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Dietary supplement

Kapikacchu Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Banyan Botanicals

Kapikacchu label
See full label image
Powder Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Major
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Kapikacchu against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Major

Kapikacchu is a dietary supplement by Banyan Botanicals with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for parkinson's disease symptoms, male fertility and libido, mood and stress support.Based on those ingredients, 193 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated major. The ingredients most likely to interact are Kapikacchu. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Aug 13, 2026

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

Kapikacchu powder contains a single active ingredient: cowhage, a plant whose beans are rich in levodopa, an amino acid precursor that your body converts to dopamine. Levodopa is the same compound used in prescription Parkinson's medications.

The powder has no inactive ingredients listed.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

This is a single-ingredient Cowhage product and its label doesn't state a use — see Cowhage's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.

The evidence we hold on cowhage's effectiveness is not established — all the conditions it's traditionally used for (anxiety, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, muscle pain, high prolactin levels, and a skin condition called erythema) are rated as having insufficient reliable evidence to rate. That doesn't mean it doesn't work; it means the data we have isn't robust enough to draw a firm conclusion.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Cowhage

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Orally, adverse effects to cowhage are generally rare, though a full safety evaluation hasn't been done. The most common side effects reported are diarrhea, flatulence, mucosal irritation, dry mouth, headaches, and stomach upset.

In clinical trials using higher doses (22.5–67.5 grams daily), some participants experienced nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention, and insomnia in about 3% of cases. Because cowhage contains L-dopa, an active drug-like compound, it should be used carefully with professional guidance.

During pregnancy, there isn't enough safety data, and its dopamine effects make it best avoided. While breastfeeding, L-dopa can lower prolactin and reduce milk supply, so it should be avoided.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this supplement if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Cowhage

Meds to double-check

Major interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Major identified

At least one ingredient has a documented Major-severity interaction. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Cowhage.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Major.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications; Parkinson's medications.
  • For scale: 193 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before you take Kapikacchu, double-check if you're on monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) — especially non-selective ones — or methyldopa; both carry Major-severity risks. Also confirm you're not already taking levodopa for Parkinson's disease.

Then check for tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), antipsychotic drugs, antidiabetes medications, guanethidine, or if you have anesthesia scheduled. Your doctor or pharmacist can run your full medication list against this supplement's interactions.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Major medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Kapikacchu is a single-ingredient cowhage powder with levodopa content, which means it can interact seriously with blood pressure medications, antidepressants, antipsychotics, diabetes medications, and certain anesthetics. If you take any prescription medication or have Parkinson's disease, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting it.

It's best avoided in pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Apr 23, 2024.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Kapikacchu, straight from the product label.

Brand Banyan Botanicals
Barcode (UPC) 618192069134
Net contents 3.3 Ounce(s); 93.6 Gram(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Apr 23, 2024
DSLD ID 305696
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Powder
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Organic
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
0.25 Teaspoon(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
0.5 Teaspoon(s)
Servings per container
77
UPC/BARCODE
618192069134
IngredientAmount% DV
Kapikacchu0.5 Teaspoon(s)--

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested use: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon with warm water, once or twice daily, or as directed by your health practitioner.

Seals/Symbols

Fair for life Fair trade Certified B Corporation

USDA Organic

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Formulation

Certified Organic by: QAI

USDA Organic Certified Organic

Non GMO

Formula

Ayurvedic herbs

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

Kapikacchu label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size0.25 Teaspoon(s) Dosage formPowder Servings per container77 Amounts shown are per serving.

Kapikacchu

Interacts with
193 drugs
0.5 Teaspoon(s) per serving

Cowhage (Mucuna pruriens) is a tropical legume best known as a natural source of L-dopa, the compound the body turns into dopamine. It is most studied...

Kapikacchu monograph & interactions
Interaction report

Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Kapikacchu?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

 Go to the checker
193Drugs
17 Major 176 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Kapikacchu 193

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Kapikacchu interact with 193 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Kapikacchu interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Kapikacchu

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Kapikacchu with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Kapikacchu8 drug types · 193 drugs

Levodopa

Concomitant use can increase the risk of levodopa-related adverse effects.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Some cowhage products have been standardized to contain 75-400 mg of levodopa per dose.

