Drug & supplement interaction

Khella + Trabectedin

Trabectedin brand name: Yondelis.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Khella has a moderate interaction with Trabectedin. Theoretically, khella might have additive adverse effects on the liver when used with hepatotoxic drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Khella and Trabectedin

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

Moderate

HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Trabectedin

Trabectedin falls under HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS — the group Khella interacts with.

Theoretically, khella might have additive adverse effects on the liver when used with hepatotoxic drugs. Khella can increase liver transaminases. Some drugs that can adversely affect the liver include acetaminophen (Tylenol), amiodarone (Cordarone), carbamazepine (Tegretol), isoniazid (INH), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), methyldopa (Aldomet), and many others.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 concern with combining khella and Trabectedin (Yondelis). Trabectedin is a chemotherapy drug that is well known for being hard on the liver. It often raises liver enzymes and can cause real liver injury, which is why your care team checks bloodwork before and during treatment. Khella, on its own, may also push liver enzymes up. Put the two together and you could see more strain on the liver than either would cause alone.

This is mostly a theoretical, add-up-the-risk concern rather than something proven in people, but with a drug as liver-sensitive as trabectedin, I'd play it safe. Please don't add khella without first checking with your oncology team or pharmacist, since they're already watching your liver closely.

References
  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Harvengt C, Desager JP. HDL-cholesterol increase in normolipaemic subjects on khellin: a pilot study. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1983;3:363-6.

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

Khella Also Interacts With Other Medications

Khella has 617 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Trabectedin 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 Khella

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Trabectedin

This page covers Khella only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Trabectedin page lists 156 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Wine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 122 moderate · 29 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Trabectedin page

“People receiving trabectedin (Yondelis), an infused chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma and some ovarian cancers, often reach for supplements to boost energy or support a stressed liver, and that instinct is exactly where the trouble sits. This list warrants real caution.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Trabectedin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 43 real supplement products containing Khella, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Khella. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Trabectedin too, on top of Khella — 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 Khella and Trabectedin 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 Khella
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Trabectedin
Top half

#1,337 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 Khella

What is Khella?

Khella
  • Asthma and bronchitis
  • Angina and heart-related chest pain
  • Kidney stones
  • Vitiligo and psoriasis
  • Mild high blood pressure

Khella is a Mediterranean herb whose seeds contain compounds like khellin that may relax smooth muscle in the airways and blood vessels. While it has a long history of traditional use for breathing and heart problems, modern evidence in supplement form is limited, and it can cause side effects and sun sensitivity, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Khella monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Trabectedin Injection

What Is Trabectedin Injection Used For?

Brand name: Yondelis

Yondelis (trabectedin injection) is used to treat adults with liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma — two types of soft tissue sarcoma (cancer of connective tissue) — when the cancer cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable) or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). It is indicated for patients who have already received a prior treatment regimen containing an anthracycline (a type of chemotherapy).

See full Trabectedin Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Khella

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

0Major
617Moderate
0Minor
2,212No known interaction
Moderate

617 interactions

Showing 60 of 617 moderate interactions — see all 617 on the Khella page.

No interaction 2,212 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

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Khella and Trabectedin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Khella with Trabectedin?
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 Khella and Trabectedin 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 Trabectedin and Khella?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.