Drug & supplement interaction

Puravive + Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine

Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine brand name: Dristan.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated February 2024
The bottom line Moderate

Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine falls into 3 drug categories that Puravive can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Puravive, a dietary supplement, contains several ingredients that may interact with anticoagulant drugs due to their potential mild anticoagulant effects.

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

Puravive and Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine

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. Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine 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 (Moderate).

Moderate

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

1 of 3

Why this applies to Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine

Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine falls under Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs — the group Puravive interacts with.

Puravive, a dietary supplement, contains several ingredients that may interact with anticoagulant drugs due to their potential mild anticoagulant effects. These ingredients include Kudzu, Panax ginseng, Phellodendron, and Propolis. Ginsenosides in Panax ginseng may decrease platelet aggregation in lab studies, but human studies have not confirmed this effect. Animal studies suggest low oral bioavailability of certain compounds in ginseng, which could explain differences between lab and human research. Propolis water extract and caffeic acid phenethyl ester, found in propolis, have also been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation in lab studies. Additionally, in an animal model, propolis taken with warfarin reduced the effectiveness of warfarin, suggesting a potential interaction with anticoagulant drugs. Lastly, Phellodendron contains berberine, which studies show may inhibit platelet aggregation.
Severity Moderate 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 thing to know about combining Puravive with a product like Dristan, which contains both ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine. The piece that matters most is the ibuprofen. Several ingredients in Puravive (ginseng, propolis, kudzu, and berberine-containing phellodendron) may have mild blood-thinning effects in lab studies. Ibuprofen, on its own, can already irritate the stomach lining and make it harder for blood to clot. Stacking these together could, in theory, raise your risk of bruising or stomach bleeding.

To be fair, this is mostly lab and animal data, not strong human proof, so I wouldn't panic. But if you take Puravive regularly or have any bleeding or ulcer history, run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
Moderate

Cytochrome P450 2C9 (Cyp2C9) Substrates

2 of 3

Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine also falls under Cytochrome P450 2C9 (Cyp2C9) Substrates.

Puravive contains quercetin, which has been shown in studies to mildly inhibit the CYP2C9 metabolizing enzyme. This inhibition could potentially increase the risk of side effects from drugs. A small clinical trial with healthy volunteers found that taking 500 mg of quercetin twice daily for 10 days before using diclofenac, a drug metabolized by CYP2C9, increased diclofenac plasma levels by 75% and extended its half-life by 32.5% (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29168292/). Combining quercetin with drugs metabolized by CYP2C9 could increase the risk of side effects, so caution is advised.
Severity Moderate 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 quick rundown. This combo product has two parts: ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine. The ibuprofen half is partly cleared by an enzyme called CYP2C9, and Puravive contains quercetin, which can mildly slow that enzyme down. If the enzyme works slower, ibuprofen can build up a bit and linger longer in your body. That means a slightly higher chance of typical ibuprofen side effects, like stomach upset, heartburn, or, over time, kidney strain.

Keep in mind this is based on limited evidence (a small study using a different drug), so the real-world effect is probably modest. The pseudoephedrine part isn't really involved here. If you take Puravive regularly and reach for this medicine often, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
Minor

Stimulant Drugs

3 of 3

Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine also falls under Stimulant Drugs.

Puravive contains Panax ginseng. Panax ginseng has demonstrated stimulant effects in some studies, which could potentially heighten the effects of other stimulant drugs (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8879982/). It is unlikely this would result in a significant risk of side effects, but it is important to be aware of.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

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 piece to focus on with your Dristan: it contains pseudoephedrine, which is itself a stimulant decongestant. Puravive includes Panax ginseng, and ginseng has shown mild stimulant-like effects in a few studies. The concern is simply that two stimulating things together could add up a bit, so you might notice things like jitteriness, a faster or pounding heartbeat, trouble sleeping, or a slightly higher blood pressure.

That said, this is rated as a minor and unlikely interaction, and the evidence behind it is weak. For most people it won't cause real trouble. Still, if you have high blood pressure, heart issues, or feel wired or anxious, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor before combining them. The ibuprofen part isn't involved here.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction

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 356 moderate, 881 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 356 Minor 881 No known interaction 1,593 (incl. Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine)
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 Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine

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 Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine, 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 Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine

This page covers Puravive only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine page lists 308 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 11 major · 262 moderate · 35 minor.

Open the Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Puravive and Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine
Steady interest

#2,035 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
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
356Moderate
881Minor
1,592No known interaction
356 Moderate 881 Minor 1,592 No interaction
Moderate

356 interactions

Showing 60 of 356 moderate interactions — see all 356 on the Puravive page.

Minor

881 interactions

Showing 60 of 881 minor interactions — see all 881 on the Puravive page.

No interaction 1,592 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,592 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Puravive list.

See the full Puravive interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Puravive monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Puravive and Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Puravive with Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Puravive and Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine?
Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine 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 Ibuprofen, Pseudoephedrine interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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.