Drug & supplement interaction

Thymus Extract + Tacrolimus

Tacrolimus brand names: Prograf (capsule), Prograf (injectable), Protopic, Prograf XL, Astagraf XL, and others.

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

Thymus Extract has a moderate interaction with Tacrolimus. Theoretically, patients taking immunosuppressants may be at an increased risk of infection from contaminated thymus extract.

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

Thymus Extract and Tacrolimus

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

Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Tacrolimus

Tacrolimus falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS — the group Thymus Extract interacts with.

Theoretically, patients taking immunosuppressants may be at an increased risk of infection from contaminated thymus extract.
Thymus extract is derived from raw bovine thymus glands and is at risk for contamination. Tell patients to avoid thymus extract products unless these products are certified as pathogen-free.
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 keep in mind with tacrolimus: it's a powerful immunosuppressant, so it purposely dials down your immune system to protect your transplanted organ. The concern with thymus extract isn't really about how your body processes the tacrolimus. It's about safety. Thymus extract is made from raw cow (bovine) gland tissue, which can carry germs if it isn't properly purified.

Because tacrolimus already lowers your defenses, an infection you'd normally fight off could hit you harder and turn into something serious. This worry is theoretical, based on how the product is made rather than reported cases, but it's a sensible caution. I'd skip thymus extract unless it's certified pathogen-free, and honestly, please check with your transplant team before adding any supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Lewis CJ. Letter to reiterate certain public health and safety concerns to firms manufacturing or importing dietary supplements that contain specific bovine tissues. FDA. Available at: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dspltr05.html.

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

Thymus Extract Also Interacts With Other Medications

Thymus Extract has 120 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Tacrolimus one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 120 No known interaction 2,710 (incl. Tacrolimus)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Thymus Extract

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Thymus Extract or Tacrolimus

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

This page covers Thymus Extract only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tacrolimus page lists 202 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Asarabacca (major) and Cesium (major).

By severity: 11 major · 152 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tacrolimus page

“Tacrolimus (Prograf, Astagraf XL, Envarsus XR) keeps a transplanted organ from being rejected, and it works inside a narrow blood-level window, meaning even small shifts can invite rejection or toxicity. That makes these 202 supplement interactions worth real caution.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tacrolimus interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Thymus Extract and Tacrolimus 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 Thymus Extract
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tacrolimus
Top 25%

#398 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 Thymus Extract

What is Thymus Extract?

  • Immune system support
  • Frequent infections
  • Allergies
  • Autoimmune conditions
  • Cancer supportive care

Thymus extract is a glandular product made from the thymus tissue of animals, and it is promoted mainly for immune support. The evidence is mostly limited, preliminary, or from older studies, so it should not replace proven treatments. Because it is an animal-tissue product, talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a serious medical condition.

Read the full Thymus Extract monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tacrolimus

What Is Tacrolimus Used For?

Brand names: Prograf (capsule), Prograf (injectable), Protopic, Prograf XL, Astagraf XL, Envarsus XR

Tacrolimus is prescribed to help prevent your body from rejecting a transplanted organ. It is used in adults who receive a kidney, liver, or heart transplant, and in children who receive a liver transplant. It is always used alongside other anti-rejection medicines.

Because tacrolimus works by dampening your immune system, it lowers the risk of your body attacking the new organ — but it also means you need to be watched closely for infections and other side effects throughout your treatment.

See full Tacrolimus drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Thymus Extract

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

0Major
120Moderate
0Minor
2,709No known interaction
120 Moderate 2,709 No interaction
Moderate

120 interactions

Showing 60 of 120 moderate interactions — see all 120 on the Thymus Extract page.

No interaction 2,709 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,709 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Thymus Extract list.

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

Can you take Thymus Extract with Tacrolimus?
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 Thymus Extract and Tacrolimus 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 Tacrolimus and Thymus Extract?

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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.