Drug & supplement interaction

Guggul + Bosentan

Bosentan brand name: Tracleer.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Guggul has a moderate interaction with Bosentan. Theoretically, guggul might reduce the effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

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

Guggul and Bosentan

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Bosentan

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

Theoretically, guggul might reduce the effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that guggul constituents known as guggulsterones can induce CYP3A4.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the basic idea with bosentan (Tracleer) and guggul. Your liver uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to clear bosentan from your body. Lab research suggests the active compounds in guggul (guggulsterones) may speed that enzyme up. If that happens in people, your body could clear bosentan a little faster, which might make it less effective at keeping your lung blood pressure controlled.

Bosentan isn't a prodrug, so faster clearance simply means weaker effect, not stronger. In real life that could look like more shortness of breath or less stamina with activity. Honestly, this is only based on test-tube data, so it's more theoretical than proven. Still, because PAH is serious, don't add guggul without first checking with your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Brobst DE, Ding X, Creech KL, et al. Guggulsterone activates multiple nuclear receptors and induces CYP3A gene expression through the pregnane X receptor. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2004;310:528-35. 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

Guggul Also Interacts With Other Medications

Guggul has 758 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Bosentan 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 Guggul

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Bosentan

This page covers Guggul only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Bosentan page lists 266 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Apple (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 11 major · 216 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Bosentan interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 955 real supplement products containing Guggul, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Guggul. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Bosentan too, on top of Guggul — 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 Guggul and Bosentan 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 Guggul
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Bosentan
Top half

#1,408 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 Guggul

What is Guggul?

Guggul
  • High cholesterol
  • Joint pain and arthritis
  • Weight management
  • Acne
  • Skin conditions

Guggul is a gum resin from the Commiphora wightii tree, long used in Ayurvedic medicine for cholesterol, joint, and skin problems. Modern studies are mixed and often low-quality, and it can cause stomach upset and skin rashes. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Guggul monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Bosentan

What Is Bosentan Used For?

Brand name: Tracleer

Bosentan treats pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which is high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs (WHO Group 1). In adults, it helps improve exercise ability and slows clinical worsening.

In children 3 years and older with idiopathic or congenital PAH, it is used to improve pulmonary vascular resistance (the resistance blood meets in the lung vessels). This is expected to improve exercise ability. These uses appear on the Tracleer label and on the bosentan tablet and tablet for oral suspension labels.

See full Bosentan drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Guggul

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

0Major
758Moderate
0Minor
2,071No known interaction
Moderate

758 interactions

Showing 60 of 758 moderate interactions — see all 758 on the Guggul page.

No interaction 2,071 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Guggul against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,071 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Guggul 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 Guggul and Bosentan Together: Common Questions

Can you take Guggul with Bosentan?
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 Guggul and Bosentan 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 Bosentan and Guggul?

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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.