Drug & supplement interaction

Black Tea + Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital

Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital brand name: Phenaphen.

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

Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital falls into 2 drug categories that Black Tea can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, black tea may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Black Tea and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Black Tea interacts with whole categories of medication. Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Black Tea in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital

Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Black Tea interacts with.

Theoretically, black tea may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is reported to have antiplatelet activity. Theoretically, the caffeine in black tea might increase the risk of bleeding when used concomitantly with antiplatelet drugs. However, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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

This combination pill pairs aspirin (a blood thinner that keeps platelets from sticking together) with codeine and phenobarbital for pain. The concern here is really about the aspirin part. Black tea contains caffeine, and lab studies suggest caffeine may have a mild platelet-blocking effect of its own. In theory, stacking that on top of aspirin could nudge your bleeding risk up a bit, showing as easier bruising, nosebleeds, or stomach upset.

I want to be honest about how thin the evidence is here. This comes from test-tube and animal work, and it has never actually been reported in people drinking tea. A few normal cups a day are unlikely to cause trouble. Still, if you take this regularly or notice unusual bruising or bleeding, check in with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Ali M, Afzal M. A potent inhibitor of thrombin stimulated platelet thromboxane formation from unprocessed tea. Prostaglandins Leukot Med 1987;27:9-13. PubMed
  2. Ardlie NG, Glew G, Schultz BG, Schwartz CJ. Inhibition and reversal of platelet aggregation by methyl xanthines. Thromb Diath Haemorrh 1967;18:670-3. DOI
  3. Steptoe, A., Gibson, E. L., Vuononvirta, R., Hamer, M., Wardle, J., Rycroft, J. A., Martin, J. F., and Erusalimsky, J. D. The effects of chronic tea intake on platelet activation and inflammation: a double-blind placebo controlled trial. Atherosclerosis PubMed
Moderate

PHENOBARBITAL (Luminal)

2 of 2
Theoretically, black tea might reduce the effects of phenobarbital and increase the risk for convulsions.
Black tea contains caffeine. Animal research suggests that caffeine can decrease the anticonvulsant activity of phenobarbital. The exact mechanism of this interaction is unclear.
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

This combo product contains phenobarbital, a barbiturate that, among other things, helps control seizures. The concern here is really about the caffeine in black tea. In animal studies, caffeine appeared to work against phenobarbital's seizure-calming effect. In theory, drinking a lot of caffeinated tea could chip away at that protection and make convulsions a bit more likely.

I want to be honest about the evidence: this is based on lab and animal work, not solid human studies, so it's more of a theoretical caution than a proven problem. A cup or two of tea probably isn't a big deal for most people, but heavy caffeine intake might matter. If you're taking phenobarbital for seizures, check with your pharmacist or doctor before relying on lots of tea.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Gasior, M., Borowicz, K., Buszewicz, G., Kleinrok, Z., and Czuczwar, S. J. Anticonvulsant activity of phenobarbital and valproate against maximal electroshock in mice during chronic treatment with caffeine and caffeine discontinuation. Epilepsia 1996;37(3 PubMed
  2. Jankiewicz, K., Chroscinska-Krawczyk, M., Blaszczyk, B., and Czuczwar, S. J. [Caffeine and antiepileptic drugs: experimental and clinical data]. Przegl.Lek. 2007;64(11):965-967.
  3. Chroscinska-Krawczyk, M., Jargiello-Baszak, M., Walek, M., Tylus, B., and Czuczwar, S. J. Caffeine and the anticonvulsant potency of antiepileptic drugs: experimental and clinical data. Pharmacol.Rep. 2011;63(1):12-18. PubMed

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

Black Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Black Tea has 8 major, 571 moderate, 114 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 8 Moderate 571 Minor 114 No known interaction 2,137 (incl. Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Black Tea

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital

This page covers Black Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital page lists 352 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Danshen (major).

By severity: 12 major · 304 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital page

“Alcohol is the entry I would flag first with Phenaphen (aspirin, codeine phosphate, phenobarbital): beer or wine layered onto codeine and phenobarbital can deepen sedation and, at worst, slow breathing. This medication deserves real caution with supplements.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 271 real supplement products containing Black Tea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Black Tea. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital too, on top of Black Tea — 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 Black Tea and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital 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 Black Tea
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital
Top 25%

#377 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 Black Tea

What is Black Tea?

  • Mental alertness and energy
  • Heart health support
  • Blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Digestive complaints
  • Weight management
  • Antioxidant support

Black tea is a popular caffeinated drink made from the fully oxidized leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, and it contains caffeine and antioxidant plant compounds. Moderate tea drinking is generally safe for most adults and may modestly support heart health and alertness, but it is not a proven treatment for any disease. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, sensitive to caffeine, or taking medicines, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Black Tea monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Black Tea

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

8Major
571Moderate
114Minor
2,136No known interaction
8 Major 571 Moderate 114 Minor 2,136 No interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

571 interactions

Showing 60 of 571 moderate interactions — see all 571 on the Black Tea page.

Minor

114 interactions

Showing 60 of 114 minor interactions — see all 114 on the Black Tea page.

No interaction 2,136 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,136 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Black Tea list.

See the full Black Tea interactions page
See every supplement checked against Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital, 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
Black Tea monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Black Tea and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital Together: Common Questions

Can you take Black Tea with Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Black Tea and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital?
Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital belongs to more than one drug category, and Black Tea interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Black Tea and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital 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

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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.