Selected Antineoplastic Systemic Enzyme Inhibitors/St. John's Wort
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Serious. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
St. John's wort can speed up how quickly your liver processes your cancer medicine.
What might happen:
The amount of cancer medicine in your blood may decrease and it may not work as well against your cancer.
What you should do about this interaction:
Let your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together. Your doctor may want to change the dose of your cancer medicine while you are taking St. John's wort or your doctor may want you to stop taking St. John's wort. Let your healthcare professional know if you stop taking St. John's wort.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
References:
1.Velcade (bortezomib) US prescribing information. Mellennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. October, 2012.
2.Bosulif (bosutinib) US prescribing information. Pfizer Inc. August, 2012.
3.Xalkori (crizotinib) US prescribing information. Pfizer Inc. January, 2012.
4.Sprycel (dasatinib) US prescribing information. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company October, 2011.
5.Tarceva (erlotinib) US prescribing information. Genentech, Inc. April, 2012.
6.Iressa (gefitinib tablets) US prescribing information. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP April 7, 2004.
7.Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) US prescribing information. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation February, 2013.
8.Tykerb (lapatinib) US prescribing information. GlaxoSmithKline February, 2012.
9.Votrient (pazopanib) US prescribing information. GlaxoSmithKline November, 2012.
10.Nexavar (sorafenib) US prescribing information. Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation August, 2012.
11.Caprelsa (vandetanib) US prescribing information. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP October, 2012.
12.Bolton AE, Peng B, Hubert M, Krebs-Brown A, Capdeville R, Keller U, Seiberling M. Effect of rifampicin on the pharmacokinetics of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, STI571) in healthy subjects. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2004 Feb;53(2):102-6.
