Supplements and immunosuppressants.
Transplant immunosuppressants (tacrolimus, ciclosporin, sirolimus, everolimus) have very narrow therapeutic windows. They are metabolised by CYP3A4. Any supplement that inhibits or induces CYP3A4 shifts blood levels in a way that risks either toxicity or graft rejection. This is the highest-stakes category in our database.
Hard exclusions: curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, schisandra, and St John’s Wort all act on CYP3A4 and are off the table on these drugs. Immune-stimulating supplements (echinacea, andrographis, elderberry, astragalus, cordyceps) are also avoided in transplant patients because they may counteract the deliberate immunosuppression. Anything you consider should go through the transplant team first.
Something missing?
If a supplement or medication you take isn't in our autocomplete, tell us and we'll add it in the next quarterly update.