Drug & supplement interaction

Fig + Lapatinib

Lapatinib brand name: Tykerb.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Fig and Lapatinib 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

Fig and Lapatinib

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 Lapatinib and Fig 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.

Fig safety at a glance

Fig overall Generally safe Fig fruit is a safe food for most people; concentrated leaf products are less studied.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When the fresh or dried fruit is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of fig le... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When the fresh or dried fruit is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of fig le... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Lapatinib and Fig? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Lapatinib

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Lapatinib is filed under 3 classifications — cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates, oral drugs. Fig has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate), insulin (moderate) and photosensitizing drugs (moderate) — and none of Lapatinib’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

Fig Does Interact With Other Medications

Fig has 410 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Lapatinib 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 Fig

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Fig and Lapatinib May Share a Side Effect

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.

  • A skin rash reported in 6.9% of FDA reports for Lapatinib Additional detail

    Fig

    “Orally, fig fruit can cause allergy and, in rare cases, anaphylaxis. Topically, exposure to fig fruit and leaves can cause contact dermatitis. In some cases, sun exposure can make contact dermatitis worse.”

    Fig · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    4 sources cited
    1. 8815. Gandolfo M, Baeza M, De Barrio M, Anaphylaxis after eating figs. Allergy 2001;56:462-3. PubMed
    2. 12580. Dechamp C, Bessot JC, Pauli G, Deviller P. First report of anaphylactic reaction after fig (Ficus carica) ingestion. Allergy 1995;50:514-6.
    3. 12689. Lembo G, Lo Presti M, Balato N. Phytophotodermatitis due to ficus carica. Photodermatol 1985;2:119-20.
    4. 99961. Bonamonte D, Foti C, Lionetti N, Rigano L, Angelini G. Photoallergic contact dermatitis to 8-methoxypsoralen in Ficus carica. Contact Dermatitis. 2010;62(6):343-8.

    Lapatinib

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

Reported for Fig but not commonly for Lapatinib: a severe allergic reaction, anemia and a higher chance of infection.

Effects for Lapatinib come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Fig come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 15,427 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Lapatinib 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.

Special populations

Fig in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When the fresh or dried fruit is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of fig leaf or fruit used in medicinal amounts during pregnancy and lactation; avoid use.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Lapatinib

This page covers Fig only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lapatinib page lists 143 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 100 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lapatinib page

“Of the 143 supplements on file for lapatinib (Tykerb), nearly all press on the same point, the CYP3A4 enzyme that clears this HER2-targeted breast cancer drug. That deserves real caution, since lapatinib only works when its blood level stays in range.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lapatinib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 189 real supplement products containing Fig, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Fig. Even though Fig itself has no known interaction with Lapatinib, 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 Fig and Lapatinib 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 Fig
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lapatinib
Steady interest

#2,265 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 Fig reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Fig and Lapatinib 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 Fig

What is Fig?

  • Constipation and digestive health
  • Blood sugar support
  • Cough and sore throat
  • Skin conditions (topical sap)
  • Source of fiber and minerals

Fig (Ficus carica) is a common fruit that has long been used as a gentle food remedy for constipation, and its leaves are used traditionally for blood sugar and coughs. The fruit is a safe and nutritious food, but evidence for fig leaf supplements treating specific health conditions is limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated fig leaf products, especially if you have diabetes.

Ficus carica · Moraceae · Fruit, leaves, and latex (sap) · Fresh or dried fruit, leaf tea, leaf extract, syrup, capsules

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

Fig: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for fig as a medicine. As a food, people commonly eat a few dried or fresh figs for fiber and to help with constipation.For fig leaf teas, extracts, or capsules, no well-established medicinal dose exists. If you choose to use a product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Fig monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lapatinib

What Is Lapatinib Used For?

Brand name: Tykerb

Lapatinib tablets — sold under the brand name Tykerb — are used to treat advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients whose tumors overexpress the HER2 protein. They are always used in combination with another medicine, not alone.

