Drug & supplement interaction

Pomegranate + Interferon Alfa-2b

Interferon Alfa-2b brand names: Rebetron, Intron A, Viraferon.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Pomegranate and Interferon Alfa-2b 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.

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Interaction report

Pomegranate and Interferon Alfa-2b

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 Interferon Alfa-2b and Pomegranate 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.

Pomegranate safety at a glance

Pomegranate overall Generally safe Pomegranate fruit and juice are generally safe for most people as food.
Pregnancy Possibly Safe When the fruit or fruit juice is consumed orally and appropriately. There is insufficient reliable information available regarding the safety of using other for... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Safe When the fruit or fruit juice is consumed orally and appropriately. There is insufficient reliable information available regarding the safety of using other for... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Pharmacist analysis

Pomegranate (and pomegranate extract) has several potential drug interactions that should be taken into consideration.

Primarily, pomegranate can affect drugs metabolized by CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4 enzymes. This accounts for a very large proportion of the drug interactions associated with pomegranate.

Pomegranate also may have mild antihypertensive effects, potentially increasing the risk of adverse effects and hypotension when used with other drugs that lower blood pressure.

Although there is no interaction noted between pomegranate and the drug in question, as always, it is recommended to speak with your doctor before adding on any new medications or supplements so you can be appropraitely monitored.

—

Still wondering about combining Interferon Alfa-2b and Pomegranate? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Interferon Alfa-2b

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Interferon Alfa-2b is filed under 2 classifications — photosensitizing drugs, hepatotoxic drugs. Pomegranate has documented interactions with 9 drug classes — the most serious being ace inhibitors (aceis) (moderate), antihypertensive drugs (moderate) and cytochrome p450 2d6 (cyp2d6) substrates (moderate) — and none of Interferon Alfa-2b’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

Pomegranate Does Interact With Other Medications

Pomegranate has 355 moderate, 567 minor known drug interactions in our database — Interferon Alfa-2b isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 355 Minor 567 No known interaction 1,908 (incl. Interferon Alfa-2b)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Pomegranate

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

What to actually watch for

What Pomegranate Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Interferon Alfa-2b. It is the side-effect record for Pomegranate on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Pomegranate, this list is the first place to look. 3 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on Additional detail

    “In one clinical trial, 2% of patients experienced hyperlipidemia and hypertension after consumption of pomegranate juice. However, most clinical research shows that pomegranate does not increase cholesterol or blood pressure and may actually improve these parameters in some patients.”

    Pomegranate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypercholesterolemia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 69175. Forest, C. P., Padma-Nathan, H., and Liker, H. R. Efficacy and safety of pomegranate juice on improvement of erectile dysfunction in male patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study PubMed
    2. 8310. Aviram M, Dornfeld L. Pomegranate juice consumption inhibits serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity and reduces systolic blood pressure. Atherosclerosis 2001;158:195-8. PubMed
    3. 13022. Esmaillzadeh A, Tahbaz F, Gaieni I, et al. Concentrated pomegranate juice improves lipid profiles in diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia. J Med Food 2004;7:305-8. PubMed
    4. 13023. Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, et al. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr 2004;23:423-33. DOI
    5. 69168. Esmaillzadeh, A., Tahbaz, F., Gaieni, I., Alavi-Majd, H., and Azadbakht, L. Cholesterol-lowering effect of concentrated pomegranate juice consumption in type II diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia. Int J Vitam.Nutr Res 2006;76(3):147-151. PubMed
    6. 69373. Wright, H. and Pipkin F. B. Pomegranates (Punica granatum), kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) and blood pressure: a pilot study. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2008;67(8):1.
  • Shortness of breath / A severe allergic reaction / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, pomegranate fruit or seeds may cause allergic reactions. These allergic reactions occur more commonly in people who are allergic to other plants. In rare cases, pomegranate fruit can cause angioedema. Angioedema seems to occur without warning and in people who have eaten pomegranate for many years. Patients should be told to stop eating pomegranate if swelling of the tongue or face develops.”

    Pomegranate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypotension.

    5 sources cited
    1. 7674. Gaig P, Bartolome B, Lleonart R, et al. Allergy to pomegranate (Punica granatum). Allergy 1999;54:287-8.
    2. 7673. Igea JM, Cuesta J, Cuevas M, et al. Adverse reaction to pomegranate ingestion. Allergy 1991;46:472-4. DOI
    3. 17331. Gangemi S, Mistrello G, Roncarolo D, et al. Pomegranate-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2008;18:491-2.
    4. 91692. Enrique E, Utz M, De Mateo JA, et al. Allergy to lipid transfer proteins: cross-reactivity among pomegranate, hazelnut, and peanut. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2006;96(1):122-3. PubMed
    5. 8445. Valsecchi R, Reseghetti A, Leghissa P, et al. Immediate contact hypersensitivity to pomegranate. Contact Dermatitis 1998;38:44-5. PubMed
  • Hives Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Topically, pomegranate may cause urticaria (hives) in some patients.”

