Drug & supplement interaction

Goji + Palbociclib

Palbociclib brand name: Ibrance.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Goji has a moderate interaction with Palbociclib. Theoretically, goji berry might inhibit CYP3A4 and reduce metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates.

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

Goji and Palbociclib

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Palbociclib

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

Theoretically, goji berry might inhibit CYP3A4 and reduce metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that goji berry juice inhibits CYP3A4 enzymes. Concomitant use with goji may decrease metabolism and increase levels of CYP3A4 substrates. However, this 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 basic idea with goji and Ibrance (palbociclib). Your body uses a liver enzyme called CYP3A4 to break palbociclib down and clear it out. Lab studies suggest goji berry juice may slow that enzyme a bit. If that happened in people, palbociclib could build up higher than expected, which might mean more of its usual side effects, like a low white blood cell count (raising infection risk), tiredness, mouth sores, or nausea.

I want to keep this in perspective, though. This is theoretical, based only on test-tube research, and it has not been shown in actual patients. Eating a normal amount of goji berries is unlikely to be a problem. Concentrated goji supplements or large amounts of juice are where I'd be more careful. Since palbociclib is a serious cancer medicine, please run any goji supplement by your oncologist or pharmacist first.

References
  1. Liu R, Tam TW, Mao J, et al. In vitro activity of Lycium barbarum (Goji) against major human phase I metabolism enzymes. Complement Integr Med. 2016;13(3):257-265.

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

Goji Also Interacts With Other Medications

Goji has 2 major, 929 moderate, 68 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Palbociclib 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 Goji

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Palbociclib

This page covers Goji only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Palbociclib page lists 185 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 Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 145 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Palbociclib page

“Three of the 185 supplement interactions on file for palbociclib (Ibrance), a targeted breast cancer therapy, are rated major, and those three deserve your attention first. Grapefruit, St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Palbociclib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,738 real supplement products containing Goji, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Goji. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Palbociclib too, on top of Goji — 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 Goji and Palbociclib 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 Goji
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Palbociclib
Steady interest

#1,563 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 Goji

What is Goji?

Goji
  • General antioxidant support
  • Eye health
  • Immune support
  • Anti-aging and well-being
  • Blood sugar support

Goji berries are a nutritious fruit rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and plant polysaccharides, and they are safe for most people as a food. While they are popular for eye health, immune support, and general wellness, strong human evidence for most health claims is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated goji supplements, especially if you take medications or are pregnant.

Read the full Goji monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Palbociclib

What Is Palbociclib Used For?

Brand name: Ibrance

Palbociclib (brand name Ibrance) is used to treat adults with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. It is always given in combination with other medicines — either an aromatase inhibitor as a first hormonal treatment, or with fulvestrant after the cancer has progressed on prior hormonal therapy. It is also used with inavolisib and fulvestrant for a specific subtype (PIK3CA-mutated, endocrine-resistant) of this cancer confirmed by an FDA-authorized test.

Ibrance is also approved in combination with trastuzumab (with or without pertuzumab) and endocrine therapy for maintenance treatment of adults with HR-positive, HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, following initial induction treatment.

See full Palbociclib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Goji

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

2Major
929Moderate
68Minor
1,830No known interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

929 interactions

Showing 60 of 929 moderate interactions — see all 929 on the Goji page.

Minor

68 interactions

Showing 60 of 68 minor interactions — see all 68 on the Goji page.

No interaction 1,830 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 Goji and Palbociclib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Goji with Palbociclib?
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 Goji and Palbociclib 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 Palbociclib and Goji?

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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.