Drug & supplement interaction

Pygeum + Tafenoquine

Tafenoquine brand names: Krintafel, Arakoda.

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 Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine

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 Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine, 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 Tafenoquine and Pygeum? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Pygeum and Tafenoquine May Share a Side Effect

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.

  • Nausea reported in 20.0% of FDA reports for Tafenoquine 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

    Tafenoquine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Tafenoquine, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Pygeum but not commonly for Tafenoquine: stomach pain.

Effects for Tafenoquine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Pygeum come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 70 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Tafenoquine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. 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 Tafenoquine Products Have a Food Rule — Pygeum Should Not Break It

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

( 2.1 ) Regimen Name Timing Dosage Loading regimen For each of the 3 days before travel to a malarious area 200 mg (2 of the 100 mg tablets) once daily for 3 days Maintenance regimen While in the malarious area 200 mg (2 of the 100 mg tablets) once weekly – start 7 days after the last loading regimen dose Terminal prophylaxis regimen In the week following exit from the malarious area 200 mg (2 of

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Tafenoquine — 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 Tafenoquine 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. Tafenoquine 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.

Tafenoquine is prescribed for: Tafenoquine is used for two distinct purposes depending on the product. Arakoda and Kodatef are used for malaria prophylaxis — that is, preventing malaria in adults 18 and older who are traveling to or living in areas where malaria is present. Krintafel is used for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria — meaning it prevents the malaria parasite from coming back (relapsing) in patients 16 and older who are already being treated with chloroquine for an active P. vivax infection.

Read the rest of what Tafenoquine is prescribed for

Krintafel is not used to treat an active malaria attack on its own, and it should only be used alongside chloroquine, not other antimalarials.

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 Tafenoquine 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tafenoquine

This page covers Pygeum only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tafenoquine page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tafenoquine page

“Tafenoquine (Krintafel, Arakoda) protects against malaria, including the relapsing kind that hides in the liver, and every supplement known to interact with it threatens the same thing, how much of the pill actually reaches your blood. That deserves genuine care, since a partly absorbed antimalarial can let parasites survive and resurf…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine, 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 Tafenoquine 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tafenoquine
Steady interest

#2,373 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 Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine

What Is Tafenoquine Used For?

Brand names: Krintafel, Arakoda

Tafenoquine is used for two distinct purposes depending on the product. Arakoda and Kodatef are used for malaria prophylaxis — that is, preventing malaria in adults 18 and older who are traveling to or living in areas where malaria is present.

Krintafel is used for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria — meaning it prevents the malaria parasite from coming back (relapsing) in patients 16 and older who are already being treated with chloroquine for an active P. vivax infection. Krintafel is not used to treat an active malaria attack on its own, and it should only be used alongside chloroquine, not other antimalarials.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Tafenoquine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (70 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Depression 20 reports
Anxiety 18 reports
Post-traumatic stress disorder 15 reports
Anger 14 reports
Nausea 14 reports
See full Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine, 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 Tafenoquine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Pygeum with Tafenoquine?
We do not list a known interaction between Pygeum and Tafenoquine. 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 Tafenoquine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one 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 Tafenoquine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Tafenoquine says to take it with food. If you take Pygeum on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Tafenoquine with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Tafenoquine products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Pygeum and Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine is being adjusted to a target.
Does Tafenoquine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Tafenoquine has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Pygeum is not one of them. The Tafenoquine 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 Tafenoquine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Tafenoquine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Tafenoquine, 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 Tafenoquine 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.