Drug & supplement interaction

Broccoli + Propafenone

Propafenone brand names: Rythmol, Arythmol.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Broccoli has a moderate interaction with Propafenone. Theoretically, broccoli might reduce the levels and effects of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.

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

Broccoli and Propafenone

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Propafenone

Propafenone falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Broccoli interacts with.

Theoretically, broccoli might reduce the levels and effects of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.
Pharmacokinetic research in humans shows that eating 500 grams of fresh broccoli daily for 6-12 days can increase CYP1A2 activity by 10% to 200%. Induction of CYP1A2 activity by broccoli is attributed to its glucosinolate constituents.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 propafenone (Rythmol). Your liver uses an enzyme called CYP1A2 to help clear this medicine. Eating large amounts of broccoli, around 500 grams a day for a week or more, can speed that enzyme up. In theory, a faster enzyme could break propafenone down a bit quicker and lower its blood levels, which might mean it works less well at keeping your heartbeat steady. That could show up as palpitations or your irregular rhythm sneaking back.

The evidence here is on the weaker side and mostly theoretical, and normal food-sized servings of broccoli are unlikely to cause trouble. Since propafenone is a heart rhythm drug where steady levels matter, just keep your broccoli intake fairly consistent and check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding concentrated broccoli supplements.

References
  1. Hakooz, N. and Hamdan, I. Effects of dietary broccoli on human in vivo caffeine metabolism: a pilot study on a group of Jordanian volunteers. Curr Drug Metab 2007;8(1):9-15. PubMed
  2. Kall MA, Vang O, Clausen J. Effects of dietary broccoli on human drug metabolising activity. Cancer Lett. 1997;114(1-2):169-70. 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

Broccoli Also Interacts With Other Medications

Broccoli has 186 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Propafenone 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 Broccoli

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Broccoli or Propafenone

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Broccoli or Propafenone, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Propafenone

This page covers Broccoli only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Propafenone page lists 138 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 99 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Propafenone page

“Propafenone (Rythmol) steadies abnormal heart rhythms, and medicines with that job leave little room for error, so the 138 supplements and herbs on this list deserve genuine attention before any of them get added on top. The single major-rated entry is activated charcoal, which can soak up an oral dose in the gut and cut how much medic…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Propafenone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 5,155 real supplement products containing Broccoli, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Broccoli. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Propafenone too, on top of Broccoli — 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 Broccoli and Propafenone 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 Broccoli
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Propafenone
Top half

#1,206 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 Broccoli

What is Broccoli?

  • General nutrition and antioxidant support
  • Heart and digestive health
  • Detoxification support
  • Cancer risk reduction (popular interest)
  • Blood sugar support

Broccoli is a nutritious cruciferous vegetable rich in fiber, vitamins, and plant compounds like sulforaphane that have drawn scientific interest for health benefits. Eating broccoli as food is safe and healthy for most people, but concentrated supplements and extracts are less studied and benefits are not firmly proven. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using broccoli supplements, especially in high doses.

Read the full Broccoli monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Propafenone

What Is Propafenone Used For?

Brand names: Rythmol, Arythmol

Propafenone is used to help control abnormal heart rhythms. It is prescribed to delay the return of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (episodic irregular heartbeats in the upper chambers) and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT, sudden fast heartbeats starting above the heart's lower chambers) — but only in people who do not have structural heart disease.

It is also used to treat life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (dangerous fast rhythms starting in the heart's lower chambers). Because of serious safety concerns, it is not recommended for minor or non-life-threatening heart rhythm problems.

See full Propafenone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Broccoli

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

0Major
186Moderate
0Minor
2,643No known interaction
Moderate

186 interactions

Showing 60 of 186 moderate interactions — see all 186 on the Broccoli page.

No interaction 2,643 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 Broccoli and Propafenone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Broccoli with Propafenone?
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 Broccoli and Propafenone 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 Propafenone and Broccoli?

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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.