Licorice and Anagrelide: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Anagrelide
Licorice
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Increased risk of bleeding
Interaction Deep Dive
Theoretically, licorice may potentiate the effects of antiplatelet agents231. Licorice root is thought to contain coumarins or coumarin derivatives 3. A 2-arylcoumarin derivative of licorice (GU-7) demonstrated antiplatelet activity in vitro, possibly through increasing intraplatelet cyclic AMP 21. Glycyrrhizin, a component of licorice, demonstrated selective thrombin inhibition in vitro 4. Caution is advised.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Inhibition of thrombin and platelet aggregation by licorice
Common questions
Can I take Licorice and Anagrelide together?
Increased risk of bleeding Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Licorice and Anagrelide interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Licorice or Anagrelide need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (4)
- Newall CA, Anderson LA, & Phillipson JDNewall CA, Anderson LA, & Phillipson JD: Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals, The Pharmaceutical Press, London, England, 1996.
- Norred CL & Brinker F: Potential coagulation effects of preoperative complementary and alternative medicines. Alt Ther 2001; 7(6):58-67.
- Heck AM, DeWitt BA, & Lukes AL: Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2000; 57(13):1221-1227. DOI
- Francischetti IM, Monteiro RQ, Guimaraes JA, et al: Identification of glycyrrhizin as a thrombin inhibitor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1997; 235(1):259-263. PubMed
Keep reading about Anagrelide
Keep reading about Licorice
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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