Drug & supplement interaction

Scarlet Pimpernel + Nivolumab

Nivolumab brand name: Opdivo.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Scarlet Pimpernel and Nivolumab 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 Nivolumab states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Scarlet Pimpernel and Nivolumab

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 Nivolumab and Scarlet Pimpernel 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 Scarlet Pimpernel at all — not against Nivolumab, 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.

Scarlet Pimpernel safety at a glance

Scarlet Pimpernel overall Use caution It contains potentially toxic compounds and is not well studied, so internal use is generally discouraged.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally or topically long-term. Scarlet pimpernel shows evidence of uterine stimulant activity. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When used orally or topically long-term; avoid using. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

What Nivolumab’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Scarlet Pimpernel. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Nivolumab’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low magnesium Worth acting on
  • A change in thyroid levels Worth acting on
  • A stroke or mini-stroke Worth acting on
  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on
  • Dehydration Worth acting on
  • Trouble swallowing Worth acting on
  • Bleeding in the gut Worth acting on
  • High potassium Worth acting on
  • Low sodium Worth acting on
  • Low blood sugar Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 67 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Nivolumab. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 96,645 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Nivolumab that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Scarlet Pimpernel’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Scarlet Pimpernel side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Scarlet Pimpernel has no side effects.

Special populations

Scarlet Pimpernel in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally or topically long-term. Scarlet pimpernel shows evidence of uterine stimulant activity.

Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally or topically long-term; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Nivolumab Products Have a Food Rule — Scarlet Pimpernel Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Nivolumab says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Scarlet Pimpernel included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Nivolumab on its own and move Scarlet Pimpernel to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Nivolumab 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.

Table 2: Recommended Dosages of Intravenous OPDIVO in Combination with Other Therapeutic Agents Indication Recommended OPDIVO Dosage Duration of Therapy Unresectable or metastatic melanoma 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks with ipilimumab 3 mg/kg In combination with ipilimumab for a maximum of 4 doses or until unacceptable toxicity, whichever occurs earlier Adult patients and pediatric patients aged 12 years

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Nivolumab

This page covers Scarlet Pimpernel only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Nivolumab page lists 1 supplement it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: American Pawpaw (minor).

By severity: 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Nivolumab page

“Nivolumab (Opdivo) is an immunotherapy infusion that trains the body's own immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, the kind of drug you might expect to carry a long list of supplement warnings. It does not.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Nivolumab interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Scarlet Pimpernel and Nivolumab 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 Scarlet Pimpernel
Steady interest

#1,394 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Nivolumab
Steady interest

#2,164 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 Scarlet Pimpernel reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Scarlet Pimpernel and Nivolumab records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 Scarlet Pimpernel

What is Scarlet Pimpernel?

  • Skin conditions and wounds
  • Liver and gallbladder complaints
  • Respiratory ailments
  • Mild mood or 'melancholy' (folk use)
  • Urinary complaints

Scarlet Pimpernel is a small wild flowering plant with a long history in folk medicine, but there is very little modern scientific evidence to support any of its uses. It contains compounds called saponins that can be irritating and potentially toxic, so it is generally not recommended for internal use. If you are considering it, talk with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Lysimachia arvensis · Primulaceae · Aerial parts (leaves, flowers, and stems) · Dried herb, tinctures, infusions, and topical preparations

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

Scarlet Pimpernel: dosing

There is no established, standardized safe dose for Scarlet Pimpernel. Because of its potential toxicity and the lack of quality research, no specific milligram amount can be recommended.If you find a commercial product, follow the label directions exactly and do not exceed them.

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

Read the full Scarlet Pimpernel monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Nivolumab Injection

What Is Nivolumab Injection Used For?

Brand name: Opdivo

Opdivo (nivolumab) is used to treat many types of cancer in adults, and some in patients 12 years and older. It can be used alone or in combination with other therapies depending on the cancer type and stage. Cancers it treats include melanoma (including after surgery to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back), non-small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), classical Hodgkin lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, urothelial carcinoma (bladder cancer), colorectal cancer with specific genetic features (MSI-H or dMMR), hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), esophageal cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, and gastric (stomach) cancer.

Some uses require the tumor to test positive for a protein called PD-L1, and some are specific to certain stages of disease or prior treatments received. Your oncologist will determine which use applies to your situation.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Nivolumab

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (96,645 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Malignant neoplasm progression 9,878 reports
Diarrhea 5,251 reports
Fatigue 4,195 reports
Fever 3,721 reports
Nausea 3,182 reports
See full Nivolumab Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Scarlet Pimpernel

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Scarlet Pimpernel — 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Scarlet Pimpernel References

The 1 references that drive our Scarlet Pimpernel 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. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.

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 Scarlet Pimpernel and Nivolumab Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Scarlet Pimpernel with Nivolumab?
We do not list a known interaction between Scarlet Pimpernel and Nivolumab. 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.
Should I take Scarlet Pimpernel and Nivolumab at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Nivolumab says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Nivolumab on its own and move Scarlet Pimpernel to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Nivolumab interact with any supplements?
Yes. Nivolumab has documented interactions with 1 supplement in our database — Scarlet Pimpernel is not one of them. The Nivolumab interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Nivolumab and Scarlet Pimpernel?

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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.