Drug & supplement interaction

Polypodium Leucotomos + Lenacapavir

Lenacapavir brand name: Sunlenca.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Polypodium Leucotomos has a minor interaction with Lenacapavir. Theoretically, Polypodium leucotomos might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodUnlikely
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Polypodium Leucotomos and Lenacapavir

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Lenacapavir

Lenacapavir falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Polypodium Leucotomos interacts with.

Theoretically, Polypodium leucotomos might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro and animal research suggests that Polypodium leucotomos can decrease the metabolism of midazolam by a mechanism possibly related to the inhibition of CYP3A4. However, a small study in humans suggests that taking Polypodium leucotomos with midazolam does not affect the metabolism of midazolam.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the short version on pairing this fern extract with Lenacapavir (Sunlenca), your long-acting HIV medicine. Lenacapavir is partly handled by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. The concern on file is theoretical: in lab and animal studies, Polypodium leucotomos seemed to slow that enzyme down a bit, which in theory could let a CYP3A4 drug build up slightly. With Lenacapavir, higher levels might mean a bit more chance of side effects like injection-site reactions, nausea, or headache.

The good news is this is rated minor and unlikely. A small human study actually found no real effect on a similar test drug, so culinary or normal supplement amounts probably won't cause trouble. Still, since Lenacapavir is important HIV therapy, mention the supplement to your pharmacist or doctor before adding it.

References
  1. Shinya K, Nishimura Y, Ryu K, et al. Short-term administration of Polypodium leucotomos extract does not inhibit CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of midazolam in healthy subjects: an open-label, two-period, fixed-sequence study. Int J Dermatol 2022.

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

Polypodium Leucotomos Also Interacts With Other Medications

Polypodium Leucotomos has 642 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Lenacapavir 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 Polypodium Leucotomos

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Lenacapavir

This page covers Polypodium Leucotomos only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lenacapavir page lists 138 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 94 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lenacapavir page

“Lenacapavir (Sunlenca) treats HIV that has resisted other regimens, so keeping its blood level steady is not optional, and its list of 138 interacting supplements deserves genuine care. Nearly all of them, 121 ingredients, can shift how the body handles lenacapavir through the CYP3A4 enzyme, either pushing its level up along with side…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lenacapavir interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 26 real supplement products containing Polypodium Leucotomos, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Polypodium Leucotomos. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lenacapavir too, on top of Polypodium Leucotomos — 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 Polypodium Leucotomos and Lenacapavir 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 Polypodium Leucotomos
Steady interest

#1,118 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Lenacapavir
Top half

#1,280 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 Polypodium Leucotomos

What is Polypodium Leucotomos?

  • Sun sensitivity and sunburn protection
  • Skin conditions like vitiligo and melasma
  • Polymorphic light eruption
  • Skin aging and photoaging
  • Atopic dermatitis support

Polypodium leucotomos is a fern extract taken by mouth, mostly studied as an add-on to (not a replacement for) sunscreen and for certain light-triggered skin conditions. Some early research is promising for reducing sun sensitivity, but the evidence is still limited and it should not replace standard sun protection. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Read the full Polypodium Leucotomos monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lenacapavir Oral

What Is Lenacapavir Oral Used For?

Brand name: Sunlenca

Sunlenca tablets are used in two situations: to treat HIV-1 infection in adults whose virus has become resistant to multiple antiretroviral drugs and whose current regimen is failing — always in combination with other antiretrovirals — and as a short oral loading dose to start the BIXLENVO complete HIV-1 treatment regimen in adults who are already virologically suppressed (virus undetectable) and switching from a stable antiretroviral regimen.

Yeztugo tablets are used as part of HIV-1 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) — helping HIV-negative people reduce their risk of getting HIV-1. The oral tablet form is used during initiation of Yeztugo, and also as a temporary oral bridge if a scheduled injection must be delayed more than two weeks.

See full Lenacapavir Oral drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Polypodium Leucotomos

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

0Major
0Moderate
642Minor
2,187No known interaction
Minor

642 interactions

Showing 60 of 642 minor interactions — see all 642 on the Polypodium Leucotomos page.

No interaction 2,187 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 Polypodium Leucotomos and Lenacapavir Together: Common Questions

Can you take Polypodium Leucotomos with Lenacapavir?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Polypodium Leucotomos and Lenacapavir interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Lenacapavir and Polypodium Leucotomos?

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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.