    Pomegranate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in urticaria.

    1 source cited
    1. 8445. Valsecchi R, Reseghetti A, Leghissa P, et al. Immediate contact hypersensitivity to pomegranate. Contact Dermatitis 1998;38:44-5. PubMed
  • Bloating or gas Additional detail

    “Orally, pomegranate may cause mild gastrointestinal adverse effects. In one clinical study, drinking pomegranate juice 8 ounces daily caused diarrhea and flatulence in 2% of patients. In another clinical study, taking pomegranate extract (POMx, POM Wonderful LLC) 3000 mg daily caused diarrhea in 10% of patients.”

    Pomegranate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    2 sources cited
    1. 69175. Forest, C. P., Padma-Nathan, H., and Liker, H. R. Efficacy and safety of pomegranate juice on improvement of erectile dysfunction in male patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study PubMed
    2. 91695. Paller CJ, Ye X, Wozniak PJ, et al. A randomized phase II study of pomegranate extract for men with rising PSA following initial therapy for localized prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2013;16(1):50-5. PubMed
  • Low blood pressure / Swelling Additional detail

    Recorded for Pomegranate in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Shortness of breath / A severe allergic reaction / An allergic reaction above.

  • Stomach upset / Constipation Additional detail

    Recorded for Pomegranate in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Bloating or gas above.

Showing the 10 most notable of 14 recorded effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Pomegranate — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We haven’t matched Interferon Alfa-2b to its FDA label in our system yet, so we can’t compare its own side-effect list here — the leaflet that comes with your prescription is the authoritative list for Interferon Alfa-2b.

Special populations

Pomegranate in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Safe

When the fruit or fruit juice is consumed orally and appropriately. There is insufficient reliable information available regarding the safety of using other forms of pomegranate or other parts of the plant during pregnancy or lactation; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Pomegranate or Interferon Alfa-2b

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Pomegranate or Interferon Alfa-2b, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Interferon Alfa-2b

This page covers Pomegranate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Interferon Alfa-2b page lists 57 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 53 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Interferon Alfa-2b page

“People taking interferon alfa-2b (Intron A, Rebetron) are usually treating hepatitis or a cancer, so the liver may already be under strain, and that is exactly where most of this list points. Of the 57 supplements on file, 38 can add to liver stress, and all three major-rated interactions sit in that group: Siberian cocklebur, which ha…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Interferon Alfa-2b interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 4,607 real supplement products containing Pomegranate, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Pomegranate. Even though Pomegranate itself has no known interaction with Interferon Alfa-2b, 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 Pomegranate and Interferon Alfa-2b 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 Pomegranate
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Interferon Alfa-2b
Top half

#1,263 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 Pomegranate reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Pomegranate and Interferon Alfa-2b 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 Pomegranate

What is Pomegranate?

Pomegranate
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Antioxidant support
  • High blood pressure
  • Inflammation
  • Digestive upset
  • Skin health

Pomegranate is a nutrient-rich fruit that is high in antioxidants and is widely enjoyed as food and juice. Early research suggests it may support heart health and blood pressure, but the evidence is still limited and not strong enough to call it a proven treatment. As a food it is generally safe, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated extracts, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or take medications.

Punica granatum · Lythraceae · Fruit, juice, seeds (arils), peel/rind, flower, and leaf · Fresh fruit, juice, extract capsules, powder, tea, and topical products

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

Pomegranate: dosing

There is no single established standard dose for pomegranate. In studies, amounts have varied widely depending on whether the fruit, juice, or extract was used.If you use a pomegranate supplement, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Pomegranate monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Interferon Alfa-2b Injection

What Is Interferon Alfa-2b Injection Used For?

Brand names: Rebetron, Intron A, Viraferon

  • Interferon alfa-2b injection is used to treat a number of conditions.

  • Interferon alfa-2b injection is used

    • alone or in combination with ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribasphere) to treat chronic (long-term) hepatitis C infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in people who show signs of liver damage,

    • to treat chronic hepatitis B infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in people who show signs of liver damage,

    • to treat hairy cell leukemia (a white blood cell cancer),

    • to treat genital warts,

    • to treat Kaposi's sarcoma (a type of cancer that causes abnormal tissue to grow on different parts of the body) related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS),

    • to treat malignant melanoma (a cancer that begins in certain skin cells) in certain people who have had surgery to remove the cancer,

    • along with another medication to treat follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL; a slow-growing blood cancer).

