Drug & supplement interaction

Cajeput Oil + Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine

Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine brand name: Tussend.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Cajeput Oil has a moderate interaction with Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine. Evidence from in vitro research suggests that cajeput leaf extract can inhibit cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) by approximately 30%.

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

Cajeput Oil and Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine

Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES — the group Cajeput Oil interacts with.

Evidence from in vitro research suggests that cajeput leaf extract can inhibit cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) by approximately 30%. Theoretically, cajeput oil may increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6. Some drugs metabolized by CYP2D6 include amitriptyline (Elavil), clozapine (Clozaril), codeine, desipramine (Norpramin), donepezil (Aricept), fentanyl (Duragesic), flecainide (Tambocor), fluoxetine (Prozac), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), olanzapine (Zyprexa), ondansetron (Zofran), tramadol (Ultram), trazodone (Desyrel), and others.
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 interesting wrinkle with this combination product: the hydrocodone part is actually a prodrug. Your body uses an enzyme called CYP2D6 to turn it into hydromorphone, which provides a lot of the pain relief. Lab tests suggest cajeput extract may slow that enzyme down a bit (around 30%). If CYP2D6 is dampened, less hydrocodone gets converted, so you might notice weaker pain relief than expected.

I'll be honest though, this is based only on test-tube research, not real people, so the effect in everyday life is likely small. Sniffing diluted cajeput oil for congestion is far less concerning than swallowing concentrated amounts. Before adding it, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor so they can check it fits your situation.

References
  1. Subehan, Usia, T., Iwata, H., Kadota, S., and Tezuka, Y. Mechanism-based inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 by Indonesian medicinal plants. J Ethnopharmacol. 5-24-2006;105(3):449-455. 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

Cajeput Oil Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cajeput Oil has 277 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine 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 Cajeput Oil

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine

This page covers Cajeput Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine page lists 285 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), Beer (major), Ephedra (major) and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major).

By severity: 16 major · 228 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine page

“Tussend combines three drugs in one cough medicine, the opioid hydrocodone, the antihistamine chlorpheniramine, and the decongestant pseudoephedrine, so supplements can collide with it from several directions. I treat its list of 285 interacting ingredients as one that deserves real respect, and the 16 rated major are what to understan…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Cajeput Oil and Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine 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 Cajeput Oil
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine
Top half

#1,109 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 Cajeput Oil

What is Cajeput Oil?

Cajeput Oil
  • Muscle and joint aches
  • Cough and congestion
  • Minor skin irritation
  • Insect repellent
  • Aromatherapy

Cajeput oil is an aromatic essential oil traditionally used for aches, congestion, and minor skin complaints, but solid human evidence for these uses is limited. Like other essential oils, it should never be swallowed and should be diluted before applying to skin; consult a pharmacist or doctor before use, especially in children, pregnancy, or breastfeeding.

Read the full Cajeput Oil monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cajeput Oil

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

0Major
277Moderate
0Minor
2,552No known interaction
Moderate

277 interactions

Showing 60 of 277 moderate interactions — see all 277 on the Cajeput Oil page.

No interaction 2,552 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,552 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cajeput Oil 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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Taking Cajeput Oil and Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cajeput Oil with Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine?
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 Cajeput Oil and Chlorpheniramine, Hydrocodone, Pseudoephedrine 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.