Drug & supplement interaction

Agave + Diclofenac Sodium

Diclofenac Sodium brand names: Voltaren XR, Voltaren, Voltaren SR, Diclo, Difenac, and others.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Agave and Diclofenac Sodium in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Agave and Diclofenac Sodium

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Diclofenac Sodium and Agave in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Agave at all — not against Diclofenac Sodium, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Agave safety at a glance

Agave overall Use caution Agave nectar is generally fine as a food, but medicinal use of the raw plant or sap is poorly studied and can irritate.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally. Agave contains constituents that may be uterine stimulants, and it has traditionally been used to induce labor. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so avoid medicinal use while breastfeeding.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Diclofenac Sodium and Agave? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Agave and Diclofenac Sodium May Share a Side Effect

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • A skin rash reported in 7.0% of FDA reports for Diclofenac Sodium Additional detail

    Agave

    “There are reports of acute irritant contact dermatitis due to agave exposure, especially to the sap. Oxalic acid crystals in the sap may be the cause of this irritation. Treatment with oral antihistamines and topical saline compresses have been shown to reduce skin lesions following agave exposure within 7-10 days.”

    Agave · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 19626. High WA. Agave contact dermatitis. Am J Contact Dermat 2003;14(4):213-214. DOI
    2. 19627. Brazzelli V, Romano E, Balduzzi A, et al. Acute irritant contact dermatitis from Agave americana L. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33(1):60-61.
    3. 26145. Cherpelis BS, Fenske NA. Purpuric irritant contact dermatitis induced by Agave americana. Cutis 2000;66(4):287-8.
    4. 20014. Ricks MR, Vogel PS, Elston DM, et al. Purpuric agave dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;40(2 Pt 2):356-358. PubMed
    5. 20015. Kerner J, Mitchell J, Maibach HI. Irritant contact dermatitis from Agave americana L. Incorrect use of sap as "hair restorer". Arch Dermatol 1973;108(1):102-103. DOI
    6. 19622. Golan H, Landau M, Goldberg I, et al. [Dermatitis from contact with Agave americana]. Harefuah 2000;139(7-8):276-8, 326.

    Diclofenac Sodium

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Diclofenac Sodium, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Effects for Diclofenac Sodium come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Agave come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 155,962 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Diclofenac Sodium that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Agave in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Agave contains constituents that may be uterine stimulants, and it has traditionally been used to induce labor.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Overlapping uses

What Diclofenac Sodium Is Prescribed For, and What Agave Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Diclofenac Sodium is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Agave is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Diclofenac Sodium is prescribed for: Diclofenac sodium topical gel is used to treat actinic keratoses (AK) — rough, scaly skin patches that form after years of sun exposure. These patches are considered precancerous, meaning they can develop into skin cancer if left untreated. This is a topical gel, meaning it is applied directly to the skin over the affected area rather than taken by mouth. It belongs to the NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) family.

Agave has been studied for:

  • Cancer studied, not established Agave has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Agave for cancer

    Although there has been interest in using oral agave for cancer, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of agave for this purpose.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Diclofenac Sodium on your own; if you are taking Agave for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Agave or Diclofenac Sodium

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Agave or Diclofenac Sodium, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Diclofenac Sodium

This page covers Agave only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Diclofenac Sodium page lists 308 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 266 moderate · 35 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Diclofenac Sodium page

“Diclofenac (Voltaren), a daily mainstay for arthritis and joint pain, comes with a supplement list that calls for real vigilance. Of the 308 ingredients on file, 7 rate major, and roughly two hundred entries share a single theme: anything with blood-thinning activity adds to diclofenac's own bleeding risk, especially in the stomach.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Diclofenac Sodium interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Agave as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 88 real supplement products containing Agave, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Agave. Even though Agave itself has no known interaction with Diclofenac Sodium, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Agave and Diclofenac Sodium Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Agave
Top half

#659 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Diclofenac Sodium
Top 10%

#266 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Agave reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Agave and Diclofenac Sodium records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Agave

What is Agave?

Agave
  • Natural sweetener (agave nectar)
  • Digestive complaints
  • Wound and skin care (topical)
  • Mild antimicrobial
  • Traditional remedy for inflammation

Agave is a succulent plant best known as the source of agave nectar, a popular sweetener, and the base for tequila and mezcal. While it has a long history of folk use for digestion, skin care, and minor infections, there is very little solid human research to support medicinal benefits, and the raw sap can irritate skin and may be unsafe to take internally in large amounts. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using agave as a supplement.

