Drug & supplement interaction

Bromelain + Chlortetracycline

Chlortetracycline brand name: Aureomycin.

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

Bromelain has a minor interaction with Chlortetracycline. Theoretically, bromelain might increase levels of tetracycline antibiotics.

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

Bromelain and Chlortetracycline

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

Minor

TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS

Why this applies to Chlortetracycline

Chlortetracycline falls under TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS — the group Bromelain interacts with.

Theoretically, bromelain might increase levels of tetracycline antibiotics.
Laboratory research suggests that bromelain might increase the absorption of tetracycline antibiotics. However, a study in healthy adults reported no difference in tetracycline plasma levels when a 500 mg dose was taken with or without bromelain 80 mg.
Severity Minor 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 if you're taking chlortetracycline (Aureomycin) and thinking about a bromelain supplement. The idea on file is that bromelain might help your body absorb a bit more of the antibiotic, which in theory could nudge its levels up. Chlortetracycline isn't a prodrug, so more drug in the bloodstream would simply mean a stronger effect and a slightly higher chance of the usual side effects, like upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea.

The honest part: this is largely theoretical. A small human study found no real change in tetracycline levels when bromelain was added, so for most people this is a minor concern. Still, it's worth a quick word with your pharmacist before pairing them, just to be safe.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Bradbrook ID, Morrison PJ, Rogers HJ. The effect of bromelain on the absorption of orally administered tetracycline. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1978;6:552-4. 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

Bromelain Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bromelain has 122 moderate, 18 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Chlortetracycline one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 122 Minor 18 No known interaction 2,690 (incl. Chlortetracycline)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bromelain

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Bromelain or Chlortetracycline

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Bromelain or Chlortetracycline, 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 Chlortetracycline

This page covers Bromelain only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Chlortetracycline page lists 161 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Oleander (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 7 major · 134 moderate · 20 minor.

Open the Chlortetracycline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 6,336 real supplement products containing Bromelain, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bromelain. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Chlortetracycline too, on top of Bromelain — 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 Bromelain and Chlortetracycline 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 Bromelain
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Chlortetracycline
Steady interest

#2,194 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 Bromelain

What is Bromelain?

Bromelain
  • Inflammation and swelling
  • Sinus and nasal congestion
  • Digestion support
  • Post-surgery or injury recovery
  • Joint pain
  • Allergic rhinitis

Bromelain is a group of protein-digesting enzymes from pineapple that people take mainly for inflammation, swelling, and sinus problems. Some early studies are promising, but the overall evidence is limited and far from conclusive. It is generally well tolerated short-term, but pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid it, and anyone with a pineapple allergy or bleeding concerns should check with a pharmacist first.

Read the full Bromelain monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bromelain

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

0Major
122Moderate
18Minor
2,689No known interaction
122 Moderate 18 Minor 2,689 No interaction
Moderate

122 interactions

Showing 60 of 122 moderate interactions — see all 122 on the Bromelain page.

Minor

18 interactions

No interaction 2,689 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,689 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bromelain list.

See the full Bromelain interactions page
See every supplement checked against Chlortetracycline, 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
Bromelain monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Chlortetracycline supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Chlortetracycline, 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 Bromelain and Chlortetracycline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bromelain with Chlortetracycline?
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 Bromelain and Chlortetracycline 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

Still Have a Question About Chlortetracycline and Bromelain?

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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.