Tacrolimus (Prograf)

Immunosuppressantprescriptionoral · predicted

Calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant, more commonly used in modern organ transplantation than cyclosporine. CYP3A4/5 and P-glycoprotein substrate. Extremely narrow therapeutic window requiring individualized dosing based on CYP3A polymorphisms.

Projected serum levels — 3 mg, twice daily

Tacrolimus (Prograf)
Tacrolimus (Prograf) modeled serum levels, 3 mg twice daily over 15 days Population-based pharmacokinetic estimate. Steady state reached after approximately 3 days. 0 0.50 1 1.5 2 Day 0 Day 4 Day 7 Day 11 Day 15 Time on a regular schedule ≈ steady state · day 3
Tacrolimus (Prograf) modeled serum levels with a loading dose of 9 mg, then 3 mg twice daily The first dose is larger so levels approach steady state faster. 0 0.50 1 1.5 2 Day 0 Day 4 Day 7 Day 11 Day 15 Time on a regular schedule

Maintenance schedule: 3 mg twice daily (oral).

Loading schedule: 9 mg on day 1, then 3 mg twice daily — reaching therapeutic levels sooner.

Modeled steady state after ~3 days: peak ≈ 1.8 mg, trough ≈ 1.4 mg body load. Population-based estimate over 15 days for a 3 mg dose at a 70 kg reference body mass — the interactive app scales curves to your doses, timing, and body mass.

Key facts

Category
Immunosuppressant
Route modeled
Oral
Model confidence
predicted
Half-life
12 h
Common dose
3 mg
Suggested maximum
20 mg/day
Reference dose range
1.5–20 mg (single dose)
Suggested cadence
twice daily
Validated against
5 mg oral — Cmax 0.030 mg/L at 2 h

Documented interactions

  • danger
    Apigenin + Tacrolimus (Prograf) Protein binding

    Apigenin may displace Tacrolimus (Prograf) from plasma protein binding sites, transiently raising free drug concentration. This drug has a narrow therapeutic index; free concentration changes can…

  • danger
    Aripiprazole (Abilify) + Tacrolimus (Prograf) Protein binding

    Aripiprazole (Abilify) may displace Tacrolimus (Prograf) from plasma protein binding sites, transiently raising free drug concentration. This drug has a narrow therapeutic index; free concentration…

  • danger
    Astaxanthin + Tacrolimus (Prograf) Protein binding

    Astaxanthin may displace Tacrolimus (Prograf) from plasma protein binding sites, transiently raising free drug concentration. This drug has a narrow therapeutic index; free concentration changes can…

  • danger
    Atomoxetine (Strattera) + Tacrolimus (Prograf) Protein binding

    Atomoxetine (Strattera) may displace Tacrolimus (Prograf) from plasma protein binding sites, transiently raising free drug concentration. This drug has a narrow therapeutic index; free concentration…

  • danger
    Atorvastatin (Lipitor) + Tacrolimus (Prograf) Protein binding

    Atorvastatin (Lipitor) may displace Tacrolimus (Prograf) from plasma protein binding sites, transiently raising free drug concentration. This drug has a narrow therapeutic index; free concentration…

  • danger
    Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa / Thymoquinone) + Tacrolimus (Prograf) Protein binding

    Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa / Thymoquinone) may displace Tacrolimus (Prograf) from plasma protein binding sites, transiently raising free drug concentration. This drug has a narrow therapeutic…

Serum checks 202 modeled interaction pairings for tacrolimus (prograf) across your whole stack — absorption conflicts, enzyme inhibition, and nutrient depletion included.

Research behind this entry

  1. Tacrolimus, why pharmacokinetics matter in the clinic Staatz CE et al. · Frontiers in Transplantation, 2023 DOI

    Clinical pharmacokinetics review with CYP3A dosing implications.

  2. CYP3A-status is associated with blood concentration and dose-requirement of tacrolimus in heart transplant recipients Gijsen VM et al. · Scientific Reports, 2021 DOI

    CYP3A4*22 polymorphism affects tacrolimus levels and dosing.

  3. Effects of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) on Tacrolimus Pharmacokinetics in Healthy Volunteers Hebert MF et al. · Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2004 DOI

    St. John's wort induces tacrolimus metabolism; 57.8% AUC decrease.

3 published studies referenced in the app, each with a plain-language summary.