Drug & supplement interaction

Caraway + Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin

Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin brand name: Rifater.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin falls into 3 drug categories that Caraway can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Theoretically, caraway might increase the effects and adverse effects of isoniazid.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Caraway and Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Caraway interacts with whole categories of medication. Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Caraway in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

ISONIAZID

1 of 3
Theoretically, caraway might increase the effects and adverse effects of isoniazid.
Animal research suggests that a specific fraction of caraway seed extract (CC-1a) can increase plasma levels of isoniazid when administered concomitantly. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
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

Rifater combines three tuberculosis medicines, and the piece this interaction focuses on is the isoniazid component. The idea here is pretty mild: in animal studies, a specific concentrated fraction of caraway seed extract nudged isoniazid blood levels a little higher. If that happened in people, you could in theory see more of isoniazid's usual effects, such as nausea, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, or stress on the liver.

Here's my honest take, though. This has never actually been reported in humans, and it's based on a concentrated extract, not the caraway you sprinkle on bread or rye. A little caraway in cooking is very unlikely to cause any problem. If you're thinking about concentrated caraway oil or capsules, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Sachin BS, Monica P, Sharma SC, et al. Pharmacokinetic interaction of some antitubercular drugs with caraway: implications in the enhancement of drug bioavailability. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2009;28(4):175-84. PubMed
Minor

RIFAMPIN (Rifadin)

2 of 3
Theoretically, caraway might increase the effects and adverse effects of rifampin.
Animal research suggests that a specific fraction of caraway seed extract (CC-1a) can increase plasma levels of rifampin when administered concomitantly. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
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

Rifater combines three TB medicines, and the part we're focused on here is the rifampin. In some animal work, a concentrated fraction of caraway seed extract pushed up the amount of rifampin in the blood. The thinking is that higher rifampin levels could mean a bit more of its usual effects and side effects, things like stomach upset, nausea, or in rare cases liver irritation. Rifampin also famously turns urine, sweat, and tears a harmless orange color.

I want to be honest about the strength of this: it's theoretical and hasn't been seen in people. Normal cooking amounts of caraway are very unlikely to matter. Before using concentrated caraway oil or capsules during TB treatment, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Sachin BS, Monica P, Sharma SC, et al. Pharmacokinetic interaction of some antitubercular drugs with caraway: implications in the enhancement of drug bioavailability. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2009;28(4):175-84. PubMed
Minor

PYRAZINAMIDE

3 of 3

Why this applies to Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin

Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin falls under PYRAZINAMIDE — the group Caraway interacts with.

Theoretically, caraway might increase the effects and adverse effects of pyrazinamide.
Animal research suggests that a specific fraction of caraway seed extract (CC-1a) can increase plasma levels of pyrazinamide when administered concomitantly. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
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

Rifater is a combination tablet for treating tuberculosis, and one of its ingredients is pyrazinamide. The note we have on file is purely theoretical. In animal studies, a concentrated fraction of caraway seed extract raised blood levels of pyrazinamide. If that held true in people, slightly higher pyrazinamide levels could mean a bit more of its known side effects, mainly liver irritation (think nausea, loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin or eyes) and joint aches.

Here's my honest take: this has never been reported in humans, and the amount of caraway you'd get from cooking is very unlikely to matter. Concentrated caraway oil or supplements are a different story. Since TB medicines already need careful liver monitoring, just let your pharmacist or doctor know before adding any caraway supplement.

References
  1. Sachin BS, Monica P, Sharma SC, et al. Pharmacokinetic interaction of some antitubercular drugs with caraway: implications in the enhancement of drug bioavailability. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2009;28(4):175-84. 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

Caraway Also Interacts With Other Medications

Caraway has 408 moderate, 4 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Caraway

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin

This page covers Caraway only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin page lists 137 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 8 major · 109 moderate · 20 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin page

“Rifater combines isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and rifampin for tuberculosis, a regimen that runs for months and already works the liver hard, so this list warrants genuine care rather than a quick skim. Of the 137 supplements and herbs on file, eight rate major, and the largest single group, 38 ingredients, adds extra liver strain on top o…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 191 real supplement products containing Caraway, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Caraway. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin too, on top of Caraway — 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 Caraway and Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin 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 Caraway
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin
Top 5%

#111 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 Caraway

What is Caraway?

Caraway
  • Digestive upset and bloating
  • Gas (flatulence)
  • Indigestion (dyspepsia)
  • Irritable bowel symptoms
  • Increasing breast milk (traditional)

Caraway is a common cooking spice that has long been used to ease gas, bloating, and indigestion. Some evidence suggests caraway oil—often combined with peppermint oil—may help with indigestion, but evidence for most other uses is limited. Food amounts are generally safe; concentrated oils and supplements should be used cautiously and discussed with your pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Caraway monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Caraway

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

0Major
408Moderate
4Minor
2,417No known interaction
Moderate

408 interactions

Showing 60 of 408 moderate interactions — see all 408 on the Caraway page.

Minor

4 interactions

No interaction 2,417 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 Caraway and Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Caraway with Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin?
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.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Caraway and Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin?
Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin belongs to more than one drug category, and Caraway interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Caraway and Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin 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.