Drug & supplement interaction

Bear's Garlic + Bromfenac Sodium

Bromfenac Sodium brand names: Prolensa, Bromsite.

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

Bear's Garlic has a moderate interaction with Bromfenac Sodium. In vitro research shows that bear's garlic and some of its constituents can inhibit platelet aggregation.

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

Bear's Garlic and Bromfenac Sodium

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Bromfenac Sodium

Bromfenac Sodium falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Bear's Garlic interacts with.

In vitro research shows that bear's garlic and some of its constituents can inhibit platelet aggregation. Theoretically, bear's garlic might increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.
Some anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
Severity Moderate 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 good news about Prolensa or Bromsite (bromfenac eye drops): this is a tiny dose dripped right into your eye after cataract surgery. Very little reaches your bloodstream, so the bleeding concern with bear's garlic is mostly theoretical here. The interaction on file is based only on lab studies showing bear's garlic may mildly slow platelets (the cells that help blood clot), and it's grouped with stronger blood thinners like warfarin.

With an eye NSAID, the realistic thing to watch for is local irritation or a little extra redness or stinging around the eye, especially right after surgery. Eaten as a food, bear's garlic is very unlikely to matter. If you're using concentrated supplements or take a true blood thinner too, just give your pharmacist or surgeon a quick heads-up.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Carotenuto A, De Feo V, Fattorusso E, et al. The flavonoids of Allium ursinum. Phytochem 1996;41:531-6. PubMed
  2. Bobak M, Skodova Z, Marmot M. Beer and obesity: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003;57:1250-53. PubMed
  3. Koh-Banerjee P, Chu N, Spiegelman D, et al. Prospective study of the association of changes in dietary intake, physicial activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking with 9-y gain in waist circumference among 16 587 US men. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78:719-27..

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

Bear's Garlic Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bear's Garlic has 121 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Bromfenac Sodium one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 121 No known interaction 2,709 (incl. Bromfenac Sodium)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bear's Garlic

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Bear's Garlic. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Bromfenac Sodium

This page covers Bear's Garlic only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Bromfenac Sodium page lists 209 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Danshen (major), Piracetam (major), Wine (major) and Aconite (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 186 moderate · 19 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Bromfenac Sodium page

“The typical person using bromfenac sodium drops (Prolensa, Bromsite) has just had cataract surgery, often older and often a daily supplement taker, a combination that deserves genuine care. Bromfenac is an NSAID, and 202 of the 209 ingredients here have blood-thinning or antiplatelet activity that can stack with it and make bleeding ea…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Bromfenac Sodium interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bear's Garlic and Bromfenac 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 Bear's Garlic
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Bromfenac Sodium
Steady interest

#1,550 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 Bear's Garlic

What is Bear's Garlic?

Bear's Garlic
  • Seasoning and culinary flavoring
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Blood pressure support
  • Digestive complaints
  • General 'cleansing' or detox traditions

Bear's garlic is a wild relative of garlic enjoyed mainly as a mild-tasting food. Some early laboratory studies hint at heart and blood vessel benefits, but solid human evidence is lacking, so it should be viewed as a flavorful food rather than a proven remedy. As food it is generally well tolerated, but supplements or large amounts have not been well studied for safety.

Read the full Bear's Garlic monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Bromfenac Ophthalmic

What Is Bromfenac Ophthalmic Used For?

Brand names: Prolensa, Bromsite

Bromfenac ophthalmic solution is used to treat postoperative inflammation (swelling and irritation) and to reduce eye pain in patients who have had cataract surgery. It is applied directly to the eye as drops.

See full Bromfenac Ophthalmic drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bear's Garlic

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

0Major
121Moderate
0Minor
2,708No known interaction
121 Moderate 2,708 No interaction
Moderate

121 interactions

Showing 60 of 121 moderate interactions — see all 121 on the Bear's Garlic page.

No interaction 2,708 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,708 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bear's Garlic list.

See the full Bear's Garlic interactions page
See every supplement checked against Bromfenac Sodium, 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
Bear's Garlic monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Bromfenac Sodium supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Bromfenac Sodium, ranked by severity Bromfenac Ophthalmic 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 Bear's Garlic and Bromfenac Sodium Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bear's Garlic with Bromfenac Sodium?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Bear's Garlic and Bromfenac Sodium interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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

Still Have a Question About Bromfenac Sodium and Bear's Garlic?

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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.