Drug & supplement interaction

Yohimbe + Ruxolitinib

Ruxolitinib brand names: Jakafi, Opzelura.

Minor Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Minor

Yohimbe has a minor interaction with Ruxolitinib. Theoretically, yohimbe might decrease the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

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

Yohimbe and Ruxolitinib

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Ruxolitinib

Ruxolitinib falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Yohimbe interacts with.

Theoretically, yohimbe might decrease the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that yohimbe extract induces CYP3A4 enzymes.
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 gist for ruxolitinib (Jakafi/Opzelura): your body relies on a liver enzyme called CYP3A4 to break it down. Lab studies suggest yohimbe may speed that enzyme up a bit. If that happened in real life, ruxolitinib could clear out of your system faster, leaving lower levels and possibly less control of your condition (for example myelofibrosis or polycythemia vera).

I want to be honest about the strength of this, though. It's based only on test-tube research, the rating is minor, and it hasn't been shown to matter in actual patients. So I wouldn't panic. Still, because ruxolitinib is an important cancer therapy, please run any yohimbe use past your oncologist or pharmacist first so they can keep an eye on how you're responding.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Haron MH, Dale O, Martin K, et al. Evaluation of the Herb-Drug Interaction Potential of Commonly Used Botanicals on the US Market with Regard to PXR- and AhR-Mediated Influences on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2. J Diet Suppl 2022. 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

Yohimbe Also Interacts With Other Medications

Yohimbe has 9 major, 680 moderate, 435 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Ruxolitinib one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 9 Moderate 680 Minor 435 No known interaction 1,706 (incl. Ruxolitinib)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Yohimbe

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ruxolitinib

This page covers Yohimbe only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ruxolitinib page lists 141 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 3 major · 96 moderate · 42 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ruxolitinib page

“Ruxolitinib (Jakafi for myelofibrosis and other blood cancers, Opzelura as a skin cream) is cleared by one liver enzyme, CYP3A4, and that single fact explains nearly all 141 supplements here, which is why this list deserves real caution. Three entries are rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ruxolitinib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,054 real supplement products containing Yohimbe, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Yohimbe. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ruxolitinib too, on top of Yohimbe — 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 Yohimbe and Ruxolitinib 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 Yohimbe
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ruxolitinib
Steady interest

#1,952 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 Yohimbe

What is Yohimbe?

Yohimbe
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Low sex drive
  • Sexual performance
  • Weight loss
  • Athletic performance

Yohimbe is a West African tree bark that contains yohimbine, a compound mainly promoted for erectile dysfunction and as an aphrodisiac. A prescription form of yohimbine has some evidence for erectile dysfunction, but over-the-counter yohimbe supplements vary widely in content and can cause serious side effects like high blood pressure and fast heart rate. Because of these safety concerns, talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Yohimbe monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ruxolitinib

What Is Ruxolitinib Used For?

Brand names: Jakafi, Opzelura

Ruxolitinib is approved to treat several serious blood and immune conditions in adults, and some in patients as young as 12. It is used for myelofibrosis (a bone marrow disorder that disrupts normal blood cell production), polycythemia vera (a condition where the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells), and two forms of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) — a complication that can occur after a stem cell transplant.

For polycythemia vera, it is specifically for patients who have not responded well to, or cannot tolerate, a medication called hydroxyurea. For chronic GVHD, it is used after at least one or two other treatments have failed.

See full Ruxolitinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Yohimbe

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

9Major
680Moderate
435Minor
1,705No known interaction
9 Major 680 Moderate 435 Minor 1,705 No interaction
Major

9 interactions

Moderate

680 interactions

Showing 60 of 680 moderate interactions — see all 680 on the Yohimbe page.

Minor

435 interactions

Showing 60 of 435 minor interactions — see all 435 on the Yohimbe page.

No interaction 1,705 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,705 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Yohimbe list.

See the full Yohimbe interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ruxolitinib, 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
Yohimbe monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ruxolitinib supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ruxolitinib, ranked by severity Ruxolitinib drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Yohimbe and Ruxolitinib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Yohimbe with Ruxolitinib?
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 Yohimbe and Ruxolitinib 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 Ruxolitinib and Yohimbe?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.