Drug & supplement interaction

Lemongrass + Relugolix

Relugolix brand name: Orgovyx.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Lemongrass has a moderate interaction with Relugolix. Theoretically, lemongrass might decrease the metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates.

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

Lemongrass and Relugolix

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Relugolix

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

Theoretically, lemongrass might decrease the metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates.
Animal research shows that lemongrass and its constituent citral inhibit CYP3A4.
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 gist for Relugolix (Orgovyx). Your body partly clears this prostate cancer pill using a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. In lab and animal studies, lemongrass (and its lemony compound citral) seems to slow that same enzyme down. If that happened in people, Relugolix could clear more slowly and build up a bit, which might mean more of its usual effects like hot flashes, tiredness, joint or muscle aches, or digestive upset.

Now the honest part: this is only theoretical, based on cells and animals, not real human cases. A cup of lemongrass tea or using it in cooking is very unlikely to matter. Concentrated supplements or the essential oil are the bigger question mark. Since this medication treats cancer, please run any lemongrass supplement past your oncologist or pharmacist first.

References
  1. Li CC, Yu HF, Chang CH, Liu YT, Yao HT. Effects of lemongrass oil and citral on hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes, oxidative stress, and acetaminophen toxicity in rats. J Food Drug Anal 2018;26(1):432-8. 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

Lemongrass Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lemongrass has 707 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Relugolix 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 Lemongrass

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Lemongrass or Relugolix

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Lemongrass or Relugolix, 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 Relugolix

This page covers Lemongrass only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Relugolix page lists 152 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 107 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Relugolix page

“Relugolix (Orgovyx) shuts down testosterone to treat prostate cancer, and I would handle its supplement list with genuine care, since 8 of the 152 entries carry a major rating. The bulk of the list, 121 ingredients, can change how much relugolix stays in your blood by acting on the CYP3A4 enzyme that clears it.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Relugolix interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 417 real supplement products containing Lemongrass, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Lemongrass. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Relugolix too, on top of Lemongrass — 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 Lemongrass and Relugolix 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 Lemongrass
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Relugolix
Steady interest

#1,700 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 Lemongrass

What is Lemongrass?

Lemongrass
  • Digestive upset
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Antimicrobial/antifungal
  • Insect repellent
  • Flavoring in food and drinks

Lemongrass is a fragrant tropical grass widely used as a cooking herb, a tea, and an aromatherapy oil. It is generally considered safe in the small amounts used in food, but most of its claimed health benefits come from laboratory or animal studies rather than strong human research. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements or the essential oil, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Read the full Lemongrass monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Relugolix

What Is Relugolix Used For?

Brand name: Orgovyx

Orgovyx (relugolix) tablets are used to treat advanced prostate cancer in adults. It works by sharply lowering testosterone levels, which helps slow the growth of prostate cancer cells that depend on testosterone to grow.

See full Relugolix drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lemongrass

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

0Major
707Moderate
0Minor
2,122No known interaction
Moderate

707 interactions

Showing 60 of 707 moderate interactions — see all 707 on the Lemongrass page.

No interaction 2,122 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 Lemongrass and Relugolix Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lemongrass with Relugolix?
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 Lemongrass and Relugolix 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 Relugolix and Lemongrass?

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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.