Drug & supplement interaction

Eleuthero + Tafenoquine

Tafenoquine brand names: Krintafel, Arakoda.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Eleuthero and Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine 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

Eleuthero and Tafenoquine

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 Tafenoquine and Eleuthero 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.

Eleuthero safety at a glance

Eleuthero overall Use caution Often well tolerated for short-term use, but evidence on long-term safety is limited.
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 Tafenoquine and Eleuthero? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Tafenoquine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Tafenoquine is filed under a single classification — oral drugs. Eleuthero has documented interactions with 10 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates (moderate) — and none of Tafenoquine’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

Eleuthero Does Interact With Other Medications

Eleuthero has 679 moderate, 461 minor known drug interactions in our database — Tafenoquine 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 Eleuthero

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Eleuthero and Tafenoquine 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.

  • Hives Worth acting on Additional detail

    Eleuthero

    “Orally, eleuthero root is generally well tolerated when used short-term.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Diarrhea, dyspepsia, gastrointestinal upset, headache, nausea, and urticaria.”

    Eleuthero · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    Tafenoquine

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

  • Anxiety or restlessness reported in 25.7% of FDA reports for Tafenoquine Additional detail

    Eleuthero

    “Orally, nervousness has been reported in 7.3% of people taking eleuthero in one clinical study. Eleuthero has also been reported to cause slight anxiety, irritability, and melancholy in some patients. These adverse effects seem to be more likely to occur with higher doses.”

    Eleuthero · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    2 sources cited
    1. 11099. Hartz AJ, Bentler S, Noyes R et al. Randomized controlled trial of Siberian ginseng for chronic fatigue. Psychol Med 2004;34:51-61. PubMed
    2. 6500. Mills S, Bone K. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. London: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.

    Tafenoquine

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

  • Nausea / Diarrhea reported in 20.0% of FDA reports for Tafenoquine Additional detail

    Eleuthero

    “Orally, eleuthero has been reported to cause dyspepsia, nausea, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal upset in some patients.”

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

    Tafenoquine

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

  • Headache reported in 15.7% of FDA reports for Tafenoquine Additional detail

    Eleuthero

    “Orally, headaches have been reported in 9.8% of people taking eleuthero in one clinical study.

    In one case report, a 53-year-old female developed spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with the use of an herbal supplement containing red clover, dong quai, and eleuthero. It is unclear if this event was related to the use of eleuthero, the other ingredients, the combination, or another cause entirely.”

    Eleuthero · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in subarachnoid hemorrhage.

    2 sources cited
    1. 11099. Hartz AJ, Bentler S, Noyes R et al. Randomized controlled trial of Siberian ginseng for chronic fatigue. Psychol Med 2004;34:51-61. PubMed
    2. 70419. Friedman, J. A., Taylor, S. A., McDermott, W., and Alikhani, P. Multifocal and recurrent subarachnoid hemorrhage due to an herbal supplement containing natural coumarins. Neurocrit.Care 2007;7(1):76-80. PubMed

    Tafenoquine

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

Reported for Eleuthero but not commonly for Tafenoquine: raised blood pressure, stomach upset, mood changes or irritability and a fast or pounding heartbeat.

Effects for Tafenoquine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Eleuthero come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 70 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Tafenoquine 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.

How to take them

Some Tafenoquine Products Have a Food Rule — Eleuthero Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Tafenoquine says to take it with food. If you take Eleuthero on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Tafenoquine with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Tafenoquine 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 ) Regimen Name Timing Dosage Loading regimen For each of the 3 days before travel to a malarious area 200 mg (2 of the 100 mg tablets) once daily for 3 days Maintenance regimen While in the malarious area 200 mg (2 of the 100 mg tablets) once weekly – start 7 days after the last loading regimen dose Terminal prophylaxis regimen In the week following exit from the malarious area 200 mg (2 of

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Tafenoquine — 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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Eleuthero or Tafenoquine

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 Tafenoquine, 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 Tafenoquine

This page covers Eleuthero only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tafenoquine page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tafenoquine page

“Tafenoquine (Krintafel, Arakoda) protects against malaria, including the relapsing kind that hides in the liver, and every supplement known to interact with it threatens the same thing, how much of the pill actually reaches your blood. That deserves genuine care, since a partly absorbed antimalarial can let parasites survive and resurf…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tafenoquine 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. Even though Eleuthero itself has no known interaction with Tafenoquine, 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 Eleuthero and Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine
Steady interest

#2,658 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 Eleuthero reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Eleuthero and Tafenoquine 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 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.

