Drug & supplement interaction

Pitcher Plant + Imatinib

Imatinib brand name: Gleevec.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Pitcher Plant and Imatinib in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Imatinib states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Pitcher Plant and Imatinib

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Imatinib and Pitcher Plant in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Pitcher Plant at all — not against Imatinib, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Pitcher Plant safety at a glance

Pitcher Plant overall Use caution Human safety data is very limited, so use cautiously and only under professional guidance.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data exists, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Imatinib and Pitcher Plant? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Imatinib’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Pitcher Plant. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Imatinib’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low magnesium Worth acting on
  • A change in thyroid levels Worth acting on
  • Hearing loss Worth acting on
  • A bowel blockage Worth acting on
  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on
  • Muscle weakness Worth acting on
  • Memory problems Worth acting on
  • Dehydration Worth acting on
  • Trouble swallowing Worth acting on
  • Bleeding in the gut Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 89 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Imatinib. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 41,419 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Imatinib that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Pitcher Plant’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Pitcher Plant side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Pitcher Plant has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Imatinib Products Have a Food Rule — Pitcher Plant Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Imatinib says to take it with food. If you take Pitcher Plant on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Imatinib with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Imatinib products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Drug Administration The prescribed dose should be administered orally, with a meal and a large glass of water.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Imatinib — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Imatinib

This page covers Pitcher Plant only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Imatinib page lists 153 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 · 106 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Imatinib page

“Imatinib (Gleevec) treats certain leukemias and gastrointestinal tumors, and because keeping its blood level steady is what keeps the cancer controlled, this list deserves genuine attention before you add anything to it. Most of the interactions trace back to how the body clears imatinib through an enzyme called CYP3A4.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Imatinib interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Pitcher Plant and Imatinib 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 Pitcher Plant
Steady interest

#1,261 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Imatinib
Top half

#1,257 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions. Pitcher Plant is not yet covered by that licensed database, so its write-up cites publicly available medical sources directly (see the references below).
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Pitcher Plant reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Pitcher Plant and Imatinib records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Pitcher Plant

What is Pitcher Plant?

Pitcher Plant
  • Digestive complaints
  • Urinary tract issues
  • Smallpox (historical/traditional)
  • Pain relief
  • Skin conditions

Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea) is a carnivorous North American plant with a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine, but there is very little reliable human research to support any of its modern uses. Safety information is limited, so it should be used cautiously and avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Sarracenia purpurea · Sarraceniaceae · Roots, leaves (pitchers), and whole plant · Tincture, dried herb, homeopathic preparations, capsules

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Pitcher Plant is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Pitcher Plant record says about it on its own.

Pitcher Plant: dosing

There is no established standard dose for Pitcher Plant. Because it has not been studied well in people, safe and effective amounts are not known.If you choose to use a product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the suggested amount.

From our Pitcher Plant monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Pitcher Plant monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Imatinib

What Is Imatinib Used For?

Brand name: Gleevec

Imatinib treats a range of blood cancers and solid tumors. It is used for Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in adults and children — whether newly diagnosed or in more advanced phases — and for Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in both adults and pediatric patients.

It is also used for Kit-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), including after surgical removal, and for several rarer conditions: myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases (MDS/MPD) linked to specific gene changes, aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM), hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) and/or chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL), and unresectable, recurrent, or metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP).

Most-Reported Side Effects for Imatinib

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (41,419 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Nausea 2,849 reports
Diarrhea 2,511 reports
Fatigue 2,118 reports
Vomiting 1,795 reports
Dyspnea 1,477 reports
See full Imatinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Pitcher Plant

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Pitcher Plant against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Pitcher Plant list.

See the full Pitcher Plant interactions page
See every supplement checked against Imatinib, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Pitcher Plant References

The 2 sources that drive our Pitcher Plant monograph — publicly available pages from reputable medical and government organizations. Every link was verified to work before publishing. Pitcher Plant is not covered by the licensed Natural Medicines interaction database, so its page cites these public sources directly.

  1. Herbs at a Glance — NIH NCCIH Source
  2. Herbal and Dietary Supplements — MedlinePlus Source

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Pitcher Plant and Imatinib Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Pitcher Plant with Imatinib?
We do not list a known interaction between Pitcher Plant and Imatinib. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Should I take Pitcher Plant and Imatinib at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Imatinib says to take it with food. If you take Pitcher Plant on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Imatinib with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Imatinib products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Imatinib interact with any supplements?
Yes. Imatinib has documented interactions with 153 supplements in our database — Pitcher Plant is not one of them. The Imatinib interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Pitcher Plant monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Imatinib drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Imatinib supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Imatinib, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 2 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Imatinib and Pitcher Plant?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.