Drug & supplement interaction

Puravive + Propoxyphene

Propoxyphene brand names: Darvon, Prophene-65, Margesic, Davon.

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

Puravive has a minor interaction with Propoxyphene. Puravive contains Panax ginseng. Some research suggests that Panax ginseng might slow down the activity of an enzyme called CYP2D6 by about 6%.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Puravive and Propoxyphene

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

Minor

Cytochrome P450 2D6 (Cyp2D6) Substrates

Why this applies to Propoxyphene

Propoxyphene falls under Cytochrome P450 2D6 (Cyp2D6) Substrates — the group Puravive interacts with.

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

Here's the short version on mixing Puravive with propoxyphene. Puravive contains Panax ginseng, which a few studies suggest may slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2D6 by a tiny amount (around 6%). Propoxyphene is partly handled by that same enzyme, so in theory the ginseng could let a little more of it linger in your body. With an opioid pain reliever, that could mean slightly stronger effects like drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, or nausea.

Honestly, though, the evidence here is weak and the effect is small, so for most people this is unlikely to cause a noticeable problem. The bigger concern is simply that propoxyphene itself is a risky older opioid. Please don't change anything on your own. Just give your pharmacist or doctor a quick heads-up before combining them.

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

Moderate 357 Minor 880 No known interaction 1,593 (incl. Propoxyphene)
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 Propoxyphene

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 Propoxyphene, 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 Propoxyphene

This page covers Puravive only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Propoxyphene page lists 172 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), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Kava (major).

By severity: 8 major · 141 moderate · 23 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Propoxyphene page

“Propoxyphene (Darvon) is an opioid painkiller, and the biggest hazard among the 172 supplement interactions on file is anything else that slows the brain and breathing. Seventy-eight of these ingredients pile on that sedation, alcohol and kava among the worst rated, and with an opioid the combination can push breathing dangerously low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Propoxyphene interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Puravive and Propoxyphene 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

#1,357 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Propoxyphene
Top 5%

#85 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 Acetaminophen, Butalbital, and Caffeine

What Is Acetaminophen, Butalbital, and Caffeine Used For?

Brand names: Darvon, Prophene-65, Margesic, Davon

This three-ingredient combination — butalbital, acetaminophen, and caffeine — is used to relieve the symptoms of tension headache (also called muscle contraction headache). All supported products, including tablets, capsules, and oral solution, share this same approved use.

It is worth knowing that evidence for using this combination to treat repeated, frequent tension headaches over time is limited. Because butalbital can be habit-forming, extended or repeated use is not recommended.

See full Acetaminophen, Butalbital, and Caffeine 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
357 Moderate 880 Minor 1,592 No 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

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 Propoxyphene, 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 Propoxyphene supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Propoxyphene, ranked by severity Acetaminophen, Butalbital, and Caffeine drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Propoxyphene Together: Common Questions

Can you take Puravive with Propoxyphene?
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 Puravive and Propoxyphene 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 Propoxyphene and Puravive?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.