Drug & supplement interaction

Policosanol + Vismodegib

Vismodegib brand name: Erivedge.

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

We found no known interaction between Policosanol and Vismodegib 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Policosanol and Vismodegib

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 Vismodegib and Policosanol 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.

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.

Policosanol safety at a glance

Policosanol overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in studies, but its real-world benefit is uncertain and quality varies between products.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best to avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best to avoid use while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Vismodegib and Policosanol? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Vismodegib

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Vismodegib is filed under 4 classifications — including cytochrome p450 2c19 (cyp2c19) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) inhibitors, p-glycoprotein substrates. Policosanol has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and beta-blockers (moderate) — and none of Vismodegib’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Policosanol Does Interact With Other Medications

Policosanol has 242 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Vismodegib isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 242 No known interaction 2,588 (incl. Vismodegib)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Policosanol

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Policosanol and Vismodegib May Share a Side Effect

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Weight loss Additional detail

    Policosanol

    “Orally, policosanol has been associated with weight loss. However, evidence from a post-market surveillance study of patients taking policosanol 5-15 mg daily shows that this adverse event is uncommon.”

    Policosanol · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myasthenia gravis.

    1 source cited
    1. 95375. Fernandez L, Mas R, Illnait J, Fernandez JC. Policosanol: results of a postmarketing surveillance study of 27,879 patients. Curr Ther Res 1998;59(10):717-22. DOI

    Vismodegib

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Vismodegib. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Policosanol but not commonly for Vismodegib: stomach upset, mood changes or irritability, drowsiness and a skin rash.

Effects for Vismodegib come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Policosanol come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Vismodegib

This page covers Policosanol only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Vismodegib page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), St. John's Wort (major), Bitter Melon (moderate), Black Pepper (moderate) and Bulbine Natalensis (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 38 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Vismodegib page

“St. John's wort can quietly undercut vismodegib (Erivedge), the pill for advanced basal cell carcinoma, by speeding up the gut pump that clears the drug from the body, and a cancer treatment that silently loses potency is the worst kind of interaction.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Vismodegib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 479 real supplement products containing Policosanol, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Policosanol. Even though Policosanol itself has no known interaction with Vismodegib, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Policosanol and Vismodegib 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 Policosanol
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Vismodegib
Top 25%

#585 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.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Policosanol reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Policosanol and Vismodegib records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Policosanol

What is Policosanol?

Policosanol
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Leg pain from poor circulation (intermittent claudication)
  • Physical stamina and energy

Policosanol is a mix of waxy alcohols (mostly octacosanol) made from sugar cane or other plant waxes, and it is often marketed as a natural way to lower cholesterol. Early studies from Cuba showed strong cholesterol-lowering effects, but independent studies in other countries have mostly failed to confirm these benefits. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take cholesterol medicine.

Wax extracted from sugar cane, beeswax, rice bran, or wheat germ · Tablets, capsules

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

Policosanol: dosing

There is no official or universally agreed-upon dose for policosanol. The amounts used in studies have varied, and the source of the wax can change how a product behaves. They can help you decide if it is appropriate for you and whether your cholesterol or heart condition needs proven treatment instead.

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

Read the full Policosanol monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Vismodegib

What Is Vismodegib Used For?

Brand name: Erivedge

Erivedge (vismodegib) is used to treat adults with basal cell carcinoma — the most common type of skin cancer — in two specific situations: when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic basal cell carcinoma), or when it is locally advanced and has returned after surgery, or when surgery and radiation are not options.

It is not approved for use in children.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Vismodegib

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (8,850 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Muscle spasms 2,065 reports
Alopecia 1,401 reports
Ageusia 1,011 reports
Fatigue 970 reports
Dysgeusia 747 reports
See full Vismodegib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Policosanol

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

0Major
242Moderate
0Minor
2,587No known interaction
242 Moderate 2,587 No interaction
Moderate

242 interactions

Showing 60 of 242 moderate interactions — see all 242 on the Policosanol page.

No interaction 2,587 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,587 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Policosanol list.