Likelihood Likely Evidence D
Methyldopa (Aldomet)

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and methyldopa might increase the risk of hypotension.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with methyldopa might cause additive hypotension. In addition, methyldopa may inhibit peripheral decarboxylation of levodopa and increase levodopa levels in the central nervous system; avoid using.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (Maois)

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and non-selective MAOIs might increase the risk of hypertensive crisis.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with non-selective MAOIs might cause hypertensive crisis. However, this interaction has not been reported with MAO-B selective inhibitors such as selegiline.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Anesthesia

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and anesthesia might increase the risk of arrhythmias.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with cyclopropane or halogenated hydrocarbon anesthesia has led to arrhythmias. Other anesthetics have not been implicated. Use other anesthetics in patients taking cowhage or tell patients to stop taking cowhage at least 2 weeks before surgery.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Animal research shows that cowhage might have hypoglycemic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Antipsychotic Drugs

Theoretically, use of cowhage might decrease the clinical effects of antipsychotic drugs.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa might counteract the antidopaminergic effects of antipsychotic medications.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Guanethidine (Ismelin)

Theoretically, concomitant use of cowhage and guanethidine might increase the risk of hypotension.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of levodopa with guanethidine might cause additive hypotension; avoid using.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Tricyclic Antidepressants (Tcas)

Theoretically, use of TCAs might reduce the levels and clinical effects of cowhage.
Cowhage contains levodopa. Use of TCAs might reduce the absorption of levodopa. Some case reports describe patients that developed hypertension and dyskinesia when taking both levodopa and TCAs.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Kapikacchu full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Kapikacchu, from the product label.

Banyan Botanicals

See all Banyan Botanicals products
Name
Banyan Botanicals
City
Albuquerque
State
NM
ZipCode
87113
Phone Number
1-800-953-6424
Web Address
banyanbotanicals.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals: Common Questions

Does Kapikacchu by Banyan Botanicals interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Kapikacchu has a known interaction with 193 medications, including 17 rated major. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Kapikacchu contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What is Kapikacchu used for?
Cowhage (the active ingredient) is traditionally used for anxiety, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, muscle pain, high prolactin levels, and a skin condition called erythema. However, we don't have reliable evidence yet that it works for any of these conditions.
What are the most common side effects?
Orally, the most common are diarrhea, flatulence, mucosal irritation, dry mouth, and headaches. In clinical trials using higher doses, some people also reported nausea, vomiting, stomach bloating, and insomnia in about 3% of participants.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
No — the data advises against it. There isn't enough safety information for pregnancy, and the L-dopa in cowhage can lower prolactin and reduce milk supply while breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you're pregnant, trying to conceive, or nursing.
Is this supplement a replacement for my Parkinson's medication?
No. Kapikacchu contains levodopa, the same active compound as prescription Parkinson's drugs, so taking both can cause dangerous side effects. Do not take this with levodopa or similar medications without your doctor's explicit approval.
Why does this have so many interactions?
Cowhage's levodopa content affects how dopamine and other neurotransmitters work in your body, and it can also lower blood pressure. These mechanisms mean it can interfere with many classes of medications — from antidepressants and antipsychotics to blood pressure drugs and anesthetics.

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

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Kapikacchu label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Kapikacchu’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Herb & supplement monograph

Cowhage

Interacts with 193 drugs

Cowhage (Mucuna pruriens) is a tropical legume best known as a natural source of L-dopa, the compound the body turns into dopamine. It is most studied for Parkinson's disease symptoms and ma...

Read the full Cowhage monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Kapikacchu's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 12 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Cowhage 12 references
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
  2. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  3. Anon. Epidemiological notes and reports: Mucuna pruriens-associated pruritus--New Jersey. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1985;34:732-3.
  4. HP-200 in Parkinson's Disease study group. An alternative medicine treatment for Parkinson's disease: Results of a multicenter clinical trial. J Alt Comp Med 1995;1:249-55. DOI
  5. Infante ME, Perez AM, Simao MR, et al. Outbreak of acute toxic psychosis attributed to Mucuna pruriens. Lancet 1990;336:1129. PubMed
  6. Vaidya AB, Rajagopalan TG, Mankodi NA, et al. Treatment of Parkinson's disease with the cowhage plant-Mucuna pruriens Bak. Neurol India 1978;26:171-6.
  7. Vadivel V, Janardhanan K. Nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of velvet bean: an under-utilized food legume in south India. Int J Food Sci Nutr 2000;51:279-87. PubMed
  8. Akhtar MS, Qureshi AQ, Iqbal J. Antidiabetic evaluation of Mucuna pruriens, Linn seeds. J Pak Med Assoc 1990;40:147-50.
  9. Prakash, D., Niranjan, A., and Tewari, S. K. Some nutritional properties of the seeds of three Mucuna species. Int.J.Food Sci.Nutr. 2001;52(1):79-82.
  10. Vadivel, V. and Janardhanan, K. Nutritional and antinutritional characteristics of seven South Indian wild legumes. Plant Foods Hum.Nutr 2005;60(2):69-75. PubMed
  11. Creapure (Creatine Monohydrate). Toxicological Datasheet. Degussa BioActives. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/ohrms/DOCKETS/.../95s-0316-rpt0154-54-Ref-50-vol112.pdf.
  12. Pulikkalpura H, Kurup R, Mathew PJ, Baby S. Levodopa in Mucuna pruriens and its degradation. Sci Rep 2015;5:11078. PubMed

See these in context on the Cowhage monograph →

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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