Drug & supplement interaction

Tinospora Cordifolia + Pomalidomide

Pomalidomide brand name: Pomalyst.

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

Pomalidomide falls into 2 drug categories that Tinospora Cordifolia can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, Tinospora cordifolia might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.

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

Tinospora Cordifolia and Pomalidomide

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Pomalidomide

Pomalidomide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Tinospora Cordifolia interacts with.

Theoretically, Tinospora cordifolia might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.
In vitro research shows that Tinospora cordifolia extract inhibits CYP1A2 at high concentrations. However, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 short version on combining Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) with Pomalyst (pomalidomide). Your body partly clears pomalidomide using a liver enzyme called CYP1A2. In test-tube studies, Tinospora can slow that enzyme down at high concentrations. In theory, a slower enzyme means pomalidomide could build up a bit more in your system, which might nudge its side effects higher, things like low blood counts (raising infection and bleeding risk), fatigue, or low platelets.

I want to be honest with you though: this is only lab data, and it has not been seen in real patients. So it's a maybe, not a sure thing. Since pomalidomide is a serious cancer drug with its own monitoring program, please don't start Giloy without first checking with your oncologist or pharmacist. There are also rare liver injury reports with this supplement, which is another reason to ask first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Sahu R, Ahmed T, Sangana R, Punde R, Subudhi BB. Effect of Tinospora cordifolia aqua-alcoholic extract on pharmacokinetic of glibenclamide in rat: an herb-drug interaction study. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2018;151:310-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2018.01.010. PubMed
Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

2 of 2

Pomalidomide also falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS.

Theoretically, Tinospora cordifolia might reduce the effectiveness of immunosuppressants.
In vitro and animal research shows that Tinospora cordifolia has immunostimulant effects.
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 idea behind this pairing. Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) appears to rev up the immune system in lab and animal studies. Pomalidomide works on your immune system too, but in a more targeted way to fight multiple myeloma or Kaposi's sarcoma. The concern is that an immune-boosting herb could theoretically tug against what your cancer treatment is trying to do, possibly making it less effective.

I want to be honest about the evidence here: this is theoretical, based on how the plant behaves in test tubes and animals, not real patients on pomalidomide. So I wouldn't panic. That said, with a serious cancer therapy you don't want to gamble on an unproven herb, and giloy has also been linked to liver injury. Please run it by your oncologist or pharmacist before adding it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Manjrekar PN, Jolly CI, Narayanan S. Comparative studies of the immunomodulatory activity of Tinospora cordifolia and Tinospora sinensis. Fitoterapia 2000;71:254-7. PubMed
  2. Kapil A, Sharma S. Immunopotentiating compounds from Tinospora cordifolia. J Ethnopharmacol 1997;58:89-95. PubMed
  3. Nair PK, Rodriguez S, Ramachandran R, et al. Immune stimulating properties of a novel polysaccharide from the medicinal plant Tinospora cordifolia. Int Immunopharmacol 2004;4:1645-59. 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

Tinospora Cordifolia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Tinospora Cordifolia has 611 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Pomalidomide one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 611 No known interaction 2,219 (incl. Pomalidomide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Tinospora Cordifolia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pomalidomide

This page covers Tinospora Cordifolia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pomalidomide page lists 207 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 162 moderate · 42 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pomalidomide page

“Pomalidomide (Pomalyst) treats multiple myeloma, and with a cancer medicine carrying stakes this high, my honest read is that this list calls for real vigilance. Start with the three entries rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pomalidomide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 393 real supplement products containing Tinospora Cordifolia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Tinospora Cordifolia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Pomalidomide too, on top of Tinospora Cordifolia — 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 Tinospora Cordifolia and Pomalidomide 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 Tinospora Cordifolia
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pomalidomide
Steady interest

#1,877 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 Tinospora Cordifolia

What is Tinospora Cordifolia?

  • Immune support
  • Fever
  • Blood sugar support
  • General wellness and 'rejuvenation'
  • Allergic rhinitis
  • Inflammation

Tinospora cordifolia, known as Guduchi or Giloy in Ayurvedic medicine, is a climbing plant traditionally used to support immunity and treat fevers. Early laboratory and small human studies suggest possible immune and blood sugar effects, but high-quality evidence is limited, and there have been reports of liver injury. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Tinospora Cordifolia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pomalidomide

What Is Pomalidomide Used For?

Brand name: Pomalyst

Pomalidomide capsules are used in adults with multiple myeloma (a blood cancer affecting plasma cells) who have already tried at least two prior treatments — including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor — and whose disease has continued to progress. It is given in combination with dexamethasone for this use.

Pomalidomide capsules are also used to treat Kaposi sarcoma (KS) — a cancer that can cause lesions on the skin and in internal organs — both in adults with AIDS-related KS after antiretroviral therapy has stopped working, and in adults with KS who are HIV-negative. The KS indication was approved based on response rate; ongoing studies are confirming long-term benefit.

See full Pomalidomide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Tinospora Cordifolia

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

0Major
611Moderate
0Minor
2,218No known interaction
611 Moderate 2,218 No interaction
Moderate

611 interactions

Showing 60 of 611 moderate interactions — see all 611 on the Tinospora Cordifolia page.

No interaction 2,218 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,218 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Tinospora Cordifolia list.

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

Can you take Tinospora Cordifolia with Pomalidomide?
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 Tinospora Cordifolia and Pomalidomide?
Pomalidomide belongs to more than one drug category, and Tinospora Cordifolia 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 Tinospora Cordifolia and Pomalidomide 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

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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.