See the full Policosanol interactions page
See every supplement checked against Vismodegib, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Policosanol References

The 15 references that drive our Policosanol monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Carbajal D, Arruzazabala ML, Valdes S, Mas R. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation and serum levels of arachidonic acid metabolites in healthy volunteers. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1998;58:61-4.
  2. Arruzazabala ML, Valdes S, Mas R, et al. Comparative study of policosanol, aspirin and the combination therapy policosanol-aspirin on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Pharmacol Res 1997;36:293-7. PubMed
  3. Valdes S, Arruzazabala ML, Fernandez L. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1996;16:67-72.
  4. Greyling A, De Witt C, Oosthuizen W, Jerling JC. Effects of a policosanol supplement on serum lipid concentrations in hypercholesterolaemic and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2006;95:968-75. PubMed
  5. Abdul MI, Jiang X, Williams KM, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of echinacea and policosanol with warfarin in healthy subjects. Br J Clin.Pharmacol. 2010;69:508-15. PubMed
  6. Molina, Cuevas, V, Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, Quintana D., Mas, Ferreiro R., and Valdes, Garcia S. Effect of policosanol on arterial blood pressure in rats. Study of the pharmacological interaction with nifedipine and propranolol. Arch Med Res 1998;29
  7. Castano G, Fernandez L, Mas R, et al. Comparison of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of original policosanol versus other mixtures of higher aliphatic primary alcohols in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia. Int.J.Clin.Pharmacol.Res. 2002;22:5
  8. Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, D., Mas, R., Valdes, S., and Molina, V. Pharmacological Interaction Between Policosanol and Nitroprusside in Rats. J Med Food 2001;4(2):67-70. PubMed
  9. Castano G, Mas R, Gamez R, et al. Concomitant use of policosanol and beta-blockers in older patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol.Res 2004;24:65-77.
  10. Francini-Pesenti F, Brocadello F, Beltramolli D, et al. Sugar cane policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in primitive, diet-resistant hypercholesterolaemia: A double blind, controlled study. Complement Ther Med 2008;16:61-65. PubMed
  11. Castaño G, Fernández L, Mas R, Illnait J, Mesa M, Fernández JC. Comparison of the effects of policosanol and atorvastatin on lipid profile and platelet aggregation in patients with dyslipidaemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Clin Drug Investig. 2003;23(10 PubMed
  12. Fernandez L, Mas R, Illnait J, Fernandez JC. Policosanol: results of a postmarketing surveillance study of 27,879 patients. Curr Ther Res 1998;59(10):717-22. DOI
  13. Wang HY, Jiao QP, Chen SY, et al. Efficacy and safety of policosanol plus fenofibrate combination therapy in elderly patients with mixed dyslipidemia: A randomized, controlled clinical study. Am J Med Sci. 2018;356(3):254-261. PubMed
  14. Xu K, Liu X, Li Y, Wang Y, Zang H, Guo L, et al. Safety and efficacy of policosanol in patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity after drug-eluting stent implantation: two-year follow-up results. Cardiovasc Ther. 2016 Oct;34(5):337-42. doi: 10.1 PubMed
  15. Li C, Ding Y, Si Q, Li K, Xu K. Multiple functions of policosanol in elderly patients with dyslipidemia. J Int Med Res. 2020;48(7):300060520936082. PubMed

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 Policosanol and Vismodegib Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Policosanol with Vismodegib?
We do not list a known interaction between Policosanol and Vismodegib. 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.
Do Policosanol and Vismodegib have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Policosanol and Vismodegib combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Vismodegib is filed under 4 classifications, and Policosanol has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — none of Vismodegib's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Policosanol interact with any other medications?
Yes. Policosanol has 242 documented drug interactions in our database — Vismodegib is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Vismodegib interact with any supplements?
Yes. Vismodegib has documented interactions with 57 supplements in our database — Policosanol is not one of them. The Vismodegib 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

Policosanol monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Vismodegib drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Vismodegib supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Vismodegib, 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 15 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Vismodegib and Policosanol?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.