Drug & supplement interaction

Indian Long Pepper + Alvimopan

Alvimopan brand name: Entereg.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Indian Long Pepper has a moderate interaction with Alvimopan. Theoretically, Indian long pepper might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.

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

Indian Long Pepper and Alvimopan

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Alvimopan

Alvimopan falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Indian Long Pepper interacts with.

Theoretically, Indian long pepper might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.
In vitro research shows that piperine, a constituent of Indian long pepper, can inhibit P-glycoprotein.
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 short version: alvimopan (Entereg) is moved around your body with the help of a transporter called P-glycoprotein. The piperine in Indian long pepper can slow that transporter down in lab studies, which in theory could let a bit more alvimopan stay in your system than usual.

If that happened, you'd mostly worry about more of alvimopan's typical effects, like an upset stomach or low potassium, but honestly this is a theoretical concern based only on test-tube data, not on real patients. Keep in mind alvimopan is given as a short hospital course right after bowel surgery, so the overlap with a daily spice supplement is usually small. Still, tell your surgical team or pharmacist if you take it regularly.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Bhardwaj RK, Glaeser H, Becquemont L, et al. Piperine, a major constituent of black pepper, inhibits human P-glycoprotein and CYP3A4. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2002;302:645-50. PubMed
  2. Han, Y., Chin Tan, T. M., and Lim, L. Y. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the effects of piperine on P-gp function and expression. Toxicol.Appl.Pharmacol. 8-1-2008;230(3):283-289. 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

Indian Long Pepper Also Interacts With Other Medications

Indian Long Pepper has 892 moderate, 3 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Alvimopan one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 892 Minor 3 No known interaction 1,935 (incl. Alvimopan)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Indian Long Pepper

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Alvimopan

This page covers Indian Long Pepper only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Alvimopan page lists 54 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), St. John's Wort (major), Bitter Melon (moderate), Black Pepper (moderate) and Bulbine Natalensis (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 35 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Alvimopan page

“Alvimopan (Entereg) is given for a few days after bowel surgery to help the gut start moving again, and its supplement list warrants genuine care, with two entries rated major. St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Alvimopan interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Indian Long Pepper as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 597 real supplement products containing Indian Long Pepper, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Indian Long Pepper. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Alvimopan too, on top of Indian Long Pepper — 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 Indian Long Pepper and Alvimopan 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 Indian Long Pepper
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Alvimopan
Steady interest

#1,760 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 Indian Long Pepper

What is Indian Long Pepper?

Indian Long Pepper
  • Digestive upset
  • Respiratory and cough complaints
  • Boosting absorption of other supplements
  • Pain and inflammation
  • General wellness in Ayurveda

Indian long pepper (pippali) is a spice long used in Ayurvedic medicine and is best known for its piperine content, which may increase how well the body absorbs certain other substances. Modern human research on its health benefits is limited, so use it cautiously and let your pharmacist or doctor know if you take it regularly.

Read the full Indian Long Pepper monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Alvimopan

What Is Alvimopan Used For?

Brand name: Entereg

Alvimopan capsules are used in hospitals to help the digestive tract recover more quickly after surgery that involves removing part of the bowel (partial bowel resection with primary anastomosis — meaning the remaining ends are reconnected). After this type of surgery, the bowel often temporarily stops working, a condition called postoperative ileus.

This medication is only given during a short hospital stay and is not for long-term or home use.

See full Alvimopan drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Indian Long Pepper

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

0Major
892Moderate
3Minor
1,934No known interaction
892 Moderate 3 Minor 1,934 No interaction
Moderate

892 interactions

Showing 60 of 892 moderate interactions — see all 892 on the Indian Long Pepper page.

Minor

3 interactions

No interaction 1,934 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,934 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Indian Long Pepper list.

See the full Indian Long Pepper interactions page
See every supplement checked against Alvimopan, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Indian Long Pepper monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Alvimopan supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Alvimopan, ranked by severity Alvimopan drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Indian Long Pepper and Alvimopan Together: Common Questions

Can you take Indian Long Pepper with Alvimopan?
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 Indian Long Pepper and Alvimopan 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 Alvimopan and Indian Long Pepper?

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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.