Is EGCG Green Tea Safe with Imatinib (Gleevec)?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Do NOT take green tea extract supplements while on imatinib. Separate any dietary green tea consumption by at least 2 hours from imatinib dosing. Discuss with your oncologist before any change.
Why this interaction occurs
EGCG has been shown in vitro and in vivo to directly bind and precipitate imatinib at physiologic pH, significantly reducing drug bioavailability and compromising cancer treatment efficacy. This is a physicochemical interaction, not enzyme-mediated.
Evidence
Evidence level: strong.
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 45,497 reports mentioning Imatinib (Gleevec). This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the Imatinib (Gleevec) + supplement combination on this page.
FAERS reports are voluntary and cannot prove that a drug caused an event. Do not use report counts to assess the safety of this specific drug-supplement pair.
Frequently asked questions
Related interactions
All EGCG Green Tea interactions → · All Imatinib (Gleevec) interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.