Drug & supplement interaction

Kiwi + Cilostazol

Cilostazol brand name: Pletal.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Kiwi has a moderate interaction with Cilostazol. Clinical research suggests that kiwi inhibits platelet aggregation.

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

Kiwi and Cilostazol

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Cilostazol

Cilostazol falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Kiwi interacts with.

Clinical research suggests that kiwi inhibits platelet aggregation. Theoretically, kiwi might increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs. Some anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
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 simple version: cilostazol (Pletal) already works by making your platelets less sticky, which helps blood flow more easily to your legs. Some research suggests kiwi can also nudge platelets in that same direction, just to a much smaller degree. Stacking the two could, in theory, add up and slightly raise your chance of bruising or bleeding more easily.

I want to be honest about how mild this concern is. This is a theoretical interaction based on how each works, not on cases of people running into trouble. Enjoying kiwi as a normal food is very unlikely to cause a problem. If you're eating large amounts daily or using concentrated kiwi supplements, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor, and watch for unusual bruising, nosebleeds, or bleeding gums.

References
  1. Duttaroy, A. K. and Jorgensen, A. Effects of kiwi fruit consumption on platelet aggregation and plasma lipids in healthy human volunteers. Platelets. 2004;15(5):287-292. PubMed
  2. Brevik, A., Gaivao, I., Medin, T., Jorgenesen, A., Piasek, A., Elilasson, J., Karlsen, A., Blomhoff, R., Veggan, T., Duttaroy, A. K., and Collins, A. R. Supplementation of a western diet with golden kiwifruits (Actinidia chinensis var.'Hort 16A':) effect

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

Kiwi Also Interacts With Other Medications

Kiwi has 288 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cilostazol 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 Kiwi

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Kiwi or Cilostazol

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Kiwi or Cilostazol, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cilostazol

This page covers Kiwi only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cilostazol page lists 286 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Grapefruit (major), Piracetam (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 240 moderate · 41 minor.

Open the Cilostazol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 361 real supplement products containing Kiwi, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Kiwi. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Cilostazol too, on top of Kiwi — 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 Kiwi and Cilostazol 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 Kiwi
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cilostazol
Steady interest

#1,665 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 Kiwi

What is Kiwi?

  • Constipation and digestive health
  • Vitamin C and antioxidant support
  • Sleep support
  • Immune support
  • Heart and cholesterol health

Kiwi is a nutritious fruit that is rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, and it is generally safe to eat as a food. The strongest evidence is for helping with constipation and overall digestive regularity, while other uses like better sleep or immune support are far less proven. People with a known kiwi or latex allergy should avoid it.

Read the full Kiwi monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cilostazol

What Is Cilostazol Used For?

Brand name: Pletal

Cilostazol tablets are approved to reduce the symptoms of intermittent claudication (cramping leg pain that comes on during walking due to reduced blood flow in the arteries). The goal is to help you walk farther before pain forces you to stop.

See full Cilostazol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Kiwi

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

0Major
288Moderate
0Minor
2,541No known interaction
Moderate

288 interactions

Showing 60 of 288 moderate interactions — see all 288 on the Kiwi page.

No interaction 2,541 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 Kiwi and Cilostazol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Kiwi with Cilostazol?
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 Kiwi and Cilostazol 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 Cilostazol and Kiwi?

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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.