Drug & supplement interaction

Tree Turmeric + Iloprost

Iloprost brand names: Ventavis, Aurlumyn.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Iloprost falls into 2 drug categories that Tree Turmeric can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking tree turmeric along with antihypertensive drugs might have additive effects and increase the risk of hypotension.

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

Tree Turmeric and Iloprost

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Iloprost

Iloprost falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Tree Turmeric interacts with.

Theoretically, taking tree turmeric along with antihypertensive drugs might have additive effects and increase the risk of hypotension.
Animal research suggests that berberine, a constituent of tree turmeric, can have hypotensive effects. Also, a meta-analysis of clinical research suggests that taking berberine in combination with amlodipine (Norvasc) can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure when compared with taking amlodipine alone.
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 simple version: tree turmeric (mainly its berberine) may gently lower blood pressure on its own. Iloprost already works by relaxing and widening your blood vessels, so stacking the two together could push your blood pressure a little lower than expected. In real life that might show up as dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, flushing, or a headache, especially when you stand up quickly.

I want to be straight with you about the evidence though. This concern comes mostly from animal and lab studies, plus some human data on berberine with other blood pressure pills, not iloprost itself. So it's a theoretical, additive effect rather than a proven one. Iloprost isn't a prodrug, so this isn't about how it's activated. Before adding tree turmeric, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Sabir M and Bhide NK. Study of some pharmacological actions of berberine. Ind J Physiol & Pharmac 1971;15(3):111-132.
  2. Chun YT, Yip TT, Lau KL, and et al. A biochemical study on the hypotensive effect of berberine in rats. Gen Pharmac 1979;10:177-182. PubMed
  3. Lan J, Zhao Y, Dong F, et al. Meta-analysis of the effect and safety of berberine in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia and hypertension. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015;161:69-81. PubMed
Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

2 of 2

Iloprost also falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS.

Theoretically, tree turmeric might have additive effects when used with anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs and increase the risk of bleeding.
In vitro and animal research suggest that berberine, a constituent of tree turmeric, can inhibit platelet aggregation.
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 about combining tree turmeric with iloprost (Ventavis). Iloprost doesn't just open up the blood vessels in your lungs, it also makes your platelets a little less sticky, so it gently nudges you toward easier bleeding on its own. Tree turmeric, through its berberine, may do something similar in lab and animal studies by slowing platelet clumping. Stack the two and you could, in theory, see more bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or cuts that take longer to stop.

I want to be honest though: this is based on test tube and animal data, not solid human studies, so it's more a caution than a proven problem. Still, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before adding it.

References
  1. Wu, J. F. and Liu, T. P. [Effects of berberine on platelet aggregation and plasma levels of TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in rats with reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion]. Yao Xue.Xue.Bao. 1995;30(2):98-102.
  2. Tripathi YB and Shukla SD. Berberis artistata inhibits PAF induced aggregation of rabbit platelets. Phytotherapy Research 1996;10:628-630.

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

Tree Turmeric Also Interacts With Other Medications

Tree Turmeric has 2 major, 1,157 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Iloprost one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Tree Turmeric

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Iloprost

This page covers Tree Turmeric only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Iloprost page lists 287 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 6 major · 254 moderate · 27 minor.

Open the Iloprost interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Tree Turmeric as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 51 real supplement products containing Tree Turmeric, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Tree Turmeric. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Iloprost too, on top of Tree Turmeric — 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 Tree Turmeric and Iloprost 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 Tree Turmeric
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Iloprost
Top half

#1,140 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 Tree Turmeric

What is Tree Turmeric?

  • Blood sugar support
  • High cholesterol
  • Digestive complaints
  • Skin and eye conditions
  • Antimicrobial uses
  • Liver support

Tree turmeric (Berberis aristata) is a shrub used in traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine, valued mainly for its berberine content. Early research suggests possible benefits for blood sugar and cholesterol, but high-quality human evidence is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Tree Turmeric monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Iloprost

What Is Iloprost Used For?

Brand names: Ventavis, Aurlumyn

Aurlumyn (iloprost injection) is FDA-approved to treat severe frostbite in adults. Specifically, it is used to reduce the risk of losing fingers or toes (digit amputation) after serious frostbite injury. The clinical evidence supporting this use comes from young, healthy adults who suffered frostbite at high altitudes.

See full Iloprost drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Tree Turmeric

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

2Major
1,157Moderate
0Minor
1,670No known interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

1,157 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,157 moderate interactions — see all 1,157 on the Tree Turmeric page.

No interaction 1,670 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 Tree Turmeric and Iloprost Together: Common Questions

Can you take Tree Turmeric with Iloprost?
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 Tree Turmeric and Iloprost?
Iloprost belongs to more than one drug category, and Tree Turmeric 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 Tree Turmeric and Iloprost 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.