Drug & supplement interaction

Wild Cherry + Docetaxel

Docetaxel brand name: Taxotere.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Wild Cherry has a moderate interaction with Docetaxel. In vitro research suggests that wild cherry can inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzymes.

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

Wild Cherry and Docetaxel

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Docetaxel

Docetaxel falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Wild Cherry interacts with.

In vitro research suggests that wild cherry can inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzymes. Theoretically, wild cherry might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4. However, so far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
Some drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 include lovastatin (Mevacor), ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), fexofenadine (Allegra), triazolam (Halcion), and others.
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 docetaxel (Taxotere). Your body relies on a liver enzyme called CYP3A4 to clear this chemo drug out of your system. Lab studies (in a test tube, not in people) hint that wild cherry might slow that same enzyme down. If that held true in the body, docetaxel could clear more slowly and build up, which in theory could mean rougher side effects like low blood counts, infection risk, mouth sores, fatigue, or nerve tingling.

That said, this is theoretical and has never actually been reported in humans, so I don't want to alarm you. Because docetaxel is serious chemo with a narrow safety margin, please run any wild cherry product past your oncologist or pharmacist before using it.

References
  1. Budzinski JW, Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, Arnason JT. An in vitro evaluation of human cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibition by selected commercial herbal extracts and tinctures. Phytomedicine 2000;7:273-82. 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

Wild Cherry Also Interacts With Other Medications

Wild Cherry has 642 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Docetaxel 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 Wild Cherry

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Docetaxel

This page covers Wild Cherry only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Docetaxel page lists 121 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Adrafinil (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 87 moderate · 32 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Docetaxel page

“Grapefruit is the first thing I would take off the menu during docetaxel (Taxotere) chemotherapy. It blocks CYP3A4, the liver enzyme that clears docetaxel, and higher levels of a chemotherapy drug mean harsher side effects, not better results.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Docetaxel interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Wild Cherry as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 439 real supplement products containing Wild Cherry, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Wild Cherry. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Docetaxel too, on top of Wild Cherry — 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 Wild Cherry and Docetaxel 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 Wild Cherry
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Docetaxel
Top 25%

#555 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 Wild Cherry

What is Wild Cherry?

Wild Cherry
  • Cough
  • Bronchitis and respiratory irritation
  • Sore throat
  • Digestive upset and diarrhea
  • Flavoring agent

Wild cherry bark is a traditional cough remedy found in many old-fashioned cough syrups and lozenges, but there is little modern scientific evidence proving it works. The bark, leaves, and seeds naturally contain cyanide-producing compounds, so it should be used only in properly prepared products and avoided in large amounts. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially during pregnancy or for children.

Read the full Wild Cherry monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Docetaxel Injection

What Is Docetaxel Injection Used For?

Brand name: Taxotere

Docetaxel Injection is used to treat a number of serious cancers. Beizray (docetaxel injection) is approved as a single agent for locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after prior chemotherapy has stopped working, and in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as adjuvant (after-surgery) treatment for operable node-positive breast cancer. It is also used as a single agent for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after platinum-based chemotherapy has failed, and with cisplatin for chemotherapy-naive advanced NSCLC.

Beizray is used with prednisone for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. It is also used with cisplatin and fluorouracil for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (including gastroesophageal junction cancer) in patients who have not received prior chemotherapy for advanced disease, and for induction treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

See full Docetaxel Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Wild Cherry

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

0Major
642Moderate
0Minor
2,187No known interaction
Moderate

642 interactions

Showing 60 of 642 moderate interactions — see all 642 on the Wild Cherry page.

No interaction 2,187 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 Wild Cherry and Docetaxel Together: Common Questions

Can you take Wild Cherry with Docetaxel?
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 Wild Cherry and Docetaxel 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 Docetaxel and Wild Cherry?

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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.