Tykerb is approved in combination with capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients who have already received prior treatment including an anthracycline, a taxane, and trastuzumab, and whose disease has progressed on trastuzumab. Tykerb is also approved in combination with letrozole for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer when hormonal therapy is appropriate.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Lapatinib

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (15,427 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diarrhea 4,174 reports
Nausea 1,615 reports
Fatigue 1,305 reports
Vomiting 1,209 reports
Rash 1,061 reports
See full Lapatinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fig

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

0Major
410Moderate
0Minor
2,419No known interaction
Moderate

410 interactions

Showing 60 of 410 moderate interactions — see all 410 on the Fig page.

No interaction 2,419 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Fig References

The 13 references that drive our Fig 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. Gandolfo M, Baeza M, De Barrio M, Anaphylaxis after eating figs. Allergy 2001;56:462-3. PubMed
  2. Serraclara A, Hawkins F, Perez C, et al. Hypoglycemic action of an oral fig-leaf decoction in type-I diabetic patients. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 1998;39:19-22. PubMed
  3. Rubnov S, Kashman Y, Rabinowitz R, et al. Suppressors of cancer cell proliferation from fig (Ficus carica) resin: isolation and structure elucidation. J Nat Prod 2001;64:993-6.
  4. Dechamp C, Bessot JC, Pauli G, Deviller P. First report of anaphylactic reaction after fig (Ficus carica) ingestion. Allergy 1995;50:514-6.
  5. Zaynoun ST, Aftimos BG, Abi Ali L, et al. Ficus carica; isolation and quantification of the photoactive components. Contact Dermatitis 1984;11:21-5.
  6. Lembo G, Lo Presti M, Balato N. Phytophotodermatitis due to ficus carica. Photodermatol 1985;2:119-20.
  7. Bollero, D., Stella, M., Rivolin, A., Cassano, P., Risso, D., and Vanzetti, M. Fig leaf tanning lotion and sun-related burns: case reports. Burns 2001;27(7):777-779. PubMed
  8. Ozdamar, E., Ozbek, S., and Akin, S. An unusual cause of burn injury: fig leaf decoction used as a remedy for a dermatitis of unknown etiology. J.Burn Care Rehabil. 2003;24(4):229-233. PubMed
  9. Munteanu, M. Contact dermatitis to the sap of fig-tree. Rev.Med.Chir Soc.Med.Nat.Iasi 1989;93(3):602.
  10. Lembo, G., Lo, Presti M., and Balato, N. Phytophotodermatitis due to ficus carica. Photodermatol. 1985;2(2):119-120.
  11. Micali, G., Nasca, M. R., and Musumeci, M. L. Severe phototoxic reaction secondary to the application of a fig leaves' decoction used as a tanning agent. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33(3):212-213. PubMed
  12. Bonamonte D, Foti C, Lionetti N, Rigano L, Angelini G. Photoallergic contact dermatitis to 8-methoxypsoralen in Ficus carica. Contact Dermatitis. 2010;62(6):343-8.
  13. Pinto AR, Machado Cunha I, Rebelo Gomes E. Fig Tree-Induced Phytophotodermatitis: A Case Report on the Perils of a Hobby. Cureus 2023;15(7):e41888. PubMed

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 Fig and Lapatinib Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Fig with Lapatinib?
We do not list a known interaction between Fig and Lapatinib. 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 Fig and Lapatinib have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one 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.
How was the Fig and Lapatinib combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Lapatinib is filed under 3 classifications, and Fig has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Lapatinib'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 Fig interact with any other medications?
Yes. Fig has 410 documented drug interactions in our database — Lapatinib 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 Lapatinib interact with any supplements?
Yes. Lapatinib has documented interactions with 143 supplements in our database — Fig is not one of them. The Lapatinib 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 Lapatinib and Fig?

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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.