Agave americana · Asparagaceae · Leaves, sap (used to make agave nectar/syrup), and roots · Agave nectar/syrup (sweetener), dried leaf, topical sap preparations, and occasionally capsules or extracts

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Agave is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Agave record says about it on its own.

Agave: dosing

There is no established standardized medicinal dose for agave. Most people only encounter it as agave nectar used to sweeten food and drinks, where the "dose" is simply how much sweetener you choose to use.For any supplement product containing agave extract, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Agave monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Agave monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Diclofenac

What Is Diclofenac Used For?

Brand names: Voltaren XR, Voltaren, Voltaren SR, Diclo, Difenac, Diclo SR, Voltarol, Acoflam, Defenac, Dicloflex, Diclovol, Diclozip, Fenactol, Flamrase, Volraman, Diclomax SR, Diclomax Retard, Motifene 75 mg, Voltarol 75 mg SR, Acoflam 75 SR, Defenac SR, Dexomon 75 SR, Dicloflex 75 SR, Diclovol SR, Fenactol 75 mg SR, Flamatak 75 MR, Flamrase SR, Flexotard MR 75, Rheumatac Retard 75, Rhumalgan CR, Slofenac SR, Volsaid Retard 75, Voltarol Retard, Acoflam Retard, Defenac Retard, Dexomon Retard 100, Dicloflex Retard, Diclovol Retard, Fenactol Retard 100 mg, Flamatak 100 MR, Volsaid Retard 100, Voltarol Ophtha Multidose, Voltarol Ophtha, Pennsaid, Voltaren Emulgel, Dyloject

Diclofenac sodium topical gel is used to treat actinic keratoses (AK) — rough, scaly skin patches that form after years of sun exposure. These patches are considered precancerous, meaning they can develop into skin cancer if left untreated.

This is a topical gel, meaning it is applied directly to the skin over the affected area rather than taken by mouth. It belongs to the NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) family.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Diclofenac Sodium

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (155,962 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 13,844 reports
Arthralgia 11,333 reports
Rash 10,855 reports
Rheumatoid arthritis 10,744 reports
Abdominal discomfort 9,636 reports
See full Diclofenac drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Agave

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Agave — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Agave against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Agave list.

See the full Agave interactions page
See every supplement checked against Diclofenac Sodium, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Agave References

The 8 references that drive our Agave monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Golan H, Landau M, Goldberg I, et al. [Dermatitis from contact with Agave americana]. Harefuah 2000;139(7-8):276-8, 326.
  2. Brenner S, Landau M, Goldberg I. Contact dermatitis with systemic symptoms from Agave americana. Dermatology 1998;196(4):408-411.
  3. High WA. Agave contact dermatitis. Am J Contact Dermat 2003;14(4):213-214. DOI
  4. Brazzelli V, Romano E, Balduzzi A, et al. Acute irritant contact dermatitis from Agave americana L. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33(1):60-61.
  5. Ricks MR, Vogel PS, Elston DM, et al. Purpuric agave dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;40(2 Pt 2):356-358. PubMed
  6. Kerner J, Mitchell J, Maibach HI. Irritant contact dermatitis from Agave americana L. Incorrect use of sap as "hair restorer". Arch Dermatol 1973;108(1):102-103. DOI
  7. Basilio CM, Seyler L, Bernstein J, et al. Isolation and characterization of an utero-active compound from Agave americana. P R Health Sci J 1989;8(3):295-299.
  8. Cherpelis BS, Fenske NA. Purpuric irritant contact dermatitis induced by Agave americana. Cutis 2000;66(4):287-8.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Agave and Diclofenac Sodium Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Agave with Diclofenac Sodium?
We do not list a known interaction between Agave and Diclofenac Sodium. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Agave and Diclofenac Sodium have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Agave and Diclofenac Sodium used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Agave in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Diclofenac Sodium is being adjusted to a target.
Does Diclofenac Sodium interact with any supplements?
Yes. Diclofenac Sodium has documented interactions with 308 supplements in our database — Agave is not one of them. The Diclofenac Sodium interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Agave monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Diclofenac drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Diclofenac Sodium supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Diclofenac Sodium, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 8 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Diclofenac Sodium and Agave?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.