  • Interferon alfa-2b is in a class of medications called immunomodulators. Interferon alfa-2b works to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) by decreasing the amount virus in the body. Interferon alfa-2b may not cure hepatitis B or hepatitis C or prevent you from developing complications from these infections such as cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver failure, or liver cancer. It also may not prevent the spread of hepatitis B or C to other people. It is not known exactly how interferon alfa-2b works to treat cancer or genital warts.

See full Interferon Alfa-2b Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Pomegranate

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

0Major
355Moderate
567Minor
1,907No known interaction
355 Moderate 567 Minor 1,907 No interaction
Moderate

355 interactions

Showing 60 of 355 moderate interactions — see all 355 on the Pomegranate page.

Minor

567 interactions

Showing 60 of 567 minor interactions — see all 567 on the Pomegranate page.

No interaction 1,907 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,907 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Pomegranate list.

See the full Pomegranate interactions page
See every supplement checked against Interferon Alfa-2b, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Pomegranate References

The 27 references that drive our Pomegranate 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. Igea JM, Cuesta J, Cuevas M, et al. Adverse reaction to pomegranate ingestion. Allergy 1991;46:472-4. DOI
  2. Gaig P, Bartolome B, Lleonart R, et al. Allergy to pomegranate (Punica granatum). Allergy 1999;54:287-8.
  3. Aviram M, Dornfeld L. Pomegranate juice consumption inhibits serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity and reduces systolic blood pressure. Atherosclerosis 2001;158:195-8. PubMed
  4. Valsecchi R, Reseghetti A, Leghissa P, et al. Immediate contact hypersensitivity to pomegranate. Contact Dermatitis 1998;38:44-5. PubMed
  5. Esmaillzadeh A, Tahbaz F, Gaieni I, et al. Concentrated pomegranate juice improves lipid profiles in diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia. J Med Food 2004;7:305-8. PubMed
  6. Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, et al. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr 2004;23:423-33. DOI
  7. Hidaka M, Okumura M, Fujita K, et al. Effects of pomegranate juice on human cytochrome p450 3A (CYP3A) and carbamazepine pharmacokinetics in rats. Drug Metab Dispos 2005;33:644-8. PubMed
  8. Loren DJ, Seeram NP, Schulman RN, Holtzman DM. Maternal dietary supplementation with pomegranate juice is neuroprotective in an animal model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Pediatr Res 2005;57:858-64. PubMed
  9. Kim ND, Mehta R, Yu W, et al. Chemopreventive and adjuvant therapeutic potential of pomegranate (Punica granatum) for human breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2002;71:203-17. PubMed
  10. Sorokin AV, Duncan B, Panetta R, Thompson PD. Rhabdomyolysis associated with pomegranate juice consumption. Am J Cardiol 2006;98:705-6. PubMed
  11. Farkas D, Oleson LE, Zhao Y, et al. Pomegranate juice does not impair clearance of oral or intravenous midazolam, a probe for cytochrome P450-3A activity: comparison with grapefruit juice. J Clin Pharmacol 2007;47:286-94. PubMed
  12. Yeo C, Shon J, Liu K, et al. The effects of pomegranate juice on the pharmacokinetics of simvastatin in healthy Korean subjects (PI-63). Clin Pharmacol Ther 2006;79:23.
  13. Farkas D, Greenblatt DJ. Influence of fruit juices on drug disposition: discrepancies between in vitro and clinical studies. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2008;4:381-93.
  14. Nagata M, Hidaka M, Sekiya H, et al. Effects of pomegranate juice on human cytochrome P450 2C9 and tolbutamide pharmacokinetics in rats. Drug Metab Dispos 2007;35:302-5. PubMed
  15. Komperda KE. Potential interaction between pomegranate juice and warfarin. Pharmacotherapy 2009;29:1002-6. 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 Pomegranate and Interferon Alfa-2b Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Pomegranate with Interferon Alfa-2b?
We do not list a known interaction between Pomegranate and Interferon Alfa-2b. 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.
How was the Pomegranate and Interferon Alfa-2b combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Interferon Alfa-2b is filed under 2 classifications, and Pomegranate has documented interactions with 9 drug classes — none of Interferon Alfa-2b'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 Pomegranate interact with any other medications?
Yes. Pomegranate has 922 documented drug interactions in our database — Interferon Alfa-2b 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 Interferon Alfa-2b interact with any supplements?
Yes. Interferon Alfa-2b has documented interactions with 57 supplements in our database — Pomegranate is not one of them. The Interferon Alfa-2b 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

Pomegranate monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Interferon Alfa-2b Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Interferon Alfa-2b supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Interferon Alfa-2b, 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 27 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

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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.