Apricot Kernel + Letrozole
Letrozole brand name: Femara.
We found no known interaction between Apricot Kernel and Letrozole 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.
Apricot Kernel and Letrozole
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 Letrozole and Apricot Kernel 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 Apricot Kernel at all — not against Letrozole, 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.
Apricot Kernel safety at a glance
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.
Apricot Kernel in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
When apricot kernels are taken orally. The Hellenic Food Authority recommends that pregnant or breastfeeding patients avoid consumption of apricot kernels.
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
What Letrozole Is Prescribed For, and What Apricot Kernel Has Been Studied For
These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Letrozole is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Apricot Kernel is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.
Letrozole is prescribed for: Letrozole (brand name Femara) is used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women whose tumors are driven by estrogen. It is used in three settings: as adjuvant (after-surgery) treatment for hormone receptor positive early breast cancer; as extended adjuvant treatment for women who have already completed about five years of tamoxifen therapy; and as first- or second-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic (spread) breast cancer. Femara is specifically indicated for first-line treatment of hormone receptor positive or receptor-unknown locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, and for advanced breast cancer in women whose disease has progressed after antiestrogen therapy.
Apricot Kernel has been studied for:
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Cancer studied, not established Apricot Kernel has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Possibly Ineffective Read what the research shows
Apricot Kernel for cancer
Oral apricot kernel does not seem to be effective for cancer.
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 Letrozole on your own; if you are taking Apricot Kernel for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.
Questions About Apricot Kernel or Letrozole
These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Apricot Kernel or Letrozole, 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.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Letrozole
This page covers Apricot Kernel only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Letrozole page lists 142 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), 7-methoxyflavone (moderate) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).
By severity: 3 major · 99 moderate · 40 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Letrozole page
“Letrozole (Femara) is prescribed to keep hormone-driven breast cancer from returning, so a supplement that shifts its blood level can quietly undercut treatment. Give this list of 142 ingredients genuine respect, and learn the three major entries first.”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Where Apricot Kernel and Letrozole 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.
#614 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#50 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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 Apricot Kernel reference on this page ↓
- Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Apricot Kernel and Letrozole records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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.
About Apricot Kernel
What is Apricot Kernel?
- Claimed anti-cancer remedy (unproven)
- Cough and respiratory complaints (traditional medicine)
- Digestive complaints (traditional medicine)
- Skin and hair care (kernel oil)
- General 'detox' or wellness claims
Apricot kernels contain amygdalin (marketed as laetrile or 'vitamin B17'), which the body can convert into cyanide and cause serious, even fatal, poisoning. There is no reliable evidence that apricot kernels or laetrile treat cancer or any other disease, and health authorities warn against eating them. The pressed oil used on skin is a separate, generally lower-risk product.
Prunus armeniaca · Rosaceae · Seed (kernel) inside the apricot pit, and the oil pressed from it · Raw or ground kernels, capsules, amygdalin/laetrile supplements, apricot kernel oil
An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Apricot Kernel is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Apricot Kernel record says about it on its own.
Apricot Kernel: dosing
There is no safe, established, or recommended dose of apricot kernels or amygdalin/laetrile for treating any health condition. We will not suggest specific amounts because even small quantities can be unsafe. Apricot kernel oil used on the skin should be used as directed on the cosmetic product label.
From our Apricot Kernel monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.
About Letrozole
What Is Letrozole Used For?
Brand name: Femara
Letrozole (brand name Femara) is used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women whose tumors are driven by estrogen. It is used in three settings: as adjuvant (after-surgery) treatment for hormone receptor positive early breast cancer; as extended adjuvant treatment for women who have already completed about five years of tamoxifen therapy; and as first- or second-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic (spread) breast cancer.
Femara is specifically indicated for first-line treatment of hormone receptor positive or receptor-unknown locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, and for advanced breast cancer in women whose disease has progressed after antiestrogen therapy.
Other Drugs & Apricot Kernel
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Apricot Kernel — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Apricot Kernel against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Sertraline ›
- Testosterone ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Aspirin ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Docusate ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Prednisone ›
- Propranolol ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Bupropion ›
- Metformin ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Naproxen ›
- Bisoprolol ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Apricot Kernel list.
Apricot Kernel References
The 11 references that drive our Apricot Kernel 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.
- Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
- McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
- Moertel, C. G., Fleming, T. R., Rubin, J., Kvols, L. K., Sarna, G., Koch, R., Currie, V. E., Young, C. W., Jones, S. E., and Davignon, J. P. A clinical trial of amygdalin (Laetrile) in the treatment of human cancer. N.Engl.J.Med. 1-28-1982;306(4):201-206 PubMed
- Suchard, J. R., Wallace, K. L., and Gerkin, R. D. Acute cyanide toxicity caused by apricot kernel ingestion. Ann.Emerg.Med. 1998;32(6):742-744. PubMed
- Chandeler, R. F. et al. Laetrile in Perspective. Can Pharm J 1984;117:517.
- Seghers L, Walenbergh-van Veen M, Salome J, Hamberg P. Cyanide intoxication by apricot kernel ingestion as complimentary cancer therapy. Neth J Med 2013;71(9):496-8.
- Chaouali N, Gana I, Dorra A, et al. Potential toxic levels of cyanide in almonds (Prunus amygdalus), apricot kernels (Prunus armeniaca), and almond syrup. ISRN Toxicol. 2013;2013:610648.
- Konstantatos A, Shiv Kumar M, Burrell A, Smith J. An unusual presentation of chronic cyanide toxicity from self-prescribed apricot kernel extract. BMJ Case Rep. 2017;2017. PubMed
- Apricot Kernels (Bitter and Sweet). Food Safety Authority of Ireland. 2017. Available at: https://www.fsai.ie/faq/apricot_kernels.html.
- EFSA CONTAM Panel (EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain). Scientific opinion on the acute health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in raw apricot kernels and products derived from raw apricot kernels. EFSA Journal 2016;14(4):4 DOI
- Health Canada sets new cyanide limit to mitigate risks associated with eating apricot kernels. 2020. Health Canada: Recalls and Alerts. Available at: https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2020/72195a-eng.php
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.
Taking Apricot Kernel and Letrozole Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Apricot Kernel with Letrozole?
Do Apricot Kernel and Letrozole have any of the same side effects?
Are Apricot Kernel and Letrozole used for the same thing?
Does Letrozole interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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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.