Drug & supplement interaction

Puravive + Sparfloxacin

Sparfloxacin brand name: Zagam.

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

Sparfloxacin falls into 3 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
Interactions3
EvidenceC
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Puravive and Sparfloxacin

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. Sparfloxacin 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

Qt Interval-Prolonging Drugs

1 of 3

Why this applies to Sparfloxacin

Sparfloxacin 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 concern with pairing Puravive and Sparfloxacin. Sparfloxacin is an antibiotic that's already well known for affecting your heart's electrical timing, something we call the QT interval. Puravive contains Panax ginseng, which in some short-term studies also nudged the QT interval a bit longer. Stack the two together and, in theory, you could add to that effect, which can raise the risk of an irregular heartbeat.

Now, I want to keep this in perspective. The ginseng research is mixed: short-term use showed small changes, while longer use showed none. So this is a possible, not certain, interaction. Still, sparfloxacin is one of the riskier antibiotics for the heart, so I'd run this combo past your pharmacist or doctor before starting Puravive.

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

Organic Anion-Transporting Polypeptide Substrates (Oatp)

2 of 3

Sparfloxacin also falls under Organic Anion-Transporting Polypeptide Substrates (Oatp).

Puravive contains quercetin. The simultaneous use of quercetin and OATP substrates (the drug in question in this interaction is reported to be an OATP substrate) may theoretically enhance their effects and adverse effects. In vitro studies indicate that quercetin can inhibit the uptake of estrone-3-sulfate and pravastatin, which are transported by OATP 1B1. Clinical research in healthy males demonstrates that co-administration of quercetin and pravastatin increases the area under the curve (AUC) of pravastatin by 24%, prolongs its half-life by 14%, and reduces its apparent clearance by 18% (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22114872/). Overall, quercetin may increase the risk of side effects of drugs that are OATP substrates when taken together.
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, a plant compound that can gently block a transporter called OATP, which helps move certain drugs around your body. Sparfloxacin (Zagam) is considered an OATP substrate, so in theory quercetin could slow its clearance a little and let more of it stick around. That might mean a slightly higher chance of this antibiotic's usual side effects, like nausea, headache, dizziness, or sun sensitivity.

I want to be honest with you, though: this is mostly theoretical. The real human data we have is with pravastatin, not sparfloxacin, and the change was modest. It's not a dangerous combo, but since this is an antibiotic you take for a set course, just mention Puravive to your pharmacist or doctor first.

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

P-Glycoprotein Substrates

3 of 3

Sparfloxacin 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 for Sparfloxacin (Zagam), an antibiotic. Puravive contains quercetin, which may block a gut transporter called P-glycoprotein. Sparfloxacin is partly moved by that same pump, so in theory more of the drug could slip into your bloodstream. It's not a prodrug, so this would mean slightly higher levels and a bit more chance of the usual side effects: stomach upset, headache, dizziness, or sun sensitivity. Sparfloxacin can also affect heart rhythm (QT), so higher levels are worth being mindful of.

That said, this is theoretical and rated minor, with mixed lab evidence. It's not a known, proven clash. Still, since Puravive's effects aren't well studied, it's smart to run this combo past your pharmacist or doctor first.

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 Sparfloxacin 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. Sparfloxacin)
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 Sparfloxacin

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 Sparfloxacin, 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 Sparfloxacin

This page covers Puravive only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sparfloxacin page lists 174 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Apple (major), Arsenic (major) and Asarabacca (major).

By severity: 14 major · 137 moderate · 23 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sparfloxacin page

“Sparfloxacin (Zagam) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic with two known quirks: it can stretch the heart's QT interval, and it makes skin burn faster in the sun. Much of this list presses on exactly those weak points, so combine carefully and get familiar with the major-rated entries before adding a supplement.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sparfloxacin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Puravive and Sparfloxacin 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sparfloxacin
Steady interest

#1,626 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 Sparfloxacin, 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 Sparfloxacin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Sparfloxacin, 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 Sparfloxacin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Puravive with Sparfloxacin?
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 Sparfloxacin?
Sparfloxacin 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 Sparfloxacin 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

Still Have a Question About Sparfloxacin 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.