Drug & supplement interaction

Lentinan + Riluzole

Riluzole brand names: Rilutek, Tiglutik, Exservan.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Lentinan has a moderate interaction with Riluzole. Laboratory evidence suggests that lentinan might increase the activity of cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2).

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

Lentinan and Riluzole

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Riluzole

Riluzole falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Lentinan interacts with.

Laboratory evidence suggests that lentinan might increase the activity of cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2). So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans. However, watch for a decrease in the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2 in patients taking lentinan.
Some drugs metabolized by CYP1A2 include amitriptyline (Elavil), haloperidol (Haldol), ondansetron (Zofran), propranolol (Inderal), theophylline (Theo-Dur, others), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, others), 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 gist for riluzole: your liver relies heavily on an enzyme called CYP1A2 to break this medicine down. Lentinan, in lab and animal studies, seems to speed that enzyme up. If that happened in real life, your body could clear riluzole a little faster, which might leave less in your system and make it work less well for your ALS.

I want to keep this in perspective though. This is only test-tube and animal evidence, and it hasn't actually been seen in people. Riluzole is not a prodrug, so the concern would be reduced effect rather than more side effects. Oral lentinan products also vary a lot in strength. Before adding it, please run it by your pharmacist or neurologist so they can weigh in.

References
  1. Lin Y, Wei Y, Hu X, et al. Evaluation of lentinan effects on cytochrome P450 activity in rats by a cocktail method. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2019;22(3):296-301.

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

Lentinan Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lentinan has 813 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Riluzole 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 Lentinan

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Riluzole

This page covers Lentinan only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Riluzole page lists 141 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 106 moderate · 31 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Riluzole page

“Riluzole (Rilutek, Tiglutik, Exservan) slows the progression of ALS, and it already works the liver hard, which is where this list turns genuinely serious. The four major-rated entries among 141 documented interactions cluster around two hazards: extra liver strain (Siberian cocklebur has caused liver failure, and heavy alcohol from be…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Riluzole interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Lentinan, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Lentinan. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Riluzole too, on top of Lentinan — 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 Lentinan and Riluzole 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 Lentinan
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Riluzole
Steady interest

#2,285 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 Lentinan

What is Lentinan?

Lentinan
  • Immune support
  • Used alongside cancer treatment
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • General wellness/tonic
  • Antimicrobial support

Lentinan is a beta-glucan polysaccharide from shiitake mushrooms that is studied mainly as an immune-modulating add-on to cancer chemotherapy, where it is given by injection in a few countries. Evidence for oral supplements is limited, and quality varies widely between products. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a health condition or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Read the full Lentinan monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Riluzole

What Is Riluzole Used For?

Brand names: Rilutek, Tiglutik, Exservan

Riluzole is approved to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — the progressive neurological disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. This indication is shared across all available riluzole products, including tablets (Rilutek, riluzole), the dissolving oral film (Exservan), and the oral suspension (Tiglutik).

Tiglutik oral suspension is notable in that it can also be given through a PEG-tube (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube) for patients who have difficulty swallowing.

See full Riluzole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lentinan

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

0Major
813Moderate
0Minor
2,016No known interaction
Moderate

813 interactions

Showing 60 of 813 moderate interactions — see all 813 on the Lentinan page.

No interaction 2,016 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 Lentinan and Riluzole Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lentinan with Riluzole?
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 Lentinan and Riluzole 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 Riluzole and Lentinan?

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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.