Drug & supplement interaction

Bael + Tofacitinib

Tofacitinib brand names: Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR.

Minor Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Minor

Bael has a minor interaction with Tofacitinib. Bael and its constituents marmelosin and marmesinin inhibited cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) activity in vitro.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Bael and Tofacitinib

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Tofacitinib

Tofacitinib falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Bael interacts with.

Bael and its constituents marmelosin and marmesinin inhibited cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) activity in vitro. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans. Theoretically, bael might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
Some drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 include lovastatin (Mevacor), ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), fexofenadine (Allegra), triazolam (Halcion), and numerous others. Use bael cautiously or avoid in patients taking these drugs.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist for tofacitinib (Xeljanz). Your body uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to help clear this medication. In lab dish studies, compounds in bael (marmelosin and marmesinin) slowed that same enzyme down. If that effect carried over into people, bael could let tofacitinib build up a bit, which might mean more of its usual side effects, like headaches, higher infection risk, or changes in your blood counts and cholesterol.

The important thing to keep in mind: this is only theoretical, based on test-tube work, and it hasn't actually been seen in humans. Occasional bael fruit in food is unlikely to be a problem. Still, if you're thinking about concentrated bael supplements, run it by your pharmacist or doctor first so they can keep an eye on things.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Manda VK, Avula B, Chittiboyina AG, Khan IA, Walker LA, Khan SI. Inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 by Aegle marmelos and its constituents. Xenobiotica. 2016;46(2):117-25.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Bael Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bael has 111 moderate, 707 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Tofacitinib one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 111 Minor 707 No known interaction 2,012 (incl. Tofacitinib)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bael

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Bael. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tofacitinib

This page covers Bael only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tofacitinib page lists 184 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), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 143 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tofacitinib page

“Supplements deserve genuine care alongside tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR), a medicine that deliberately dials down the immune system to control conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. Most of the interactions on this page run through the liver enzymes that clear the drug, meaning an herb can push its blood level…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tofacitinib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 94 real supplement products containing Bael, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bael. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Tofacitinib too, on top of Bael — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Bael and Tofacitinib 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 Bael
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tofacitinib
Steady interest

#1,821 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.

Supplement

About Bael

What is Bael?

Bael
  • Diarrhea and dysentery
  • Indigestion and other digestive complaints
  • Constipation
  • Blood sugar support
  • General wellness in traditional medicine

Bael is a fruit-bearing tree long used in traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine, mostly for digestive problems like diarrhea and indigestion. Modern human evidence for its medicinal benefits is very limited, so it should be viewed mainly as a food and traditional remedy rather than a proven treatment. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using bael as a supplement, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a health condition.

Read the full Bael monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tofacitinib

What Is Tofacitinib Used For?

Brand names: Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR

  • Tofacitinib is used alone or with other medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis (condition in which the body attacks its own joints causing pain, swelling, and loss of function) in adults who are unable to take or did not respond to one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor medication(s). It is also used to treat psoriatic arthritis (a condition that causes joint pain and swelling and scales on the skin) in adults who are unable to take or did not respond to or tolerate one or more TNF inhibitor medication(s). Tofacitinib is used to treat ulcerative colitis (a condition which causes swelling and sores in the lining of the colon [large intestine] and rectum) in adults who are unable to take or who did not respond to one or more TNF inhibitor medication(s). It is also used to treat polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA; a type of childhood arthritis that affects five or more joints during the first six months of the condition, causing pain, swelling, and loss of function) in children 2 years and older who are unable to take or who did not respond to one or more TNF inhibitor medication(s). Tofacitinib is in a class of medications called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. It works by decreasing the activity of the immune system.

See full Tofacitinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bael

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

0Major
111Moderate
707Minor
2,011No known interaction
111 Moderate 707 Minor 2,011 No interaction
Moderate

111 interactions

Showing 60 of 111 moderate interactions — see all 111 on the Bael page.

Minor

707 interactions

Showing 60 of 707 minor interactions — see all 707 on the Bael page.

No interaction 2,011 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,011 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bael list.

See the full Bael interactions page
See every supplement checked against Tofacitinib, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Bael monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Tofacitinib supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Tofacitinib, ranked by severity Tofacitinib drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Bael and Tofacitinib Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bael with Tofacitinib?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Bael and Tofacitinib interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Tofacitinib and Bael?

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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.