Drug & supplement interaction

Fucus Vesiculosus + Solifenacin succinate

Solifenacin succinate brand name: Vesicare.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Fucus Vesiculosus has a minor interaction with Solifenacin succinate. Theoretically, concomitant use of Fucus vesiculosus with CYP3A4 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects.

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

Fucus Vesiculosus and Solifenacin succinate

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Solifenacin succinate

Solifenacin succinate falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Fucus Vesiculosus interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of Fucus vesiculosus with CYP3A4 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects.
In vitro research shows that fucoidan, a constituent of Fucus vesiculosus, inhibits CYP3A4. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor 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 your Vesicare. Your liver uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to break down solifenacin and keep its levels in check. Bladderwrack contains a compound (fucoidan) that, in lab studies, can slow that same enzyme down a bit. If that happened in your body, solifenacin might clear a little slower and build up, which could mean stronger antimuscarinic side effects like dry mouth, constipation, blurry vision, or feeling dizzy.

I want to be honest about the strength of this, though. So far this has only been seen in test-tube research, not in real people, and it's rated as a minor, possible concern. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since bladderwrack also packs a lot of iodine, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Mathew L, Burney M, Gaikwad A, et al. Preclinical evaluation of safety of fucoidan extracts from Undaria pinnatifida and Fucus vesiculosus for use in cancer treatment. Integr Cancer Ther 2017;16(4):572-84.

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

Fucus Vesiculosus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Fucus Vesiculosus has 23 moderate, 867 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Solifenacin succinate 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 Fucus Vesiculosus

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Solifenacin succinate

This page covers Fucus Vesiculosus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Solifenacin succinate page lists 169 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), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 10 major · 117 moderate · 42 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Solifenacin succinate page

“People taking solifenacin (Vesicare) for overactive bladder are often older adults who also reach for sleep herbs, memory blends, or fiber supplements, and that combination warrants real caution, since 10 of the 169 interacting ingredients here are rated major. Most of the list, 121 ingredients, affects the liver enzyme CYP3A4 that cle…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Solifenacin succinate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Fucus Vesiculosus and Solifenacin succinate 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 Fucus Vesiculosus
Steady interest

#1,021 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Solifenacin succinate
Top 25%

#484 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 Fucus Vesiculosus

What is Fucus Vesiculosus?

Fucus Vesiculosus
  • Thyroid support
  • Iodine source
  • Weight management
  • Joint and skin care (topical)
  • Constipation and digestive support

Fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack) is a brown seaweed rich in iodine that has been used traditionally for thyroid concerns, weight, and skin. There is little solid human evidence to support most of these uses, and its high and variable iodine content can actually harm the thyroid. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a thyroid condition.

Read the full Fucus Vesiculosus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Solifenacin

What Is Solifenacin Used For?

Brand name: Vesicare

Solifenacin tablets (including the brands solifenacin succinate and VESIcare) are approved for adults with overactive bladder — specifically the symptoms of sudden urges to urinate, leaking urine due to those urges (urge urinary incontinence), and needing to urinate very frequently.

VESIcare LS oral suspension is approved for a different use: treating neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) — a bladder control problem caused by nerve damage or a nervous system condition — in children aged 2 years and older. This liquid formulation is dosed by the child's weight.

See full Solifenacin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fucus Vesiculosus

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

0Major
23Moderate
867Minor
1,939No known interaction
Moderate

23 interactions

Minor

867 interactions

Showing 60 of 867 minor interactions — see all 867 on the Fucus Vesiculosus page.

No interaction 1,939 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 Fucus Vesiculosus and Solifenacin succinate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Fucus Vesiculosus with Solifenacin succinate?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Fucus Vesiculosus and Solifenacin succinate interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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.