Naproxen and Ma Huang: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Naproxen
Ma Huang
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 developing gastric mucosal lesions
Interaction Deep Dive
Data suggest that concurrent use of ephedra with loxoprofen increases the incidence and severity of gastric lesions in mice. Until human studies are performed, caution is advised for concomitant use of these drugs1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Nerve stimulation induced by stress on the stomach
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) Concomitant use of ephedra and loxoprofen increased the incidence and severity of gastric mucosal lesions in mice. Mice were divided into 4 groups and received (for 2 weeks) ephedra herb, loxoprofen, ephedra herb and loxoprofen in combination, or water. Histological examination of stomachs after the experiment showed little damage in the loxoprofen-only group, slight damage in both the control and ephedra-only group, and severe damage in the combination group. Combination use of Ma Huang and loxoprofen is not recommended due to possible adverse effects 1.
Common questions
Can I take Naproxen and Ma Huang together?
Increased risk of developing gastric mucosal lesions Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Naproxen and Ma Huang 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 Naproxen or Ma Huang 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 (1)
- Cho S, Hong T, Jin GB, et al: The combination therapy of ephedra herb and loxoprofen caused gastric lesions in mice. Am J Chin Med 2002; 30(4):571-7. PubMed
Keep reading about Naproxen
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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