Drug & supplement interaction

Picrorhiza + Emapalumab-Lzsg

Emapalumab-Lzsg brand name: Gamifant.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Picrorhiza has a moderate interaction with Emapalumab-Lzsg. Picrorhiza seems to have immunostimulating activity.

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

Picrorhiza and Emapalumab-Lzsg

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

Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Emapalumab-Lzsg

Emapalumab-Lzsg falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS — the group Picrorhiza interacts with.

Picrorhiza seems to have immunostimulating activity. Theoretically, picrorhiza may interfere with immunosuppressant therapy. Immunosuppressant drugs include azathioprine (Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, Orthoclone OKT3), mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), and other corticosteroids (glucocorticoids).
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 basic idea: Gamifant (emapalumab) is a monoclonal antibody that calms down an overactive immune system to treat HLH. Picrorhiza, on the other hand, has shown immune-stimulating activity in lab and animal research. So in theory, the herb could push the immune system in the opposite direction and work against what Gamifant is trying to do, possibly making the treatment less effective.

I want to be honest about the evidence here. This concern comes only from test-tube and animal studies, not from people taking these two together, so it's more of a theoretical caution than a proven problem. Still, HLH is a serious condition, and you don't want anything nudging your immune system the wrong way. Please loop in your doctor or pharmacist before adding Picrorhiza.

References
  1. Sharma ML, Rao CS, Duda PL. Immunostimulatory activity of Picrorhiza kurroa leaf extract. J Ethnopharmacol 1994;41:185-92. PubMed
  2. Baruah CC, Gupta PP, Nath A, et al. Anti-allergic and anti-anaphylactic activity of picroliv--a standardised iridoid glycoside fraction of Picrorhiza kurroa. Pharmacol Res 1998;38:487-92.

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

Picrorhiza Also Interacts With Other Medications

Picrorhiza has 206 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Emapalumab-Lzsg 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 Picrorhiza

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Emapalumab-Lzsg

This page covers Picrorhiza only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Emapalumab-Lzsg page lists 53 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate), American Ginseng (moderate), Andrographis (moderate) and Ashwagandha (moderate).

By severity: 52 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Emapalumab-Lzsg page

“Emapalumab-lzsg (Gamifant) quiets an immune system that has turned dangerously overactive in a rare condition called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. All 53 supplement interactions on file share a single theme, a possible boost to immune activity that could work against the drug.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Emapalumab-Lzsg interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 177 real supplement products containing Picrorhiza, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Picrorhiza. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Emapalumab-Lzsg too, on top of Picrorhiza — 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 Picrorhiza and Emapalumab-Lzsg 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 Picrorhiza
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Emapalumab-Lzsg
Top 25%

#550 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 Picrorhiza

What is Picrorhiza?

  • Liver support
  • Digestive complaints
  • Asthma and breathing problems
  • Skin conditions
  • Fever
  • Immune support

Picrorhiza (Picrorhiza kurroa) is a bitter Himalayan herb used in Ayurvedic medicine, mainly for liver and digestive complaints. Early lab and small human studies suggest possible liver-protective and anti-inflammatory effects, but high-quality evidence is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Picrorhiza monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Emapalumab-lzsg Injection

What Is Emapalumab-lzsg Injection Used For?

Brand name: Gamifant

Gamifant is used to treat primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) — a rare, life-threatening condition where the immune system becomes dangerously overactivated — in adults and children whose disease has not responded to, has come back during, or has progressed on standard HLH therapy, or who cannot tolerate it.

Gamifant is also used for HLH/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in adults and children with known or suspected Still's disease, including systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA), when glucocorticoids (steroid medicines) have not worked well enough, cannot be tolerated, or when MAS keeps coming back.

See full Emapalumab-lzsg Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Picrorhiza

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

0Major
206Moderate
0Minor
2,623No known interaction
Moderate

206 interactions

Showing 60 of 206 moderate interactions — see all 206 on the Picrorhiza page.

No interaction 2,623 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 Picrorhiza and Emapalumab-Lzsg Together: Common Questions

Can you take Picrorhiza with Emapalumab-Lzsg?
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 Picrorhiza and Emapalumab-Lzsg 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

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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.