Drug & supplement interaction

Caffeic Acid + Simvastatin

Simvastatin brand name: Zocor.

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

Caffeic Acid has a moderate interaction with Simvastatin. Theoretically, caffeic acid might increase the levels and clinical effects of OAT1 substrates.

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

Caffeic Acid and Simvastatin

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

Moderate

ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 1 (OAT1) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Simvastatin

Simvastatin falls under ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 1 (OAT1) SUBSTRATES — the group Caffeic Acid interacts with.

Theoretically, caffeic acid might increase the levels and clinical effects of OAT1 substrates.
In vitro, caffeic acid inhibits OAT1. This drug transport protein is involved in renal tubular uptake of some drugs from the blood and then elimination in the urine. Inhibition of this transporter decreases renal elimination and increases drug levels in the body. Although caffeic acid inhibits OAT1 in vitro, the clinical significance of this in humans is not known.
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

Here's the gist with simvastatin and caffeic acid. In lab dishes, caffeic acid can block a kidney transporter called OAT1, which helps flush certain drugs out in your urine. If that transporter slows down, a drug it handles could build up a bit and have stronger effects than expected. For simvastatin, higher levels could mean a greater chance of the usual statin complaints, like muscle aches, soreness, or weakness, and rarely liver or muscle problems.

The honest part: this is only seen in test-tube research, not in people, so we truly don't know if it matters in real life. Everyday coffee and food amounts are very unlikely to be an issue. If you're considering a concentrated caffeic acid supplement, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Uwai Y, Ozeki Y, Isaka T, et al. Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid on human organic anion transporters hOAT1 and hOAT3: a novel candidate for food-drug interaction. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2011;26:486-93. 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

Caffeic Acid Also Interacts With Other Medications

Caffeic Acid has 176 moderate, 5 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Simvastatin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 176 Minor 5 No known interaction 2,649 (incl. Simvastatin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Caffeic Acid

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Caffeic Acid or Simvastatin

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

This page covers Caffeic Acid only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Simvastatin page lists 183 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 8 major · 139 moderate · 36 minor.

Open the Simvastatin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 20 real supplement products containing Caffeic Acid, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Caffeic Acid. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Simvastatin too, on top of Caffeic Acid — 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 Caffeic Acid and Simvastatin 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 Caffeic Acid
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Simvastatin
Top half

#1,106 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 Caffeic Acid

What is Caffeic Acid?

  • Antioxidant support
  • General anti-inflammatory use
  • Skin and sun protection (topical)
  • Immune support
  • Cancer-prevention interest (research stage)

Caffeic acid is a natural plant compound found in coffee, many fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and it is studied mainly for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Most evidence comes from laboratory and animal research, so its benefits in people are not yet proven. If you want to take it as a supplement, talk with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Caffeic Acid monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Simvastatin

What Is Simvastatin Used For?

Brand name: Zocor

Simvastatin tablets are used alongside a cholesterol-lowering diet to treat high LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), high triglycerides, and certain inherited cholesterol disorders, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) in adults and children aged 10 and older, and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) in adults.

In adults who already have coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, or diabetes and are at high risk for heart events, simvastatin is also used to reduce the risk of death from heart disease, non-fatal heart attack, stroke, and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. Zocor is one brand-name product containing simvastatin and carries these same indications.

See full Simvastatin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Caffeic Acid

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

0Major
176Moderate
5Minor
2,648No known interaction
176 Moderate 5 Minor 2,648 No interaction
Moderate

176 interactions

Showing 60 of 176 moderate interactions — see all 176 on the Caffeic Acid page.

Minor

5 interactions

No interaction 2,648 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,648 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Caffeic Acid list.

See the full Caffeic Acid interactions page
See every supplement checked against Simvastatin, 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
Caffeic Acid monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Simvastatin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Simvastatin, ranked by severity Simvastatin drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Caffeic Acid and Simvastatin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Caffeic Acid with Simvastatin?
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 Caffeic Acid and Simvastatin 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 Simvastatin and Caffeic Acid?

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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.