanib (Votrient). One of the plant chemicals in eleuthero may make platelets a little 'slippery,' meaning your blood could clot slightly less easily. Pazopanib itself can already raise bleeding risk in some people, so the worry is that stacking the two together might add up.

I want to be honest about how soft this evidence is. This bleeding effect has only shown up in lab and animal studies, never reported in actual people. Still, with a cancer medicine like this, I'd play it safe. Watch for things like easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or unusual fatigue, and check with your oncologist or pharmacist before adding eleuthero.

References
  1. Yun-Choi HS, Kim JH, Lee JR. Potential inhibitors of platelet aggregation from plant sources, III. J Nat Prod 1987;50:1059-64. PubMed
  2. Bazaz'ian, G. G., Liapina, L. A., Pastorova, V. E., and Zvereva, E. G. [Effect of Eleutherococcus on the functional status of the anticoagulation system in older animals]. Fiziol.Zh.SSSR Im I.M.Sechenova 1987;73(10):1390-1395.
Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

3 of 4

Pazopanib also falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS.

Theoretically, eleuthero might interfere with immunosuppressive drugs because of its immunostimulant activity.
Animal and in vitro research shows that eleuthero extracts have immunomodulatory effects, including increasing cellular and humoral activity.
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 thing to know about pairing eleuthero with pazopanib (Votrient). Eleuthero is thought to gently rev up the immune system, while pazopanib is working to slow your kidney cancer's growth. On paper, an herb that stimulates immune activity could push in a different direction than a cancer medicine you're relying on, which is why it lands on this list.

I want to be straight with you: this concern is theoretical, based mostly on lab and animal studies, not on real patients taking these two together. So it isn't a reason to panic. Still, pazopanib is a serious medication for a serious condition, and you don't want to take chances with anything that might blunt its work. Please run eleuthero past your oncologist or pharmacist before adding it.

References
  1. Schmolz, M. W., Sacher, F., and Aicher, B. The synthesis of Rantes, G-CSF, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-13 in human whole-blood cultures is modulated by an extract from Eleutherococcus senticosus L. roots. Phytother.Res 2001;15(3):268-270.
  2. Huang, D. B., Ran, R. Z., and Yu, Z. F. [Effect of Acanthopanax senticosus injection on the activities of human tumor necrosis factor and natural killer cell in blood in the patients with lung cancer]. Zhongguo Zhong.Yao Za Zhi. 2005;30(8):621-624.
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

4 of 4

Pazopanib also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, eleuthero might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro and animal research suggest that standardized extracts of eleuthero might inhibit CYP3A4. However, research in healthy human volunteers has found that taking eleuthero 485 mg twice daily for 14 days does not inhibit CYP3A4 drug metabolism.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist for anyone taking pazopanib (Votrient) alongside eleuthero. Your body clears pazopanib mainly through a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. Lab and animal studies hinted that eleuthero might slow that enzyme down, which in theory could let pazopanib build up a bit and raise the chance of side effects like high blood pressure, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, or liver irritation.

The reassuring part: when researchers actually tested eleuthero in healthy people, it did not meaningfully block CYP3A4. So this concern stays mostly theoretical and is considered unlikely. Still, because pazopanib is a serious cancer medicine that needs steady levels, please run any eleuthero use past your oncologist or pharmacist before starting it.

References
  1. Harkey MR, Henderson GL, Zhou L, et al. Effects of Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) on c-DNA-expressed P450 drug metabolizing enzymes. Alt Ther 2001;7:S14.
  2. Donovan JL, DeVane CL, Chavin KD, et al. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutheroccus senticosus) Effects on CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 Activity in Normal Volunteers. Drug Metab Dispos 2003;31:519-22.. 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

Eleuthero Also Interacts With Other Medications

Eleuthero has 678 moderate, 461 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Pazopanib one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Eleuthero

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Eleuthero or Pazopanib

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Eleuthero or Pazopanib, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pazopanib

This page covers Eleuthero only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pazopanib page lists 349 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), Asarabacca (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 14 major · 297 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pazopanib page

“Take a careful look before mixing supplements with pazopanib (Votrient), an oral pill for advanced kidney cancer and certain sarcomas. Fourteen of the 349 ingredients on file are rated major, grapefruit among them, since it can raise pazopanib levels enough to intensify side effects.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pazopanib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 3,795 real supplement products containing Eleuthero, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Eleuthero. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Pazopanib too, on top of Eleuthero — 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 Eleuthero and Pazopanib 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 Eleuthero
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pazopanib
Steady interest

#2,606 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 Eleuthero

What is Eleuthero?

Eleuthero
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Physical and athletic performance
  • Stress resistance (adaptogen)
  • Immune support
  • Mental focus and alertness

Eleuthero is an herb traditionally used as an 'adaptogen' to fight fatigue, boost energy, and help the body handle stress. The scientific evidence behind these uses is limited and mixed, so it should not replace proven treatments. It is generally well tolerated short-term, but pregnant and breastfeeding people and those with certain conditions should avoid it or check with a healthcare provider first.

Read the full Eleuthero monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pazopanib

What Is Pazopanib Used For?

Brand name: Votrient

Pazopanib tablets — sold as the brand Votrient and as generic pazopanib — are used to treat two types of advanced cancer in adults: advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer, and advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in patients who have already received prior chemotherapy.

Important limitation: Pazopanib has not been shown to work in adipocytic soft tissue sarcoma (a subtype involving fat cells) or in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), so it is not used for those cancers.

See full Pazopanib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Eleuthero

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

0Major
678Moderate
461Minor
1,690No known interaction
Moderate

678 interactions

Showing 60 of 678 moderate interactions — see all 678 on the Eleuthero page.

Minor

461 interactions

Showing 60 of 461 minor interactions — see all 461 on the Eleuthero page.

No interaction 1,690 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 Eleuthero and Pazopanib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Eleuthero with Pazopanib?
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.
Why are there 4 interactions listed for Eleuthero and Pazopanib?
Pazopanib belongs to more than one drug category, and Eleuthero interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Eleuthero and Pazopanib 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

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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.