Drug & supplement interaction

Turkey Tail Mushroom + Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel brand name: Plavix.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Turkey Tail Mushroom has a minor interaction with Clopidogrel. Theoretically, the polysaccharide peptide (PSP) component of turkey tail mushroom might inhibit CYP2C9.

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

Turkey Tail Mushroom and Clopidogrel

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES — the group Turkey Tail Mushroom interacts with.

Theoretically, the polysaccharide peptide (PSP) component of turkey tail mushroom might inhibit CYP2C9.
Laboratory research suggests that the PSP component of turkey tail mushroom dose-dependently inhibits CYP2C9. Theoretically, taking PSP with drugs metabolized by CYP2C9 might increase drug levels and the risk of adverse effects. However, this has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor 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 Plavix (clopidogrel): it's actually a prodrug, meaning your body has to activate it before it can thin your blood and prevent clots. The lab note here is that the PSP part of turkey tail might mildly block an enzyme called CYP2C9. Clopidogrel does lean on that enzyme a bit during its activation, so in theory, slowing it down could leave you with slightly less active drug working for you.

I want to be honest, though: this is purely a test-tube finding and has never actually been reported in real people, so the concern is very small. Still, since clopidogrel is doing an important job protecting your heart, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding turkey tail. Please don't stop or change anything on your own.

References
  1. Yeung JH and Or PM. Polysaccharide peptides from Coriolus versicolor competitively inhibit tolbutamide 4-hydroxylation in specific human CYP2C9 isoform and pooled human liver microsomes. Phytomedicine 2011;18(13):1170-5. 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

Turkey Tail Mushroom Also Interacts With Other Medications

Turkey Tail Mushroom has 88 moderate, 98 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Clopidogrel 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 Turkey Tail Mushroom

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Turkey Tail Mushroom. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Turkey Tail Mushroom or Clopidogrel

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Turkey Tail Mushroom or Clopidogrel, 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 Clopidogrel

This page covers Turkey Tail Mushroom only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Clopidogrel page lists 309 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Grapefruit (major), Piracetam (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 258 moderate · 46 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Clopidogrel page

“Clopidogrel (Plavix) keeps platelets from sticking together after a stent, heart attack, or stroke, which makes this a list to take carefully. Of the 309 supplements and herbs on file, 202 carry blood-thinning or antiplatelet activity of their own and can stack bleeding risk on top of the drug's, while most of the rest change how the l…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Clopidogrel interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Turkey Tail Mushroom and Clopidogrel 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 Turkey Tail Mushroom
Steady interest

#1,368 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Clopidogrel
Top 1%

#14 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 Turkey Tail Mushroom

What is Turkey Tail Mushroom?

Turkey Tail Mushroom
  • Immune support
  • Used alongside cancer care
  • Gut and digestive health
  • General wellness and energy
  • Antioxidant support

Turkey tail is a woodland mushroom rich in polysaccharides like beta-glucans, and it is mainly used to support the immune system. Some of its purified extracts (PSK and PSP) have been studied as add-on treatments alongside conventional cancer therapy in Asia, but evidence for everyday supplement use is limited. It is generally well tolerated, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a health condition or take other medicines.

Read the full Turkey Tail Mushroom monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Clopidogrel

What Is Clopidogrel Used For?

Brand name: Plavix

Clopidogrel tablets are used to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) — including unstable angina and non-ST-elevation or ST-elevation heart attacks — and in people with a history of recent heart attack, recent stroke, or established peripheral arterial disease. For ACS, it is typically given alongside aspirin.

It works by preventing platelets (blood cells that trigger clotting) from clumping together, which helps keep arteries open and lowers the chance of a dangerous clot forming.

See full Clopidogrel drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Turkey Tail Mushroom

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

0Major
88Moderate
98Minor
2,643No known interaction
Moderate

88 interactions

Showing 60 of 88 moderate interactions — see all 88 on the Turkey Tail Mushroom page.

Minor

98 interactions

Showing 60 of 98 minor interactions — see all 98 on the Turkey Tail Mushroom page.

No interaction 2,643 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 Turkey Tail Mushroom and Clopidogrel Together: Common Questions

Can you take Turkey Tail Mushroom with Clopidogrel?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Turkey Tail Mushroom and Clopidogrel interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Clopidogrel and Turkey Tail Mushroom?

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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.