Herb & supplement monograph

Pygeum 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 Pygeum interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Pygeum is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Pygeum 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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Reviewed by licensed pharmacists Sourced from Natural Medicines

On this page

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Pygeum

0 medications have a known interaction with Pygeum, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Pygeum. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

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 Pygeum combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Monograph

Pygeum: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

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

The bottom line

Pygeum is an extract from the bark of the African cherry tree that is most often used to ease urinary symptoms linked to an enlarged prostate. Some studies suggest modest benefit for these symptoms, but the research is limited and not high quality. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using it, especially since urinary symptoms can have serious causes.

Scientific name: Prunus africana
Family: Rosaceae
Part used: Bark
Common forms: Capsules, tablets, liquid extracts

People commonly use it for

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms
Urinary symptoms in men
Prostate health
Inflammation

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

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated short-term, but quality and long-term safety data are limited.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

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

Pygeum is a dietary supplement made from the bark of the African cherry tree (Prunus africana), an evergreen tree that grows in mountainous regions of Africa. The bark has a long history of traditional use, and today it is processed into extracts that are sold as capsules and tablets.

Pygeum is best known as a supplement for men with urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is popular in parts of Europe, where standardized bark extracts have been studied and used for many years.

How it works

Pygeum bark contains several plant compounds, including phytosterols (such as beta-sitosterol), fatty acids, and other substances. Researchers believe these compounds may have anti-inflammatory effects and may affect certain growth factors and hormones in the prostate.

The proposed mechanisms are based mostly on laboratory and animal research. Scientists are not certain exactly how pygeum produces its effects in people, or which compounds matter most. This is one reason results between products can vary.

Effectiveness

Does Pygeum work?

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

Evidence overview · 5 uses evaluated

1 Likely effective 4 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.

Likely Effective Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)