Drug & supplement interaction

Thunder God Vine + Fluconazole

Fluconazole brand names: Diflucan, Diflucan Injection.

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

Thunder God Vine has a moderate interaction with Fluconazole. Theoretically, CYP3A4 inhibitors might increase the levels and adverse effects of thunder god vine constituents.

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

Thunder God Vine and Fluconazole

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS

Why this applies to Fluconazole

Fluconazole falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS — the group Thunder God Vine interacts with.

Theoretically, CYP3A4 inhibitors might increase the levels and adverse effects of thunder god vine constituents.
Inhibitors of CYP3A4 can increase the concentration of triptolide, a thunder god vine constituent, and its derivative (5R)-5-hydroxytriptolide. In vitro research shows that triptolide and (5R)-5-hydroxytriptolide are about 94% and 64% metabolized by CYP3A4, respectively.
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 thing to know if you're pairing these two: Fluconazole blocks a liver enzyme called CYP3A4, which is one of the main pathways your body uses to break down the active compounds in Thunder God Vine (triptolide and its relatives). When that cleanup crew slows down, those herbal compounds can build up higher than expected. Since Thunder God Vine can already be quite toxic, that's the worry here, not a problem with the fluconazole itself.

A buildup could mean more of the herb's known side effects, like stomach upset, diarrhea, or in serious cases liver or other organ harm. To be fair, this is a theoretical concern based on lab research, not strong human studies. Still, because Thunder God Vine has a real toxicity risk, please loop in your doctor or pharmacist before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Xu Y, Zhang YF, Chen XY, Zhong DF. CYP3A4 inducer and inhibitor strongly affect the pharmacokinetics of triptolide and its derivative in rats. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2018;39(8):1386-1392. 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

Thunder God Vine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Thunder God Vine has 848 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Fluconazole one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 848 No known interaction 1,982 (incl. Fluconazole)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Thunder God Vine

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Thunder God Vine or Fluconazole

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

This page covers Thunder God Vine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fluconazole page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 54 moderate · 23 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Fluconazole page

“Fluconazole (Diflucan) treats fungal infections, and I would pair it with supplements carefully. Nearly half of the 81 ingredients with an interaction on file, 38 of them, put extra strain on the liver, which is already busy processing the antifungal.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Fluconazole interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Thunder God Vine and Fluconazole 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 Thunder God Vine
Steady interest

#1,103 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Fluconazole
Top 25%

#300 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 Thunder God Vine

What is Thunder God Vine?

Thunder God Vine
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Lupus and autoimmune conditions
  • Inflammation
  • Skin conditions like psoriasis
  • Immune-related disorders

Thunder God Vine is a Chinese herb studied mainly for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, with some promising but limited evidence. It can be toxic if prepared or dosed improperly, and may cause serious side effects, so it should only be used under medical supervision. Avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Thunder God Vine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Fluconazole

What Is Fluconazole Used For?

Brand names: Diflucan, Diflucan Injection

Fluconazole treats infections caused by Candida and Cryptococcus fungi. Diflucan tablets and oral fluconazole tablets and suspension are approved to treat vaginal yeast infections (vaginal candidiasis), thrush in the mouth or throat (oropharyngeal candidiasis), and yeast infections of the esophagus. All forms — tablets, oral suspension, and injection — are used for cryptococcal meningitis (a serious fungal brain infection). In smaller studies, fluconazole has also shown effectiveness against Candida urinary tract infections, peritonitis (infection in the abdomen), and serious systemic (bloodstream and organ) Candida infections.

Fluconazole is also used to prevent candidiasis in people undergoing bone marrow transplants who receive chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Note that vaginal candidiasis is an approved use for the tablets and Diflucan oral products, but not for the injection or oral suspension alone.

See full Fluconazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Thunder God Vine

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

0Major
848Moderate
0Minor
1,981No known interaction
848 Moderate 1,981 No interaction
Moderate

848 interactions

Showing 60 of 848 moderate interactions — see all 848 on the Thunder God Vine page.

No interaction 1,981 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,981 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Thunder God Vine list.

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

Can you take Thunder God Vine with Fluconazole?
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 Thunder God Vine and Fluconazole 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 Fluconazole and Thunder God Vine?

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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.