Drug & supplement interaction

St. John's Wort + Apomorphine Hydrochloride

Apomorphine Hydrochloride brand name: Kynmobi.

Major Interaction
The bottom line Major

St. John's Wort has a major interaction with Apomorphine Hydrochloride. St. John's wort decreases the levels and clinical effects of P-glycoprotein substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

St. John's Wort and Apomorphine Hydrochloride

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

Major

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Apomorphine Hydrochloride

Apomorphine Hydrochloride falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group St. John's Wort interacts with.

St. John's wort decreases the levels and clinical effects of P-glycoprotein substrates.
St. John's wort induces P-glycoprotein. P-glycoprotein is a carrier mechanism responsible for transporting drugs and other substances across cell membranes. When P-glycoprotein is induced in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, it can prevent the absorption of some medications. In addition, induction of p-glycoprotein can decrease entry of drugs into the central nervous system (CNS) and decrease access to other sites of action.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist for Kynmobi (apomorphine). St. John's wort revs up a transporter called P-glycoprotein, which acts like a bouncer that pushes drugs out of your gut and away from the brain. When this transporter speeds up, less of your apomorphine may reach where it needs to go.

For someone using apomorphine to rescue an 'off' episode in Parkinson's, that could mean it doesn't kick in as well, so the stiffness, slowness, or trouble walking you're trying to relieve may not ease up like usual. The evidence here is moderate, but the stakes are real since you depend on this medicine working when you need it. Please don't change anything on your own. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before combining these.

References
  1. Johne A, Brockmoller J, Bauer S, et al. Pharmacokinetic interaction of digoxin with an herbal extract from St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). Clin Pharmacol Ther 1999;66:338-45.
  2. Durr D, Stieger B, Kullak-Ublick GA, et al. St. John's Wort induces intestinal P-glycoprotein/MDR1 and intestinal and hepatic CYP3A4. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2000;68:598-604. PubMed
  3. Hennessy M, Kelleher D, Spiers JP, et al. St Johns wort increases expression of P-glycoprotein: implications for drug interactions. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2002;53:75-82.
  4. Kim RB. Drugs as P-glycoprotein substrates, inhibitors, and inducers. Drug Metab Rev 2002;34:47-54. 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

St. John's Wort Also Interacts With Other Medications

St. John's Wort has 754 major, 388 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Apomorphine Hydrochloride one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against St. John's Wort

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against St. John's Wort. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About St. John's Wort or Apomorphine Hydrochloride

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers St. John's Wort or Apomorphine Hydrochloride, 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 Apomorphine Hydrochloride

This page covers St. John's Wort only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Apomorphine Hydrochloride page lists 67 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ayahuasca (moderate), Bitter Melon (moderate), Black Horehound (moderate) and Black Pepper (moderate).

Open the Apomorphine Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

Taking St. John's Wort as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,159 real supplement products containing St. John's Wort, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides St. John's Wort. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Apomorphine Hydrochloride too, on top of St. John's Wort — 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 St. John's Wort and Apomorphine Hydrochloride 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 St. John's Wort
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Apomorphine Hydrochloride
Steady interest

#1,916 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 St. John's Wort

What is St. John's Wort?

St. John's Wort
  • Mild to moderate depression
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Sleep problems
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Wound healing (topical)

St. John's wort is a well-studied herb most often used for mild to moderate depression, and some research suggests it may help with this. However, it has many serious interactions with prescription medicines and is not safe for everyone, so always talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking it.

Read the full St. John's Wort monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & St. John's Wort

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

754Major
388Moderate
0Minor
1,687No known interaction
Major

754 interactions

Showing 60 of 754 major interactions — see all 754 on the St. John's Wort page.

Moderate

388 interactions

Showing 60 of 388 moderate interactions — see all 388 on the St. John's Wort page.

No interaction 1,687 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking St. John's Wort and Apomorphine Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Can you take St. John's Wort with Apomorphine Hydrochloride?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the St. John's Wort and Apomorphine Hydrochloride interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Apomorphine Hydrochloride and St. John's Wort?

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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.