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St. John's Wort and HIV Medicine, Plus Transplant Drugs
St. John's wort and HIV medicine do not mix well: FDA says the herb can make HIV/AIDS drugs and organ transplant treatments less effective (FDA, Mixing Meds and Supplements). If you take either kind of medicine, do not start a capsule that lists the herb without clearing it with your care team first.
Written by the MemoPryl label deskUpdated · 4 min read
Can St. John's wort be taken with HIV medicine?
Not without clinician approval. St. John's wort can make several types of medicine less effective, and HIV/AIDS drugs are on FDA's list (FDA, Mixing Meds and Supplements).
NCCIH names some HIV drugs among the medicines the herb can weaken (NCCIH, St. John's Wort in depth). Memorial Sloan Kettering lists certain HIV medications too (MSK, St. John's Wort).
The worry is simple. If a medicine works less well, the condition it controls may be less controlled. You may not feel that happen. That is why the check comes before the first capsule.
Next step: bring the bottle, or a photo of the panel, to your HIV clinician or pharmacist. Ask by name: "Does this herb affect my regimen?"
What about transplant and anti-rejection drugs?
The same caution applies. FDA lists organ transplant treatments among the medicines St. John's wort can weaken (FDA, Mixing Meds and Supplements).
NCCIH names cyclosporine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering names cyclosporine and tacrolimus (NCCIH, St. John's Wort safety) (MSK, St. John's Wort). These are drugs transplant teams use to protect a new organ.
Do not adjust a transplant drug yourself. Your team watches blood levels and sets doses for you. A new herb can upset that plan, so tell the team about any supplement before you buy it.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before you start any capsule that lists St. John's wort.
Which other medicines does the herb weaken?
The list is long. NCCIH calls the effect crucial for many medicines (NCCIH, St. John's Wort safety).
| Group | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| HIV/AIDS drugs | May work less well |
| Organ transplant drugs | Anti-rejection effect may drop |
| Antidepressants | Weaker effect, and a serotonin risk (MedlinePlus, Serotonin syndrome) |
| Birth control pills | May work less well |
| Warfarin and heart medicines | Blood or heart control may shift |
| Seizure and cancer drugs | Levels may change |
This table is a prompt for a conversation, not a full list. Your pharmacist has the full interaction record.
MemoPryl: capsules in 2, 3 or 6 bottlesRead the bottle · check your medicines · 60-day window (confirm)
See packsWhere does MemoPryl fit into this?
St. John's wort is one of six names linked to MemoPryl through a sibling pack. The link is unconfirmed for your bottle, and no amount is printed.
That means a buyer on an HIV or transplant regimen should treat the question as open until the Supplement Facts panel is in hand. Two label photos disagree on wording and capsule count, so the one on your bottle decides.
Questions go to the order desk at Order email: [email protected] (tracking, changes and refunds on placed orders). See the ingredients page for the other names.
Thinking about MemoPryl?Check your medicines with a pharmacist first. Prices and the 60-day window are confirmed at checkout.
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What should I ask my pharmacist?
Ask three short questions and write down the answers.
- Does St. John's wort change any medicine on my list?
- Should I avoid the herb for good, or only at certain times?
- Which other supplements should I show you before I buy?
FAQ01
MemoPryl questions people ask
Does St. John's wort affect antiretroviral drugs?
It can. NCCIH says St. John's wort may weaken some HIV drugs (NCCIH, St. John's Wort in depth). Ask the clinician who prescribes your regimen before using any product that names the herb.
Is St. John's wort safe after an organ transplant?
Treat it as unsafe until your transplant team says otherwise. FDA lists transplant treatments among medicines the herb can weaken (FDA, Mixing Meds and Supplements). Your team can check it against your specific drugs.
Can I stop my medicine if I want to take the herb?
No. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own, and do not swap it for a supplement. Talk with your prescriber, who can weigh the risks with you.
Who wrote this02
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the bottle images, the seller's product notes and linked NIH, FDA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Learn about our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Official stocking desk for MemoPryl, not by the manufacturer or the distributor of the bottle. We make money when you buy through our order links.
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