Drug & supplement interaction

Yin Chen + Pirfenidone

Pirfenidone brand name: Esbriet.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Yin Chen and Pirfenidone in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Pirfenidone states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Yin Chen and Pirfenidone

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Pirfenidone and Yin Chen in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Yin Chen safety at a glance

Yin Chen overall Use caution Generally used in traditional medicine, but human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information; Artemisia plants are best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Pirfenidone and Yin Chen? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Pirfenidone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Pirfenidone is filed under 4 classifications — including cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, photosensitizing drugs. Yin Chen has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being cns depressants (moderate) and pentobarbital (nembutal) (moderate) — and none of Pirfenidone’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Yin Chen Does Interact With Other Medications

Yin Chen has 248 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Pirfenidone isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 248 No known interaction 2,582 (incl. Pirfenidone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Yin Chen

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Yin Chen and Pirfenidone May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Yin Chen

    “Orally, taking yin chen in doses of 15-30 grams has been reported to cause arrhythmias (12). In one study, two females taking yin chen and da zao (Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae) orally to treat infectious hepatitis developed Adams-Stokes syndrome (sudden collapse into unconsciousness due to serious arrhythmias). It is not clear if yin chen, da zao, the combination, or another factor was responsible.”

    Yin Chen · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in arrhythmia.

    2 sources cited
    1. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
    2. 4342. Bensky D, Gamble A, Kaptchuk T. Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press, 1996:214-6.

    Pirfenidone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Pirfenidone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bloating or gas Additional detail

    Yin Chen

    “Orally, yin chen seems to be generally well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Abdominal distension, dizziness, nausea.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Cardiac arrhythmias, fainting, numbness, tremors.”

    Yin Chen · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in arrhythmia.

    Pirfenidone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Pirfenidone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Nausea reported in 12.8% of FDA reports for Pirfenidone Additional detail

    Yin Chen

    “Orally, yin chen has been reported to cause nausea and abdominal distention.”

    Yin Chen · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    1 source cited
    1. 4343. Huang KC. The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC, 1999:258.

    Pirfenidone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Pirfenidone, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    Yin Chen

    “Orally, yin chen has been reported to cause dizziness. Taking yin chen in doses of 15-30 grams has been reported to cause headache, numbness and tremor of the upper extremities, and fainting (12).”

    Yin Chen · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    2 sources cited
    1. 4343. Huang KC. The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC, 1999:258.
    2. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

    Pirfenidone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Pirfenidone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Headache Additional detail

    Yin Chen

    Recorded for Yin Chen in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Dizziness above.

    Pirfenidone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Pirfenidone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Yin Chen but not commonly for Pirfenidone: an irregular heartbeat, numbness or tingling, fainting and tremor or shakiness.

Effects for Pirfenidone come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Yin Chen come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 40,089 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Pirfenidone that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Pirfenidone Products Have a Food Rule — Yin Chen Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Pirfenidone says to take it with food. If you take Yin Chen on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Pirfenidone with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Pirfenidone products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Take with food.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Pirfenidone — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pirfenidone

This page covers Yin Chen only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pirfenidone page lists 115 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate) and Angelica Archangelica (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 80 moderate · 34 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pirfenidone page

“Pirfenidone (Esbriet) slows the lung scarring of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and when a drug is doing that kind of work, this is not a list to skim. Most of the 115 ingredients on file touch CYP1A2, the liver enzyme that clears pirfenidone, so they can push its blood level up (more nausea and liver strain) or drag it down and quietl…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pirfenidone interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Yin Chen as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 20 real supplement products containing Yin Chen, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Yin Chen. Even though Yin Chen itself has no known interaction with Pirfenidone, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Yin Chen and Pirfenidone 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 Yin Chen
Steady interest

#1,099 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Pirfenidone
Top half

#1,357 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Yin Chen reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Yin Chen and Pirfenidone records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Yin Chen

What is Yin Chen?

Yin Chen
  • Liver and gallbladder support
  • Jaundice (traditional use)
  • Digestive complaints
  • Skin conditions (topical)
  • Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial purposes

Yin Chen is a traditional Chinese medicine herb used mainly for liver and gallbladder complaints and jaundice. Most of the evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies, so its benefits in people are not well proven. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a liver condition, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Artemisia capillaris · Asteraceae · Aerial parts (young shoots and leaves) · Tea, dried herb, powdered extract, capsules, topical washes, and traditional herbal formulas (such as Inchinko-to/Yin Chen Hao Tang)

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Yin Chen is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Yin Chen record says about it on its own.

Yin Chen: dosing

There is no well-established, standardized dose of Yin Chen for any condition. Traditional preparations and modern products vary widely in strength and form.If you choose to use it, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed them. Avoid guessing your own dose.

From our Yin Chen monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Yin Chen monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pirfenidone

What Is Pirfenidone Used For?

Brand name: Esbriet

Pirfenidone — available as capsules and tablets under the brand name Esbriet, as well as generic pirfenidone products — is indicated for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic, progressive disease in which scar tissue builds up in the lungs and makes breathing increasingly difficult.

Esbriet capsules and tablets, pirfenidone capsules, and pirfenidone tablets are each specifically approved for IPF. No other uses are supported by the available product labels.

See full Pirfenidone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Yin Chen

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

0Major
248Moderate
0Minor
2,581No known interaction
248 Moderate 2,581 No interaction
Moderate

248 interactions

Showing 60 of 248 moderate interactions — see all 248 on the Yin Chen page.

No interaction 2,581 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,581 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Yin Chen list.

See the full Yin Chen interactions page
See every supplement checked against Pirfenidone, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Yin Chen References

The 4 references that drive our Yin Chen monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Bensky D, Gamble A, Kaptchuk T. Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press, 1996:214-6.
  3. Huang KC. The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC, 1999:258.
  4. dela Peña IJ, Hong E, Kim HJ, et al. Artemisia capillaris thunberg produces sedative-hypnotic effects in mice, which are probably mediated through potentiation of the GABAA receptor. Am J Chin Med. 2015;43(4):667-79.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Yin Chen and Pirfenidone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Yin Chen with Pirfenidone?
We do not list a known interaction between Yin Chen and Pirfenidone. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Yin Chen and Pirfenidone have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Yin Chen and Pirfenidone at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Pirfenidone says to take it with food. If you take Yin Chen on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Pirfenidone with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Pirfenidone products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Yin Chen and Pirfenidone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Pirfenidone is filed under 4 classifications, and Yin Chen has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Pirfenidone's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Yin Chen interact with any other medications?
Yes. Yin Chen has 248 documented drug interactions in our database — Pirfenidone is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Pirfenidone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Pirfenidone has documented interactions with 115 supplements in our database — Yin Chen is not one of them. The Pirfenidone interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Yin Chen monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Pirfenidone drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Pirfenidone supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Pirfenidone, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 4 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Pirfenidone and Yin Chen?

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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.