Drug & supplement interaction

Black Tea + Fluphenazine

Fluphenazine brand names: Prolixin, Permitil, Fluphenazine.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Black Tea has a minor interaction with Fluphenazine. Theoretically, phenothiazines might increase the levels and adverse effects of caffeine.

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

Black Tea and Fluphenazine

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

Minor

PHENOTHIAZINES

Why this applies to Fluphenazine

Fluphenazine falls under PHENOTHIAZINES — the group Black Tea interacts with.

Theoretically, phenothiazines might increase the levels and adverse effects of caffeine. Also, black tea may bind to phenothiazines and reduce their absorption.
Black tea contains caffeine. Phenothiazines can reduce the metabolism of caffeine by inhibiting cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2). Additionally, the tannins in black tea may bind to phenothiazines in the gastrointestinal tract and reduce their absorption.
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 deal with black tea and your fluphenazine. There are really two small things going on. First, the tannins in tea can grab onto fluphenazine right in your stomach and gut, which may keep some of the dose from being absorbed. In plain terms, less of your medicine gets into you, so it could work a little less well at controlling symptoms. Second, fluphenazine may slow how your body clears caffeine, so the tea's caffeine could hit you a bit harder (think jitters, a faster heartbeat, or trouble sleeping).

Honestly, this is rated minor and is mostly theoretical, based on lab work rather than real patients. A practical tip: don't take your pill at the same time you sip tea, separate them by a couple hours. Keep your tea habit steady, and check with your pharmacist before changing anything.

References
  1. Lasswell WL Jr, Weber SS, Wilkins JM. In vitro interaction of neuroleptics and tricylic antidepressants with coffee, tea, and gallotannic acid. J Pharm Sci 1984;73:1056-8. PubMed
  2. Kulhanek F, Linde OK, Meisenberg G. Precipitation of antipsychotic drugs in interaction with coffee or tea. Lancet 1979;2:1130.
  3. Wojcikowski, J. and Daniel, W. A. Perazine at therapeutic drug concentrations inhibits human cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 1A2 (CYP1A2) and caffeine metabolism--an in vitro study. Pharmacol Rep. 2009;61(5):851-858. PubMed
  4. Daniel, W. A., Syrek, M., Rylko, Z., and Kot, M. Effects of phenothiazine neuroleptics on the rate of caffeine demethylation and hydroxylation in the rat liver. Pol.J Pharmacol 2001;53(6):615-621.

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, 572 moderate, 113 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Fluphenazine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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 Fluphenazine

This page covers Black Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fluphenazine page lists 148 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Henbane (major), Indian Snakeroot (major), Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major) and Scopolia (major).

By severity: 5 major · 109 moderate · 34 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Fluphenazine page

“Take real care with supplements while on fluphenazine (Prolixin), an antipsychotic used mainly for schizophrenia. Five of the 148 ingredients on file rate major: herbs like henbane that stack anticholinergic side effects (dry mouth, blurred vision, confusion) onto a drug already prone to them, two rauwolfia plants that can intensify it…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Fluphenazine 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 Fluphenazine 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 Fluphenazine 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Fluphenazine
Top half

#1,012 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
Medication

About Fluphenazine

What Is Fluphenazine Used For?

Brand names: Prolixin, Permitil, Fluphenazine

Fluphenazine hydrochloride tablets and oral solution are indicated for the management of psychotic disorders. Fluphenazine Hydrochloride Injection is also used for psychotic disorders and can bridge patients to oral therapy.

Fluphenazine Decanoate Injection is a long-acting form specifically intended for patients who need extended antipsychotic treatment — for example, those with chronic schizophrenia who benefit from a single injection that can last up to four weeks or longer. It is not approved for behavioral problems related to intellectual disability, and it is not approved for dementia-related psychosis in elderly patients.

See full Fluphenazine drug information
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
572Moderate
113Minor
2,136No known interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

572 interactions

Showing 60 of 572 moderate interactions — see all 572 on the Black Tea page.

Minor

113 interactions

Showing 60 of 113 minor interactions — see all 113 on the Black Tea page.

No interaction 2,136 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Black Tea and Fluphenazine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Black Tea with Fluphenazine?
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 Black Tea and Fluphenazine 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

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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.