Eleutherococcus senticosus · Araliaceae · Root and rhizome (sometimes the stem bark) · Capsules, tablets, dried root powder, liquid extracts (tinctures), and teas

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

Eleuthero: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for eleuthero, and products differ widely in strength and form (dried root, extracts, tinctures, and teas).The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Eleuthero monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tafenoquine

What Is Tafenoquine Used For?

Brand names: Krintafel, Arakoda

Tafenoquine is used for two distinct purposes depending on the product. Arakoda and Kodatef are used for malaria prophylaxis — that is, preventing malaria in adults 18 and older who are traveling to or living in areas where malaria is present.

Krintafel is used for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria — meaning it prevents the malaria parasite from coming back (relapsing) in patients 16 and older who are already being treated with chloroquine for an active P. vivax infection. Krintafel is not used to treat an active malaria attack on its own, and it should only be used alongside chloroquine, not other antimalarials.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Tafenoquine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (70 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Depression 20 reports
Anxiety 18 reports
Post-traumatic stress disorder 15 reports
Anger 14 reports
Nausea 14 reports
See full Tafenoquine 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
679Moderate
461Minor
1,689No known interaction
Moderate

679 interactions

Showing 60 of 679 moderate interactions — see all 679 on the Eleuthero page.

Minor

461 interactions

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

No interaction 1,689 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Eleuthero References

The 24 references that drive our Eleuthero 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. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. McRae S. Elevated serum digoxin levels in a patient taking digoxin and Siberian ginseng. CMAJ 1996;155:293-5.
  3. Awang DVC. Siberian ginseng toxicity may be case of mistaken identity (letter). CMAJ 1996;155:1237.
  4. Mills S, Bone K. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. London: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.
  5. 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.
  6. Hikino H, Takahashi M, Otake K, Konno C. Isolation and hypoglycemic activity of eleutherans A, B, C, D, E, F, and G: glycans of Eleutherococcus senticosus roots. J Nat Prod 1986;49:293-7. PubMed
  7. Yun-Choi HS, Kim JH, Lee JR. Potential inhibitors of platelet aggregation from plant sources, III. J Nat Prod 1987;50:1059-64. PubMed
  8. 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
  9. Hartz AJ, Bentler S, Noyes R et al. Randomized controlled trial of Siberian ginseng for chronic fatigue. Psychol Med 2004;34:51-61. PubMed
  10. Sievenpiper JL, Arnason JT, Leiter LA, Vuksan V. Decreasing, null and increasing effects of eight popular types of ginseng on acute postprandial glycemic indices in healthy humans: the role of ginsenosides. J Am Coll Nutr 2004;23:248-58. PubMed
  11. Dasgupta A, Wu S, Actor J, et al. Effect of Asian and Siberian ginseng on serum digoxin measurement by five digoxin immunoassays. Significant variation in digoxin-like immunoreactivity among commercial ginsengs. Am J Clin Pathol 2003;119:298-303. DOI
  12. 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
  13. Fuchikami H, Satoh H, Tsujimoto M, Ohdo S, Ohtani H, Sawada Y. Effects of herbal extracts on the function of human organic anion-transporting polypeptide OATP-B. Drug Metab Dispos 2006;34:577-82. PubMed
  14. Friedman, J. A., Taylor, S. A., McDermott, W., and Alikhani, P. Multifocal and recurrent subarachnoid hemorrhage due to an herbal supplement containing natural coumarins. Neurocrit.Care 2007;7(1):76-80. PubMed
  15. Molokovskii, D. S., Davydov, V. V., and Tiulenev, V. V. [The action of adaptogenic plant preparations in experimental alloxan diabetes]. Probl.Endokrinol.(Mosk) 1989;35(6):82-87.

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 Eleuthero and Tafenoquine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Eleuthero with Tafenoquine?
We do not list a known interaction between Eleuthero and Tafenoquine. 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 Eleuthero and Tafenoquine 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.
Should I take Eleuthero and Tafenoquine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Tafenoquine says to take it with food. If you take Eleuthero on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Tafenoquine with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Tafenoquine products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Eleuthero and Tafenoquine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Tafenoquine is filed under 1 classification, and Eleuthero has documented interactions with 10 drug classes — none of Tafenoquine'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 Eleuthero interact with any other medications?
Yes. Eleuthero has 1,140 documented drug interactions in our database — Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Tafenoquine has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Eleuthero is not one of them. The Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine and Eleuthero?

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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.