Drug & supplement interaction

Puravive + Lofepramine

Lofepramine brand names: Feprapax, Lomont, Gamanil, Tymelyt.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Lofepramine falls into 2 drug categories that Puravive can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Puravive contains Panax ginseng. Panax ginseng is thought to have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval, potentially increasing the risk of ventricular arrhythmias.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceC
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Puravive and Lofepramine

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Puravive interacts with whole categories of medication. Lofepramine falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Puravive in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

Qt Interval-Prolonging Drugs

1 of 2

Why this applies to Lofepramine

Lofepramine falls under Qt Interval-Prolonging Drugs — the group Puravive interacts with.

Puravive contains Panax ginseng. Panax ginseng is thought to have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval, potentially increasing the risk of ventricular arrhythmias. However, research findings on this matter are conflicting. Clinical studies indicate that short-term use of Panax ginseng can increase the QT interval (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27240158/). However, no changes in the QT interval have been observed with prolonged use (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11978148/).
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 pairing Puravive with Lofepramine. This isn't about one speeding up or slowing down the other. Lofepramine is a tricyclic antidepressant, and like others in its family, it can slightly affect your heart's rhythm by stretching what's called the QT interval. Puravive contains Panax ginseng, which may do the same thing, so in theory the two together could add up and raise the small risk of an irregular heartbeat.

I'll be honest, the evidence here is mixed and pretty weak. Some studies show ginseng nudges the QT interval, others show no change with longer use. So I wouldn't panic, but I also wouldn't combine them on your own. Please run it by your pharmacist or doctor first, especially if you have any heart history.

Minor

Cytochrome P450 2D6 (Cyp2D6) Substrates

2 of 2

Lofepramine also falls under Cytochrome P450 2D6 (Cyp2D6) Substrates.

Puravive contains Panax ginseng. Some research suggests that Panax ginseng might slow down the activity of an enzyme called CYP2D6 by about 6%. This enzyme plays a role in breaking down drugs in our system. One study (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32557706/) found that Panax ginseng slows down the breakdown of dextromethorphan, a drug that is processed by CYP2D6, but only to a small extent. It is important to note that not all studies agree on these effects, and some suggest that Panax ginseng might not have a significant impact on CYP2D6 at all. Nevertheless, it's important to be cautious if you're taking medications that are processed by CYP2D6 and consider discussing it with your healthcare provider.
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

Lofepramine is a tricyclic antidepressant, and your liver uses an enzyme called CYP2D6 to help clear it (and its active byproduct, desipramine). Puravive contains Panax ginseng, which might slow that enzyme down a tiny bit. In theory, slower clearance could let a little more Lofepramine build up, which might mean slightly more of the usual side effects like dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness, blurred vision, or a faster heartbeat.

Honestly, though, the evidence here is weak. The studies showed only about a 6% change, and not all studies even agree it happens. For most people this is unlikely to cause a noticeable problem. Still, before adding Puravive, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye on how you feel.

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 Lofepramine 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 Lofepramine

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 Lofepramine, 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 Lofepramine

This page covers Puravive only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lofepramine page lists 244 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 15 major · 190 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Lofepramine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Puravive and Lofepramine 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
Steady interest

#1,379 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Lofepramine
Steady interest

#1,999 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
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
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 Lofepramine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Puravive with Lofepramine?
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 2 interactions listed for Puravive and Lofepramine?
Lofepramine 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 Lofepramine 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.