Drug & supplement interaction

Pygeum + Hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine brand name: Plaquenil.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Hydroxychloroquine states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Hydroxychloroquine and Pygeum in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Pygeum at all — not against Hydroxychloroquine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Pygeum safety at a glance

Pygeum overall Use caution Generally well tolerated short-term, but quality and long-term safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Avoid Pygeum is used for men's prostate health and has no established safe use in pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Hydroxychloroquine and Pygeum? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Stomach pain / Nausea Additional detail

    Pygeum

    “Orally, pygeum has been associated with nausea and abdominal pain in some clinical research. However, the rate of these events were similar to placebo.”

    Pygeum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    3 sources cited
    1. 10425. Ishani A, MacDonald R, Nelson D, et al. Pygeum africanum for the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis. Am J Med 2000;109:654-64.. PubMed
    2. 10426. Wilt T, Ishani A, Mac Donald R, et al. Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002;CD001044.. PubMed
    3. 70238. Andro M and Riffaud J. Pygeum africanum extract for the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a review of 25 years of published experience. Curr Ther Res 1995;56(8):796-817. DOI

    Hydroxychloroquine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Hydroxychloroquine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Effects for Hydroxychloroquine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Pygeum come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Hydroxychloroquine Products Have a Food Rule — Pygeum Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Hydroxychloroquine says to take it with food. If you take Pygeum on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Hydroxychloroquine with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Hydroxychloroquine products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Rheumatoid Arthritis in Adults ( 2.3 ): Initial dosage: 400 mg to 600 mg daily Chronic dosage: 200 mg once daily or 400 mg once daily (or in two divided doses) Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adults ( 2.4 ): 200 mg once daily or 400 mg once daily (or in two divided doses) Chronic Discoid Lupus Erythematosus in Adults ( 2.5 ): 200 mg once daily or 400 mg once daily (or in two divided doses) 2.1 Imp

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Hydroxychloroquine — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Overlapping uses

What Hydroxychloroquine Is Prescribed For, and What Pygeum Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Hydroxychloroquine is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Pygeum is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Hydroxychloroquine is prescribed for: Hydroxychloroquine tablets are used to treat uncomplicated malaria and to help prevent malaria in areas where the parasite has not developed resistance to it — in both adults and children. It is also used in adults to treat rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and chronic discoid lupus erythematosus. There are important limits: it is not recommended for complicated or drug-resistant malaria, malaria acquired in regions where resistance is known, or to prevent malaria relapses caused by P. vivax or P.

Read the rest of what Hydroxychloroquine is prescribed for

ovale. Its use for the autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid arthritis and lupus) is approved for adults only.

Pygeum has been studied for:

  • Malaria studied, not established Pygeum has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Pygeum for malaria

    Although there has been interest in using oral pygeum for malaria, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of pygeum for this purpose.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Hydroxychloroquine on your own; if you are taking Pygeum for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Pygeum or Hydroxychloroquine

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

This page covers Pygeum only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydroxychloroquine page lists 32 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 7 major · 16 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Hydroxychloroquine page

“Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can stretch the QT interval on its own, the pause between heartbeats that, prolonged too far, can trigger a dangerous rhythm. Thirteen of the supplements and herbs on this page add to that same effect, grapefruit in large amounts among them, and that overlap is why this list calls for genuine care rather…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Hydroxychloroquine interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Pygeum as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 905 real supplement products containing Pygeum, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Pygeum. Even though Pygeum itself has no known interaction with Hydroxychloroquine, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine 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 Pygeum
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydroxychloroquine
Top 25%

#694 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Pygeum reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Pygeum

What is Pygeum?

  • Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms
  • Urinary symptoms in men
  • Prostate health
  • Inflammation

Pygeum is an extract from the bark of the African cherry tree that is most often used to ease urinary symptoms linked to an enlarged prostate. Some studies suggest modest benefit for these symptoms, but the research is limited and not high quality. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using it, especially since urinary symptoms can have serious causes.

Prunus africana · Rosaceae · Bark · Capsules, tablets, liquid extracts

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Pygeum is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Pygeum record says about it on its own.

Pygeum: dosing

There is no single official or standardized dose of pygeum. Do not assume that taking more will work better, and let your healthcare provider know you are using it so they can monitor your symptoms.

From our Pygeum monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Pygeum monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Hydroxychloroquine

What Is Hydroxychloroquine Used For?

Brand name: Plaquenil

Hydroxychloroquine tablets are used to treat uncomplicated malaria and to help prevent malaria in areas where the parasite has not developed resistance to it — in both adults and children. It is also used in adults to treat rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and chronic discoid lupus erythematosus.

There are important limits: it is not recommended for complicated or drug-resistant malaria, malaria acquired in regions where resistance is known, or to prevent malaria relapses caused by P. vivax or P. ovale. Its use for the autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid arthritis and lupus) is approved for adults only.

See full Hydroxychloroquine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Pygeum

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Pygeum list.

See the full Pygeum interactions page
See every supplement checked against Hydroxychloroquine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Pygeum References

The 3 references that drive our Pygeum monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Ishani A, MacDonald R, Nelson D, et al. Pygeum africanum for the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis. Am J Med 2000;109:654-64.. PubMed
  2. Wilt T, Ishani A, Mac Donald R, et al. Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002;CD001044.. PubMed
  3. Andro M and Riffaud J. Pygeum africanum extract for the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a review of 25 years of published experience. Curr Ther Res 1995;56(8):796-817. DOI

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Pygeum with Hydroxychloroquine?
We do not list a known interaction between Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Hydroxychloroquine says to take it with food. If you take Pygeum on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Hydroxychloroquine with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Hydroxychloroquine products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Pygeum and Hydroxychloroquine used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Pygeum in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Hydroxychloroquine is being adjusted to a target.
Does Hydroxychloroquine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Hydroxychloroquine has documented interactions with 32 supplements in our database — Pygeum is not one of them. The Hydroxychloroquine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Pygeum monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Hydroxychloroquine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Hydroxychloroquine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Hydroxychloroquine, 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 References The 3 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Hydroxychloroquine and Pygeum?

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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.