Drug & supplement interaction

Benzoin + Tafenoquine

Tafenoquine brand names: Krintafel, Arakoda.

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 Benzoin and Tafenoquine 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 label for Tafenoquine states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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

Benzoin and Tafenoquine

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 Tafenoquine and Benzoin 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 Benzoin at all — not against Tafenoquine, 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.

Benzoin safety at a glance

Benzoin overall Use caution Generally used topically and considered low-risk for most people, but it can cause skin and allergic reactions.
Pregnancy Use caution Topical use is likely low-risk, but safety is not well studied; avoid internal use and check with your doctor.
Breastfeeding Use caution Not well studied during breastfeeding, so use caution and ask your healthcare provider.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Benzoin and Tafenoquine 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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Hives Worth acting on Additional detail

    Benzoin

    “Benzoin can cause urticaria and skin discoloration. Allergic contact dermatitis to benzoin and compound benzoin tincture has been reported and confirmed by patch testing (11,12,103827). In clinical research, the incidence of localized contact dermatitis with compound benzoin tincture is 8% to 9%, with a lower incidence of generalized allergic dermatitis.”

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

    4 sources cited
    1. 6002. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. 1st ed. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse Corp., 1999.
    2. 11. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
    3. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
    4. 103827. Parmar RC, Patel DM, Patel MV, et al. Medicated adhesive dressing is a safe and non-inferior cutaneous seal as compared to compound tincture benzoin dermal seal for percutaneous interventions. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(7):2384-8. PubMed

    Tafenoquine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Tafenoquine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Benzoin but not commonly for Tafenoquine: a skin rash, bleeding or bruising and stomach upset.

Effects for Tafenoquine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Benzoin come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 70 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Tafenoquine 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.

How to take them

Some Tafenoquine Products Have a Food Rule — Benzoin Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Tafenoquine says to take it with food. If you take Benzoin on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Tafenoquine with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Tafenoquine products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

( 2.1 ) Regimen Name Timing Dosage Loading regimen For each of the 3 days before travel to a malarious area 200 mg (2 of the 100 mg tablets) once daily for 3 days Maintenance regimen While in the malarious area 200 mg (2 of the 100 mg tablets) once weekly – start 7 days after the last loading regimen dose Terminal prophylaxis regimen In the week following exit from the malarious area 200 mg (2 of

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Tafenoquine — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tafenoquine

This page covers Benzoin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tafenoquine page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tafenoquine page

“Tafenoquine (Krintafel, Arakoda) protects against malaria, including the relapsing kind that hides in the liver, and every supplement known to interact with it threatens the same thing, how much of the pill actually reaches your blood. That deserves genuine care, since a partly absorbed antimalarial can let parasites survive and resurf…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tafenoquine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 15 real supplement products containing Benzoin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Benzoin. Even though Benzoin itself has no known interaction with Tafenoquine, 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 Benzoin and Tafenoquine 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 Benzoin
Steady interest

#1,054 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Tafenoquine
Steady interest

#2,373 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 Benzoin reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Benzoin and Tafenoquine 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.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Benzoin

What is Benzoin?

  • Skin protectant for cuts and cracked skin
  • Helping bandages and dressings stick to skin
  • Steam inhalation for cough and congestion
  • Throat and mouth soothing washes
  • Fragrance and incense
  • Mild antiseptic for minor wounds

Benzoin is a fragrant resin from Southeast Asian Styrax trees, used mainly on the skin as a protectant and as 'compound benzoin tincture' to help dressings stick. Evidence for internal or medicinal benefits is limited, and it can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions, so it is best used topically as directed. Pregnant or breastfeeding people and anyone considering it should check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Styrax benzoin · Styracaceae · Resin (balsamic gum) from the tree bark · Tincture (compound benzoin tincture), topical resin, inhalation/steam, incense, essential oil

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

Benzoin: dosing

There is no standardized medicinal dose of benzoin, and amounts vary widely by product and use. For skin and adhesive uses, follow the directions on the product label or the instructions from your healthcare provider.For steam inhalation or aromatherapy, manufacturers usually give a recommended amount to add to hot water or a diffuser.

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

Read the full Benzoin monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tafenoquine

What Is Tafenoquine Used For?

Brand names: Krintafel, Arakoda

Tafenoquine is used for two distinct purposes depending on the product. Arakoda and Kodatef are used for malaria prophylaxis — that is, preventing malaria in adults 18 and older who are traveling to or living in areas where malaria is present.

Krintafel is used for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria — meaning it prevents the malaria parasite from coming back (relapsing) in patients 16 and older who are already being treated with chloroquine for an active P. vivax infection. Krintafel is not used to treat an active malaria attack on its own, and it should only be used alongside chloroquine, not other antimalarials.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Tafenoquine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (70 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Depression 20 reports
Anxiety 18 reports
Post-traumatic stress disorder 15 reports
Anger 14 reports
Nausea 14 reports
See full Tafenoquine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Benzoin

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Benzoin — 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 Benzoin 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 Benzoin list.

See the full Benzoin interactions page
See every supplement checked against Tafenoquine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Benzoin References

The 4 references that drive our Benzoin 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. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  2. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  3. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. 1st ed. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse Corp., 1999.
  4. Parmar RC, Patel DM, Patel MV, et al. Medicated adhesive dressing is a safe and non-inferior cutaneous seal as compared to compound tincture benzoin dermal seal for percutaneous interventions. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(7):2384-8. PubMed

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 Benzoin and Tafenoquine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Benzoin with Tafenoquine?
We do not list a known interaction between Benzoin and Tafenoquine. 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 Benzoin and Tafenoquine 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.
Should I take Benzoin and Tafenoquine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Tafenoquine says to take it with food. If you take Benzoin on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Tafenoquine with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Tafenoquine products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Tafenoquine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Tafenoquine has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Benzoin is not one of them. The Tafenoquine 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

Benzoin monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Tafenoquine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Tafenoquine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Tafenoquine, 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 4 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Tafenoquine and Benzoin?

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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.