Drug & supplement interaction

Uva Ursi + Tapentadol

Tapentadol brand names: Nucynta, Nucynta ER.

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

Uva Ursi has a moderate interaction with Tapentadol. Theoretically, uva ursi may decrease the metabolism of CYP2C19 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Uva Ursi and Tapentadol

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Tapentadol

Tapentadol falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES — the group Uva Ursi interacts with.

Theoretically, uva ursi may decrease the metabolism of CYP2C19 substrates.
In vitro, uva ursi appears to inhibit cytochrome CYP2C19. This effect 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 gist for Tapentadol (Nucynta). Uva ursi has been shown in lab dish studies to slow down an enzyme called CYP2C19. In theory, slowing that enzyme could let some drugs build up. Tapentadol is an active drug already (not a prodrug), and the body mainly clears it through a different pathway (glucuronidation), with CYP2C19 playing only a minor role. So this particular interaction is mostly theoretical and unlikely to cause big problems for tapentadol.

Still, if levels did edge up, you might notice more of tapentadol's usual effects: drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, constipation, or slowed breathing. Since uva ursi can also be hard on the liver and is meant for short-term use only, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Chauhan B, Yu C, Krantis A, et al. In vitro activity of uva-ursi against cytochrome P450 isoenzymes and P-glycoprotein. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2007;85(11):1099-107.

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

Uva Ursi Also Interacts With Other Medications

Uva Ursi has 741 moderate, 62 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Tapentadol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 741 Minor 62 No known interaction 2,027 (incl. Tapentadol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Uva Ursi

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Uva Ursi or Tapentadol

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

This page covers Uva Ursi only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tapentadol page lists 113 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Lithium (major), 5-htp (moderate), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 84 moderate · 27 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tapentadol page

“Tapentadol (Nucynta, Nucynta ER) is an opioid painkiller that also boosts serotonin signaling on its own, and that is exactly where its supplement list bites hardest. The two major-rated entries among the 113 on file deserve a hard look first: lithium, which alongside a serotonergic drug like tapentadol can raise the risk of serotonin…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tapentadol interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Uva Ursi as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,423 real supplement products containing Uva Ursi, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Uva Ursi. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Tapentadol too, on top of Uva Ursi — 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 Uva Ursi and Tapentadol 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 Uva Ursi
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tapentadol
Top half

#1,013 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 Uva Ursi

What is Uva Ursi?

Uva Ursi
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Urinary discomfort
  • Mild diuretic
  • Kidney stones
  • Skin conditions

Uva ursi is a traditional herb used mainly for urinary tract infections, and its leaves contain a compound called arbutin that may have antimicrobial effects in the urine. Evidence in people is limited, and because high doses or long-term use may be harmful to the liver and could be toxic, it should only be used short-term and with guidance from a healthcare professional. Avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Uva Ursi monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tapentadol

What Is Tapentadol Used For?

Brand names: Nucynta, Nucynta ER

Tapentadol is an opioid pain reliever. It is only for pain that is severe enough to need an opioid and that other treatments can't manage well.

  • Tablets and oral solution: acute (short-term) severe pain in adults. Nucynta tablets and tapentadol tablets are also labeled for children aged 6 and older who weigh at least 40 kg. The oral solution labeling does not carry that pediatric use.
  • Extended-release tablets (Nucynta ER and tapentadol extended-release): severe, ongoing pain in adults that needs daily, long-term opioid treatment. They are also used for severe nerve pain from diabetic peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage from diabetes) in adults. They are not for as-needed use.
See full Tapentadol drug information Tapentadol Hydrochloride NDC codes and packages
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Uva Ursi

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

0Major
741Moderate
62Minor
2,026No known interaction
741 Moderate 62 Minor 2,026 No interaction
Moderate

741 interactions

Showing 60 of 741 moderate interactions — see all 741 on the Uva Ursi page.

Minor

62 interactions

Showing 60 of 62 minor interactions — see all 62 on the Uva Ursi page.

No interaction 2,026 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,026 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Uva Ursi list.

See the full Uva Ursi interactions page
See every supplement checked against Tapentadol, 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
Uva Ursi monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Tapentadol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Tapentadol, ranked by severity Tapentadol drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Tapentadol Hydrochloride NDC codes and packages › Every package, labeler and price in the FDA directory 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 Uva Ursi and Tapentadol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Uva Ursi with Tapentadol?
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 Uva Ursi and Tapentadol 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 Tapentadol and Uva Ursi?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.