Drug & supplement interaction

Puravive + Ambrisentan

Ambrisentan brand names: Letairis, Volibris.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Ambrisentan falls into 3 drug categories that Puravive can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Puravive contains Panax ginseng. Panax ginseng has the potential to affect the breakdown of drugs that are metabolized by an enzyme called CYP3A4.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Puravive and Ambrisentan

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Puravive interacts with whole categories of medication. Ambrisentan falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Puravive in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates

1 of 3

Why this applies to Ambrisentan

Ambrisentan falls under Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates — the group Puravive interacts with.

Puravive contains Panax ginseng. Panax ginseng has the potential to affect the breakdown of drugs that are metabolized by an enzyme called CYP3A4. One example of such a drug is imatinib. There was a case where imatinib was thought to have caused liver damage, and it was believed that this might have been due to Panax ginseng inhibiting CYP3A4, which is involved in imatinib's metabolism (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20332334/). On the other hand, Panax ginseng has been found to increase the breakdown of another drug called midazolam, which is also metabolized by CYP3A4 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21646440/), suggesting Panax ginseng induces CYP3A4 in some cases (i.e., makes more potent). Given these contradictory findings, it is important to use Panax ginseng cautiously if you are taking medications that are metabolized by CYP3A4, as the interaction between Panax ginseng and these drugs is not fully understood.
Severity Minor 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 short version for your situation. Puravive contains Panax ginseng, and your ambrisentan (Letairis) is partly handled by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. Ginseng has pulled in different directions in studies, sometimes slowing this enzyme and sometimes speeding it up, so we honestly can't predict which way it would push ambrisentan levels.

If ginseng slowed the breakdown, more ambrisentan could linger and you might notice more swelling in the legs, nasal congestion, flushing, or headache. If it sped things up, the drug could work a bit less well for your lung pressure. The evidence here is weak and the risk is rated minor, so don't panic, but please run Puravive past your pharmacist or PAH doctor first, since this medication is too important to gamble with.

Minor

Antihypertensive Drugs

2 of 3

Ambrisentan also falls under Antihypertensive Drugs.

Puravive contains quercetin, which has been found to slightly reduce blood pressure in individuals with mild hypertension (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17951477/). There is a theoretical possibility that it could enhance the blood pressure-lowering effects of antihypertensive medications.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence C

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 simple version. Puravive contains quercetin, which in one small study nudged blood pressure down a little in people with mild hypertension. Ambrisentan (Letairis) relaxes and widens blood vessels in your lungs, and as a side effect it can also lower your overall blood pressure a bit. So in theory, stacking the two could add up to slightly more blood-pressure lowering.

What might that feel like? Lightheadedness, dizziness when you stand up, or feeling unusually tired. To be fair, this is a theoretical, minor concern based on weak evidence, not something proven with this product. Still, since you're managing pulmonary hypertension, I'd run Puravive past your doctor or pharmacist before adding it, and let them know if you notice any new dizziness.

Minor

P-Glycoprotein Substrates

3 of 3

Ambrisentan also falls under P-Glycoprotein Substrates.

Puravive contains quercetin. Theoretically, concurrent use of quercetin and P-glycoprotein substrates might alter the effects and adverse effects of the drugs. There is preliminary evidence suggesting that quercetin inhibits the P-glycoprotein efflux pump in the gastrointestinal tract. This inhibition could potentially increase the bioavailability and serum levels of drugs transported by this pump. For example, a small study in healthy volunteers found that pretreatment with quercetin increased bioavailability and plasma levels following a single dose of cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15581264/). However, other small studies have shown that quercetin might decrease the absorption of talinolol, another substrate of the gastrointestinal P-glycoprotein efflux pump. Interestingly, several days of quercetin treatment did not significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of saquinavir (Invirase) in another small study (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16945047/). The reason for these discrepancies is not entirely clear. Until more is known, it is advisable to use quercetin cautiously in combination with P-glycoprotein substrates.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence C

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 gist: Puravive contains quercetin, and quercetin may block a transporter in your gut called P-glycoprotein. Ambrisentan happens to ride on that same transporter. If quercetin slows it down, a little more ambrisentan could get absorbed, which in theory might nudge up its levels and side effects like fluid retention (swelling in the legs or feet), a stuffy nose, headache, or feeling flushed.

I want to be honest about how soft this evidence is. It's mostly theoretical, drawn from studies on other drugs, and quercetin has actually pushed levels up in some cases and down in others. So the real-world impact on ambrisentan is uncertain. Since ambrisentan treats a serious lung condition, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding Puravive rather than changing anything on your own.

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

Puravive Also Interacts With Other Medications

Puravive has 357 moderate, 880 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Ambrisentan one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Puravive

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Puravive or Ambrisentan

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Puravive or Ambrisentan, 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 Ambrisentan

This page covers Puravive only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ambrisentan page lists 256 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Beer (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 9 major · 210 moderate · 37 minor.

Open the Ambrisentan interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Puravive and Ambrisentan 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 Puravive
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ambrisentan
Top half

#1,029 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 Puravive

What is Puravive?

Puravive
  • Weight management
  • Metabolism support
  • Energy levels
  • General wellness
  • Stress and brain health

Puravive is a branded, multi-ingredient capsule marketed mainly for weight loss by claiming to boost brown fat activity, but there is no published, independent clinical research showing the product itself works for this purpose. Some individual ingredients have been studied in laboratory or small human studies, but those results do not prove the finished blend is safe or effective. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before trying it, especially if you have health conditions or take medications.

Read the full Puravive monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ambrisentan

What Is Ambrisentan Used For?

Brand names: Letairis, Volibris

Ambrisentan tablets and Letairis tablets are both used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group 1) — a condition where the blood pressure in the arteries leading to the lungs is dangerously high. Both are approved to help adults exercise better and slow the worsening of PAH.

Both ambrisentan tablets and Letairis are also approved to be used together with tadalafil (another PAH medicine) to further reduce the risk of disease progression, lower the chance of hospitalization for worsening PAH, and improve exercise ability. Most of the clinical evidence was in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms and PAH caused by unknown or inherited causes, or PAH linked to connective tissue diseases.

See full Ambrisentan drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Puravive

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

0Major
357Moderate
880Minor
1,592No known interaction
Moderate

357 interactions

Showing 60 of 357 moderate interactions — see all 357 on the Puravive page.

Minor

880 interactions

Showing 60 of 880 minor interactions — see all 880 on the Puravive page.

No interaction 1,592 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 Puravive and Ambrisentan Together: Common Questions

Can you take Puravive with Ambrisentan?
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.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Puravive and Ambrisentan?
Ambrisentan belongs to more than one drug category, and Puravive interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Puravive and Ambrisentan 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

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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.