Herb & supplement monograph

Devil's Claw Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Devil's Claw interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Devil's Claw is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Devil's Claw is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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On this page

Devil's Claw Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Devil's Claw drug interaction appears low for most people. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and nearly all rest on lab research rather than documented effects in people.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The pairing that stands out most is warfarin, where one case report described unusual bruising that could suggest excess blood thinning, though other factors may have played a role. Because Devil's Claw may inhibit several enzymes the body uses to clear medications, it could in theory raise levels of many prescription drugs, which matters most for narrow-margin medicines. Devil's Claw may also increase stomach acid, so it could modestly work against acid-reducing medications such as H2-blockers and PPIs.

What the rest of the list means

The long list of interactions here mostly reflects one theory applied broadly: lab studies suggest Devil's Claw may affect enzymes and a transporter that process hundreds of medications. None of these predicted effects has been confirmed in humans, so most combinations are unlikely to cause a noticeable problem, but caution is still sensible with closely monitored drugs.

Check your medications against Devil's Claw

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Devil's Claw interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Devil's Claw

804 medications have a known interaction with Devil's Claw, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Devil's Claw using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Devil's Claw interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction 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.
Possible. 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
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Devil's Claw combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Devil's Claw affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Devil's Claw is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 7 drug categories Devil's Claw interacts with

Cytochrome P450 2c19 (cyp2c19) SubstratesCytochrome P450 2c9 (cyp2c9) SubstratesCytochrome P450 3a4 (cyp3a4) SubstratesWarfarin (coumadin)H2-blockersP-glycoprotein SubstratesProton Pump Inhibitors (ppis)

Cytochrome P450 2C19 (Cyp2C19) Substrates

Theoretically, devil's claw might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C19.
In vitro research shows that devil's claw might inhibit CYP2C19, although this has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Cytochrome P450 2C9 (Cyp2C9) Substrates

Theoretically, devil's claw might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C9.
In vitro research shows that devil's claw might inhibit CYP2C9, although this has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates

Theoretically, devil's claw might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro research shows that devil's claw might inhibit CYP3A4, although this has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Warfarin (Coumadin)

Theoretically, Devil's claw might increase the activity of warfarin.
In one case report, purpura occurred in a patient taking warfarin and devil's claw concurrently. This might indicate over-anticoagulation. It is unclear if this was due to Devil's claw or other contributing factors.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

H2-Blockers

Theoretically, devil's claw might decrease the effectiveness of H2-blockers.
Devil's claw has been reported to increase stomach acid, which might interfere with the effects of H2-blockers.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

P-Glycoprotein Substrates

Theoretically, devil's claw might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.
In vitro research shows that devil's claw inhibits P-glycoprotein, which transports many drugs out of cells. This might increase intracellular levels of P-glycoprotein substrates, although it is unclear if this effect would be clinically important.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Proton Pump Inhibitors (Ppis)

Theoretically, devil's claw might decrease the effectiveness of PPIs.
Devil's claw has been reported to increase stomach acid, which might interfere with the effects of PPIs.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Devil's Claw: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Devil's claw is a southern African plant used mainly for arthritis and back pain, and some studies suggest it may help ease these types of discomfort. The evidence is moderate at best, and product strength varies, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, especially if you have a health condition or take medications.

Scientific name: Harpagophytum procumbens
Family: Pedaliaceae
Part used: Dried secondary (tuberous) roots
Common forms: Capsules, tablets, dried root, tea, liquid extracts, and tinctures

People commonly use it for

Osteoarthritis pain
Lower back pain
Joint pain and stiffness
General inflammation
Digestive upset and loss of appetite

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated for short-term use in healthy adults, but it can cause digestive upset and isn't right for everyone.

PregnancyPossibly Unsafe

When used orally. Anecdotal evidence suggests that devil's claw has oxytocic effects in humans. Also, in vitro research shows that moderate to high do...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is a plant native to the dry regions of southern Africa, including the Kalahari Desert and parts of Namibia and South Africa. It belongs to the sesame family (Pedaliaceae). The plant gets its name from the small hooked, claw-like fruit it produces.

The part used in supplements is the dried secondary root, sometimes called the tuber. People have used devil's claw in traditional African medicine for many years for pain, fever, and digestive complaints.

Today it is most often taken as a capsule, tablet, tea, or liquid extract for joint and back pain. Many products are standardized to a compound called harpagoside.

How it works

Devil's claw contains compounds called iridoid glycosides, the best known being harpagoside. These are thought to be the main active ingredients.

Laboratory and animal research suggests these compounds may lower the body's production of certain inflammatory chemicals, which could reduce pain and swelling. This is why devil's claw is often marketed as a natural anti-inflammatory.

It is important to know that much of this understanding comes from test-tube and animal studies. Exactly how it works in the human body, and how much of the active compound reaches the joints, is still not fully understood.

Effectiveness

Does Devil's Claw work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 13 uses evaluated

2 Possibly effective 11 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Back pain