Drug & supplement interaction

Rhubarb + Aldesleukin

Aldesleukin brand name: Proleukin.

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

Aldesleukin falls into 2 drug categories that Rhubarb can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, long-term use of anthraquinones from rhubarb might increase the risk of nephrotoxicity when used with nephrotoxic drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Rhubarb and Aldesleukin

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Rhubarb interacts with whole categories of medication. Aldesleukin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Rhubarb in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

NEPHROTOXIC DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Aldesleukin

Aldesleukin falls under NEPHROTOXIC DRUGS — the group Rhubarb interacts with.

Theoretically, long-term use of anthraquinones from rhubarb might increase the risk of nephrotoxicity when used with nephrotoxic drugs.
The anthraquinone constituents of rhubarb have been shown to induce nephrotoxicity in animal research. Additionally, in a case report, a 23-year old female presented with kidney failure after taking 6 tablets of a proprietary slimming agent (found to contain the anthraquinones emodin and aloe-emodin from rhubarb) daily for 6 weeks and then adding diclofenac 25 mg 4 times daily for 2 days. The authors postulate that the anthraquinone constituents of rhubarb contributed to the renal dysfunction, and the addition of diclofenac, a nephrotoxic drug, led to renal failure. Until more is known, advise patients to avoid taking rhubarb if they are taking other potentially nephrotoxic drugs.
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

Aldesleukin (Proleukin) is a powerful immune-boosting cancer therapy, and one of its well-known risks is stress on the kidneys. It can cause fluid shifts, low blood pressure, and reduced kidney function on its own. The concern here is that rhubarb root contains anthraquinones (like emodin and rhein), which in animal studies and one human case report have been linked to kidney harm. Stacking two things that can each strain the kidneys may add up.

To be honest, this is a theoretical caution based on lab and animal data plus a single case report, not strong proof. Still, since Aldesleukin already taxes the kidneys, it's wise to skip concentrated rhubarb root supplements during treatment. Eating rhubarb stalks in normal food amounts is far less of a worry. Please check with your oncology team first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Kwan TH, Tong MK, Leung KT, et al. Acute renal failure associated with prolonged intake of slimming pills containing anthraquinones. Hong Kong Med J 2006;12:394-7.
  2. Yan, M., Zhang, L. Y., Sun, L. X., Jiang, Z. Z., and Xiao, X. H. Nephrotoxicity study of total rhubarb anthraquinones on Sprague Dawley rats using DNA microarrays. J Ethnopharmacol. 4-15-2006; PubMed
Moderate

HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS

2 of 2

Aldesleukin also falls under HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, concomitant use of rhubarb with potentially hepatotoxic drugs might increase the risk of developing liver damage.
Some animal research suggests that anthraquinones in rhubarb might have hepatotoxic effects. Also, rhubarb use has been linked to at least 24 cases of liver injury, although details on the dose of rhubarb and duration of use in these cases is unclear.
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 concern with pairing rhubarb supplements and Aldesleukin (Proleukin). Aldesleukin is a powerful immune-boosting cancer therapy given in a hospital setting, and one of its known risks is stress on the liver, sometimes showing up as elevated liver enzymes or jaundice. Rhubarb root contains compounds called anthraquinones that, in animal studies and a handful of human case reports, have been linked to liver injury of their own.

So the worry is simply additive. Two things that can each tax the liver, taken together, might raise the chance of trouble. I want to be honest though: this is theoretical and based on weak evidence, not proven cases with this drug. Eating rhubarb stalks in pie is very different from concentrated root supplements. Since you're on serious therapy, please run any rhubarb supplement past your oncology team first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Byeon JH, Kil JH, Ahn YC, Son CG. Systematic review of published data on herb induced liver injury. J Ethnopharmacol 2019;233:190-6. PubMed
  2. Zhao D, Feng SX, Zhang HJ, et al. Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion of five rhubarb anthraquinones in rats after oral administration of effective fraction of anthraquinones from rheum officinale. Xenobiotica. 2021;51(8):916-925. PubMed

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

Rhubarb Also Interacts With Other Medications

Rhubarb has 657 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Aldesleukin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 657 No known interaction 2,173 (incl. Aldesleukin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Rhubarb

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Rhubarb or Aldesleukin

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

This page covers Rhubarb only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aldesleukin page lists 42 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Aristolochia (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 37 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aldesleukin page

“Aldesleukin (Proleukin) is high-dose immunotherapy for advanced kidney cancer and melanoma, and the drug is itself notoriously hard on the liver and kidneys, so this list earns real wariness. All 42 supplement interactions on file land on those same two organs: 38 ingredients can add liver strain and 6 can add kidney strain.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aldesleukin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 133 real supplement products containing Rhubarb, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Rhubarb. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aldesleukin too, on top of Rhubarb — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Rhubarb and Aldesleukin 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 Rhubarb
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Aldesleukin
Top half

#910 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 Rhubarb

What is Rhubarb?

Rhubarb
  • Constipation
  • Digestive upset
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Kidney and liver conditions (traditional)
  • Pancreatitis (hospital/traditional use)

Rhubarb root has a long history of use as a laxative and in traditional Chinese medicine, and its edible stalks are a common food. Most medicinal claims are backed by limited or low-quality evidence, and the root can cause cramping and diarrhea. The leaves are toxic and should never be eaten, and rhubarb supplements are best avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Rhubarb monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Aldesleukin

What Is Aldesleukin Used For?

Brand name: Proleukin

Proleukin (aldesleukin given by intravenous infusion) is approved to treat two serious cancers in adults: metastatic renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer that has spread to other parts of the body) and metastatic melanoma (skin cancer that has spread). Both uses are specific to Proleukin administered intravenously in a hospital setting.

See full Aldesleukin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Rhubarb

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

0Major
657Moderate
0Minor
2,172No known interaction
657 Moderate 2,172 No interaction
Moderate

657 interactions

Showing 60 of 657 moderate interactions — see all 657 on the Rhubarb page.

No interaction 2,172 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,172 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Rhubarb list.

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

Can you take Rhubarb with Aldesleukin?
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 2 interactions listed for Rhubarb and Aldesleukin?
Aldesleukin belongs to more than one drug category, and Rhubarb 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 Rhubarb and Aldesleukin 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 Aldesleukin and Rhubarb?

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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.