Drug & supplement interaction

Evodia + Ibrutinib

Ibrutinib brand name: Imbruvica.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Ibrutinib falls into 2 drug categories that Evodia can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, evodia might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Evodia and Ibrutinib

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Evodia interacts with whole categories of medication. Ibrutinib falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Evodia in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Ibrutinib

Ibrutinib falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Evodia interacts with.

Theoretically, evodia might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that evodia extract inhibits hepatic CYP3A4. 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 gist for Ibrutinib (Imbruvica): your body relies on a liver enzyme called CYP3A4 to break this medicine down. Lab studies suggest evodia may slow that enzyme. If it does the same in people, ibrutinib could clear out more slowly and build up in your blood, which can mean stronger effects and more side effects.

With ibrutinib, that could look like easier bruising or bleeding, diarrhea, fatigue, infections, or heart rhythm changes. The important thing to know is that this concern comes from test tube research only, not from real patients, so we can't say for sure it happens in humans. Still, because ibrutinib is a serious cancer drug, please check with your oncologist or pharmacist before adding evodia.

References
  1. Iwata H, Tezuka Y, Kadota S, et al. Mechanism-based inactivation of human liver microsomal CYP3A4 by rutaecarpine and limonin from Evodia fruit extract. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2005;20:34-45. PubMed
Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

2 of 2

Ibrutinib also falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS.

Theoretically, taking evodia with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
In vitro and animal studies show that rutaecarpine, a constituent of evodia, inhibits platelet aggregation.
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 if you take ibrutinib (Imbruvica) and are curious about evodia. Ibrutinib already carries its own bleeding risk on its own. It can lower how well your platelets stick together, so people on it may notice easier bruising, nosebleeds, or bleeding that takes longer to stop. Evodia contains a compound called rutaecarpine that, in lab and animal studies, also seems to make platelets less sticky.

Stack those two together and, in theory, you could see a bit more bruising or bleeding than either would cause alone. I'll be honest though: this is based on test tube and animal research, not human studies, so it's a possible concern rather than a proven one. Before adding evodia, please check with your oncologist or pharmacist first.

References
  1. Sheu JR, Kan YC, Hung WC, et al. The antiplatelet activity of rutaecarpine, an alkaloid isolated from Evodia rutaecarpa, is mediated through inhibition of phospholipase C. Thromb Res 1998;92:53-64. PubMed
  2. Sheu JR, Hung WC, Lee YM, Yen MH. Mechanism of inhibition of platelet aggregation by rutaecarpine, an alkaloid isolated from Evodia rutaecarpa. Eur J Pharmacol 1996;318:469-75. PubMed
  3. Sheu JR, Hung WC, Wu CH, et al. Antithrombotic effect of rutaecarpine, an alkaloid isolated from Evodia rutaecarpa, on platelet plug formation in in vivo experiments. Br J Haematol 2000;110:110-5.
  4. Huang CJ, Huang WC, Lin WT, et al. Rutaecarpine, an alkaloid from Evodia rutaecarpa, can prevent platelet activation in humans and reduce microvascular thrombosis in mice: crucial role of the PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß signal axis through a cyclic nucleotides/VASP-in

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

Evodia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Evodia has 949 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ibrutinib 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 Evodia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ibrutinib

This page covers Evodia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ibrutinib page lists 282 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Grapefruit (major), Piracetam (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 236 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ibrutinib page

“Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) treats blood cancers such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and because the drug itself makes bruising and bleeding more likely, adding the wrong supplement here can carry real consequences. Most of the entries below have blood-thinning or antiplatelet activity that stacks on top of that built-in bleeding risk.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ibrutinib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 182 real supplement products containing Evodia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Evodia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ibrutinib too, on top of Evodia — 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 Evodia and Ibrutinib 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 Evodia
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ibrutinib
Top 25%

#598 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 Evodia

What is Evodia?

  • Digestive upset and nausea
  • Headaches
  • Menstrual cramps
  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea

Evodia is a fruit used in traditional Chinese medicine, most often for digestive complaints, headaches, and menstrual pain. Human evidence for these uses is very limited, and it is mostly studied in laboratory and animal research. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Evodia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ibrutinib

What Is Ibrutinib Used For?

Brand name: Imbruvica

Imbruvica (ibrutinib) is used in adults to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), including cases with a specific genetic change called 17p deletion. It is also used in adults to treat Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare type of slow-growing blood cancer.

Imbruvica is also approved for adults and children aged 1 year and older with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) — a serious immune complication that can occur after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant — when at least one prior treatment has not worked.

See full Ibrutinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Evodia

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

0Major
949Moderate
0Minor
1,880No known interaction
Moderate

949 interactions

Showing 60 of 949 moderate interactions — see all 949 on the Evodia page.

No interaction 1,880 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 Evodia and Ibrutinib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Evodia with Ibrutinib?
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 2 interactions listed for Evodia and Ibrutinib?
Ibrutinib belongs to more than one drug category, and Evodia 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 Evodia and Ibrutinib 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.