Drug & supplement interaction

Chymotrypsin + Hydroxyurea

Hydroxyurea brand names: Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos, Xromi.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Hydroxyurea and Chymotrypsin in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Chymotrypsin at all — not against Hydroxyurea, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Chymotrypsin safety at a glance

Chymotrypsin overall Use caution Generally tolerated for short-term use, but quality evidence is limited and some people may react to this animal-derived enzyme.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best to avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety while breastfeeding has not been established, so avoiding it is the safer choice.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Hydroxyurea and Chymotrypsin? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Shortness of breath Worth acting on Additional detail

    Chymotrypsin

    “Rarely, chymotrypsin has been reported to cause anaphylactic reactions characterized by dyspnea, urticaria, edema, shock, vascular collapse, and unconsciousness, which can lead to death (9,509).”

    Chymotrypsin · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pregnancy-related edema.

    2 sources cited
    1. 9. Martindale W. Martindale the Extra Pharmacopoeia. Pharmaceutical Press, 1999.
    2. 509. Dukes, MNG. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 13th ed. Elsevier: Amsterdam, 1997.

    Hydroxyurea

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Hydroxyurea. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Chymotrypsin

    “Intraocular injections of chymotrypsin have been reported to cause increased intraocular pressure, corneal edema, striation, uveitis, iridoplegia, and filamentary keratitis (9,509).”

    Chymotrypsin · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in uveitis.

    2 sources cited
    1. 9. Martindale W. Martindale the Extra Pharmacopoeia. Pharmaceutical Press, 1999.
    2. 509. Dukes, MNG. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 13th ed. Elsevier: Amsterdam, 1997.

    Hydroxyurea

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Hydroxyurea. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Chymotrypsin but not commonly for Hydroxyurea: an allergic reaction, a severe allergic reaction and hives.

Effects for Hydroxyurea come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Chymotrypsin come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 21,027 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Hydroxyurea that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

From our Q&A

Questions About Chymotrypsin or Hydroxyurea

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

This page covers Chymotrypsin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydroxyurea page lists 18 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Hydroxyurea page

“People take hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos, Xromi) for serious reasons, most often sickle cell disease or certain blood cancers, and it only works if a steady dose reaches the bloodstream. That is exactly what nearly all 18 supplements listed here can undermine, so this page earns real vigilance rather than a skim.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Hydroxyurea interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 281 real supplement products containing Chymotrypsin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chymotrypsin. Even though Chymotrypsin itself has no known interaction with Hydroxyurea, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea 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 Chymotrypsin
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydroxyurea
Top 5%

#39 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Chymotrypsin reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Chymotrypsin

What is Chymotrypsin?

  • Swelling and inflammation after injury or surgery
  • Wound healing
  • Cataract surgery (intracapsular)
  • Sports injuries and sprains
  • Easing soreness and bruising

Chymotrypsin is a protein-digesting (proteolytic) enzyme, usually taken from the pancreas of cattle or pigs, that is mainly used to help reduce swelling and support healing after injury or surgery. The evidence for many of these uses is limited or low quality, so it should not replace standard care. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a bleeding or clotting condition.

Enzyme derived from animal (typically bovine or porcine) pancreas · Oral tablets (often enteric-coated), topical preparations, injectable forms (in clinical settings)

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Chymotrypsin is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Chymotrypsin record says about it on its own.

Chymotrypsin: dosing

There is no well-established standard dose of chymotrypsin for supplement use. Strengths vary widely between products, and it is often combined with other enzymes such as trypsin.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Chymotrypsin monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Chymotrypsin monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Hydroxyurea

What Is Hydroxyurea Used For?

Brand names: Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos, Xromi

Hydroxyurea is used for several serious conditions. Droxia, Siklos, and Xromi are each indicated to reduce the frequency of painful crises and reduce the need for blood transfusions in patients with sickle cell anemia who have recurrent moderate to severe painful crises. Siklos is approved for adults and children 2 years and older; Xromi is approved for children 6 months and older; Droxia is approved for adults.

Hydrea capsules and Hydroxyurea capsules are indicated for resistant chronic myeloid leukemia and for locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (excluding the lip) when used together with chemoradiation.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Hydroxyurea

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (21,027 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 1,548 reports
Sickle cell anaemia with crisis 1,486 reports
Diarrhea 1,408 reports
Nausea 1,306 reports
Headache 1,068 reports
See full Hydroxyurea drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chymotrypsin

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Chymotrypsin list.

See the full Chymotrypsin interactions page
See every supplement checked against Hydroxyurea, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Chymotrypsin References

The 6 references that drive our Chymotrypsin monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Martindale W. Martindale the Extra Pharmacopoeia. Pharmaceutical Press, 1999.
  2. Dukes, MNG. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 13th ed. Elsevier: Amsterdam, 1997.
  3. Latha B, Ramakrishnan M, Jayaraman V, Babu M. Serum enzymatic changes modulated using trypsin: chymotrypsin preparation during burn wounds in humans. Burns 1997;23:560-4. PubMed
  4. Shaw PC. The use of a trypsin-chymotrypsin formulation in fractures of the hand. Br J Clin Pract 1969;23:25-6. DOI
  5. McCue FC, Webster TM, Gieck J. Clinical effects of proteolytic enzymes after reconstructive hand surgery. Int Surg 1972;57:479-82.
  6. Sun HJ, Xiao JQ, Qiao QH, et al. Chymotrypsin with sialendoscopy-assisted surgery for the treatment of chronic obstructive parotitis. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2017;46(7):877-82. doi: 10.1016/j.ijom.2017.02.1267. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Chymotrypsin with Hydroxyurea?
We do not list a known interaction between Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Chymotrypsin and Hydroxyurea have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Hydroxyurea interact with any supplements?
Yes. Hydroxyurea has documented interactions with 18 supplements in our database — Chymotrypsin is not one of them. The Hydroxyurea interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Chymotrypsin monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Hydroxyurea drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Hydroxyurea supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Hydroxyurea, 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 References The 6 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Hydroxyurea and Chymotrypsin?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.