Drug & supplement interaction

Rabdosia Rubescens + Afatinib Dimaleate

Afatinib Dimaleate brand name: Gilotrif.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Rabdosia Rubescens has a moderate interaction with Afatinib Dimaleate. Rabdosia rubescens might increase levels of p-glycoprotein substrates.

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

Rabdosia Rubescens and Afatinib Dimaleate

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Afatinib Dimaleate

Afatinib Dimaleate falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Rabdosia Rubescens interacts with.

Rabdosia rubescens might increase levels of p-glycoprotein substrates. In vitro research shows that Rabdosia rubescens extract inhibits p-glycoprotein levels and activity. Drugs that might be affected include some chemotherapeutic agents (doxorubicin, etoposide, paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine), antifungals (ketoconazole, itraconazole), protease inhibitors (amprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir), H2 antagonists (cimetidine, ranitidine), some calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, verapamil), digoxin, corticosteroids, erythromycin, cisapride (Propulsid), fexofenadine (Allegra), cyclosporine, loperamide (Imodium), quinidine, and others.
Severity Moderate 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 gist for afatinib (Gilotrif). Your body uses a kind of cellular gatekeeper called P-glycoprotein to help push afatinib back out of cells and move it along for removal. In lab studies, Rabdosia rubescens seems to slow that gatekeeper down. If that happened in people, more afatinib could stay in your system, which can mean stronger side effects like diarrhea, mouth sores, an acne-like skin rash, and dry or irritated skin.

The important caveat: this is based only on test-tube research, not on real patients, so we honestly don't know how much it matters in everyday life. Because afatinib is a serious cancer drug with a tight dosing window, I'd play it safe and check with your oncologist or pharmacist before adding this herb. Please don't change your afatinib on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Li F, Fan J, Wu Z, et al. Reversal effects of Rabdosia rubescens extract on multidrug resistance of MCF-7/Adr cells in vitro. Pharm Biol. 2013;51(9):1196-203.

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

Rabdosia Rubescens Also Interacts With Other Medications

Rabdosia Rubescens has 713 moderate, 69 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Afatinib Dimaleate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 713 Minor 69 No known interaction 2,048 (incl. Afatinib Dimaleate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Rabdosia Rubescens

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Rabdosia Rubescens. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Afatinib Dimaleate

This page covers Rabdosia Rubescens only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Afatinib Dimaleate page lists 54 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), St. John's Wort (major), Bitter Melon (moderate), Black Pepper (moderate) and Bulbine Natalensis (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 35 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Afatinib Dimaleate page

“Afatinib (Gilotrif) is a targeted lung cancer therapy, and because its effectiveness depends on keeping a steady blood level, this list deserves genuine care. Most of the 54 supplements here either change how much of the drug the gut absorbs or interfere with P-glycoprotein, a pump that moves afatinib across cell walls, pushing its lev…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Afatinib Dimaleate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Rabdosia Rubescens and Afatinib Dimaleate 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 Rabdosia Rubescens
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Afatinib Dimaleate
Top half

#832 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 Rabdosia Rubescens

What is Rabdosia Rubescens?

Rabdosia Rubescens
  • Sore throat and respiratory complaints
  • Inflammation
  • Antimicrobial support
  • Digestive complaints
  • Traditional cancer support

Rabdosia rubescens is a Chinese herb traditionally used for sore throats, inflammation, and infections, and its compound oridonin has drawn lab interest for possible anticancer effects. However, strong human evidence is lacking for any use, and safety has not been well studied, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Read the full Rabdosia Rubescens monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Afatinib

What Is Afatinib Used For?

Brand name: Gilotrif

Gilotrif (afatinib) is used to treat metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) — cancer that has spread and cannot be removed by surgery. It has two specific approved uses.

First, Gilotrif is used as an initial treatment for metastatic NSCLC when the tumor carries certain EGFR mutations (gene changes in the cancer cells) confirmed by an FDA-approved test — specifically non-resistant mutations. Second, Gilotrif is used to treat metastatic squamous NSCLC (a particular cell type of lung cancer) in patients whose cancer progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

See full Afatinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Rabdosia Rubescens

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

0Major
713Moderate
69Minor
2,047No known interaction
713 Moderate 69 Minor 2,047 No interaction
Moderate

713 interactions

Showing 60 of 713 moderate interactions — see all 713 on the Rabdosia Rubescens page.

Minor

69 interactions

Showing 60 of 69 minor interactions — see all 69 on the Rabdosia Rubescens page.

No interaction 2,047 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,047 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Rabdosia Rubescens list.

See the full Rabdosia Rubescens interactions page
See every supplement checked against Afatinib Dimaleate, 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
Rabdosia Rubescens monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Afatinib Dimaleate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Afatinib Dimaleate, ranked by severity Afatinib 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 Rabdosia Rubescens and Afatinib Dimaleate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Rabdosia Rubescens with Afatinib Dimaleate?
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.
How serious is the Rabdosia Rubescens and Afatinib Dimaleate 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 Afatinib Dimaleate and Rabdosia Rubescens?

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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.