Drug & supplement interaction

Celery + Sulfasalazine

Sulfasalazine brand names: SAS, Azulfidine EN-Tabs, Azulfidine.

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

Celery has a minor interaction with Sulfasalazine. Theoretically, celery might increase the risk of photosensitivity reactions when taken with photosensitizing drugs.

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

Celery and Sulfasalazine

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

Minor

PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS

Why this applies to Sulfasalazine

Sulfasalazine falls under PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS — the group Celery interacts with.

Theoretically, celery might increase the risk of photosensitivity reactions when taken with photosensitizing drugs.
Laboratory research shows that celery contains photosensitizing agents such as phenols and psoralens.
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

Here's the gist: sulfasalazine can already make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, meaning you may sunburn faster or break out in a rash after time outdoors. Celery naturally contains compounds called psoralens that can do the same thing. So the thought is that pairing them might add up and make your skin even touchier in the sun.

I want to be honest about how soft this is. This is a theoretical concern based mostly on lab findings and scattered reports, and it's rated as minor. Eating celery as a normal food is very unlikely to cause trouble. Concentrated celery seed extracts or oils are a bit more of a question mark. Either way, simple sun protection (sunscreen, a hat, covering up) handles most of the risk. If you're unsure or notice unusual sunburning, just check in with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Gral N, Beani JC, Bonnot D, et al. [Plasma levels of psoralens after celery ingestion]. Ann Dermatol Venereol 1993;120:599-603.
  2. Weber, I. C., Davis, C. P., and Greeson, D. M. Phytophotodermatitis: the other "lime" disease. J Emerg.Med 1999;17(2):235-237. PubMed
  3. Lombaert, G. A., Siemens, K. H., Pellaers, P., Mankotia, M., and Ng, W. Furanocoumarins in celery and parsnips: method and multiyear Canadian survey. J AOAC Int 2001;84(4):1135-1143. DOI
  4. Gorgus, E., Lohr, C., Raquet, N., Guth, S., and Schrenk, D. Limettin and furocoumarins in beverages containing citrus juices or extracts. Food Chem.Toxicol. 2010;48(1):93-98. PubMed
  5. Beier, R. C., Ivie, G. W., Oertli, E. H., and Holt, D. L. HPLC analysis of linear furocoumarins (psoralens) in healthy celery (Apium graveolens). Food Chem.Toxicol. 1983;21(2):163-165. 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

Celery Also Interacts With Other Medications

Celery has 449 moderate, 201 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Sulfasalazine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 449 Minor 201 No known interaction 2,180 (incl. Sulfasalazine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Celery

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sulfasalazine

This page covers Celery only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sulfasalazine page lists 39 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Alfalfa (moderate), Angelica Archangelica (moderate), Arrach (moderate) and Bergamot (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 28 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sulfasalazine page

“Activated charcoal is the single major-rated risk for sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), because charcoal can bind the drug in the gut and cut how much your body absorbs, weakening a medicine people rely on for rheumatoid arthritis or ulcerative colitis. That entry alone earns this list of 39 supplements and herbs a careful read.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sulfasalazine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,687 real supplement products containing Celery, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Celery. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Sulfasalazine too, on top of Celery — 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 Celery and Sulfasalazine 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 Celery
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sulfasalazine
Top half

#911 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 Celery

What is Celery?

Celery
  • High blood pressure
  • Fluid retention (diuretic)
  • Joint pain and inflammation
  • Anxiety and sleep
  • Digestive support

Celery is a common vegetable that is also taken as a seed extract or oil supplement, mainly for blood pressure, fluid retention, and joint discomfort. Human evidence for these supplement uses is limited and mostly preliminary, so it should not replace proven treatments. Celery is generally safe as food, but concentrated supplements and possible allergic reactions warrant caution.

Read the full Celery monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sulfasalazine

What Is Sulfasalazine Used For?

Brand names: SAS, Azulfidine EN-Tabs, Azulfidine

Sulfasalazine tablets (Azulfidine and generic) treat mild to moderate ulcerative colitis and are used as an add-on therapy in severe ulcerative colitis. They also help keep ulcerative colitis in remission — reducing the frequency of flare-ups.

The delayed-release tablets (Azulfidine EN-tabs and generic delayed-release) have the additional approvals of treating rheumatoid arthritis in adults who haven't responded well enough to NSAIDs or salicylates, and polyarticular-course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children who also haven't responded adequately to those drugs.

See full Sulfasalazine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Celery

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

0Major
449Moderate
201Minor
2,179No known interaction
449 Moderate 201 Minor 2,179 No interaction
Moderate

449 interactions

Showing 60 of 449 moderate interactions — see all 449 on the Celery page.

Minor

201 interactions

Showing 60 of 201 minor interactions — see all 201 on the Celery page.

No interaction 2,179 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,179 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Celery list.

See the full Celery interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sulfasalazine, 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
Celery monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Sulfasalazine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Sulfasalazine, ranked by severity Sulfasalazine 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 Celery and Sulfasalazine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Celery with Sulfasalazine?
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 Celery and Sulfasalazine 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 Sulfasalazine and Celery?

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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.