Drug & supplement interaction

Fever Bark + Cobicistat

Cobicistat brand name: Tybost.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Fever Bark has a moderate interaction with Cobicistat. Theoretically, CYP3A4 inhibitors might increase the levels and clinical effects of yohimbine, a constituent of fever bark.

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

Fever Bark and Cobicistat

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS

Why this applies to Cobicistat

Cobicistat falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS — the group Fever Bark interacts with.

Theoretically, CYP3A4 inhibitors might increase the levels and clinical effects of yohimbine, a constituent of fever bark.
In vitro and clinical research shows that the fever bark constituent, yohimbine, is metabolized by CYP3A4 enzymes.
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 understand about Cobicistat (Tybost): its whole job is to block an enzyme in your body called CYP3A4. By slowing that enzyme down, it keeps your HIV medications (like atazanavir or darunavir) at higher levels so they work better. The catch is that this same enzyme also breaks down yohimbine, one of the active alkaloids in fever bark.

So if you took fever bark while on cobicistat, that yohimbine could build up instead of clearing out normally. That might lead to a faster heartbeat, jittery feelings, anxiety, or rises in blood pressure. I'll be honest, this is a theoretical concern based on how these chemicals behave, not from real-world reports. But fever bark already carries safety worries on its own, so please run it by your doctor or pharmacist before combining the two.

References
  1. Le Corre P, Parmer RJ, Kailasam MT, et al. Human sympathetic activation by alpha2-adrenergic blockade with yohimbine: Bimodal, epistatic influence of cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2004;76(2):139-53.
  2. Bharucha AE, Skaar T, Andrews CN, et al Relationship of cytochrome P450 pharmacogenetics to the effects of yohimbine on gastrointestinal transit and catecholamines in healthy subjects. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2008;20(8):891-9. 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

Fever Bark Also Interacts With Other Medications

Fever Bark has 40 major, 673 moderate, 87 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Cobicistat one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Fever Bark

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cobicistat

This page covers Fever Bark only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cobicistat page lists 30 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), Cannabidiol (cbd) (moderate), Cannabinol (cbn) (moderate) and Cannabis (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 19 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cobicistat page

“Activated charcoal is the one entry to understand first if you take cobicistat (Tybost). Charcoal soaks up drugs in the gut, and since cobicistat's entire job is boosting an HIV medicine to protective levels, blunting its absorption can put the whole regimen at risk.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cobicistat interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Fever Bark and Cobicistat 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 Fever Bark
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cobicistat
Steady interest

#2,648 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 Fever Bark

What is Fever Bark?

Fever Bark
  • Fever
  • Diarrhea
  • Malaria (traditional)
  • Digestive complaints
  • Bitter tonic

Fever bark is the bark of the Australian tree Alstonia constricta, used in traditional medicine for fever, diarrhea, and infections. There is very little reliable human research to support these uses, and the bark contains potent alkaloids that may cause serious side effects. It is best avoided unless used under direct medical supervision.

Read the full Fever Bark monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cobicistat

What Is Cobicistat Used For?

Brand name: Tybost

Tybost (cobicistat) is not itself an HIV treatment — it works by slowing the breakdown of certain HIV medicines so they stay active in your body long enough to work. Specifically, Tybost is used to boost the HIV medicines atazanavir or darunavir (once-daily dosing) as part of a complete HIV-1 treatment regimen in adults and in children weighing at least 14 kg (about 31 lbs).

Tybost is not interchangeable with ritonavir (another booster) for all HIV medicines. It is not recommended with darunavir twice-daily, fosamprenavir, saquinavir, or tipranavir.

See full Cobicistat drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fever Bark

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

40Major
673Moderate
87Minor
2,029No known interaction
Major

40 interactions

Moderate

673 interactions

Showing 60 of 673 moderate interactions — see all 673 on the Fever Bark page.

Minor

87 interactions

Showing 60 of 87 minor interactions — see all 87 on the Fever Bark page.

No interaction 2,029 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 Fever Bark and Cobicistat Together: Common Questions

Can you take Fever Bark with Cobicistat?
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.
How serious is the Fever Bark and Cobicistat 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

Still Have a Question About Cobicistat and Fever Bark?

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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.