Drug & supplement interaction

Clove + Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen brand names: Motrin, Children's Motrin, Advil, Children's Advil, Fenbid Forte Gel, and others.

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

Ibuprofen falls into 3 drug categories that Clove can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concomitant use of clove may increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C9.

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

Clove and Ibuprofen

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

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES — the group Clove interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of clove may increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C9.
In vitro research shows that eugenol, the principal constituent of clove, inhibits CYP2C9 in a dose-dependent manner. This effect has not been reported in humans.
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: your liver uses an enzyme called CYP2C9 to break down ibuprofen and clear it out. In lab dish studies, eugenol (the main oil in clove) seems to slow that enzyme down. In theory, if clove blocks CYP2C9, ibuprofen could hang around a little longer and its effects, along with side effects like stomach upset, heartburn, or a higher risk of stomach irritation, could be slightly stronger.

The honest part: this has only been seen in test tubes, never proven in actual people, so it may not matter much in real life. A pinch of clove in your food is nothing to worry about. If you're using concentrated clove oil or clove capsules regularly alongside ibuprofen, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Alharbi NFM, Ahad A, Bin Jardan YA, Al-Jenoobi FI. Effect of eugenol on cytochrome P450 1A2, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4 activity in human liver microsomes. Saudi Pharm J 2024;32(7):102118. PubMed
Minor

IBUPROFEN (Advil, others)

2 of 3
Theoretically, topical application of clove oil with ibuprofen might increase the absorption and side effects of topical ibuprofen.
Laboratory research shows that topical application of clove oil increases the absorption of topical ibuprofen. 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

Here's the gist for clove and ibuprofen. Clove oil, thanks to its main compound eugenol, can act like a skin penetration helper. In lab studies, when clove oil was applied to the skin alongside a topical ibuprofen gel (like Ibugel or Fenbid), more of the ibuprofen soaked through. That could mean a bit more local irritation, redness, or stinging at the spot where you rub it on.

Now the honest part: this has only been seen in laboratory testing, never reported in actual people, and it's rated a minor concern. Swallowed ibuprofen tablets and cooking with cloves aren't part of this. Still, if you plan to layer concentrated clove oil over an ibuprofen gel, run it by your pharmacist first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Jiang Q, Wu Y, Zhang H, et al. Development of essential oils as skin permeation enhancers: penetration enhancement effect and mechanism of action. Pharmaceutical Biol. 2017;55(1):1592-1600. PubMed
Minor

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

3 of 3

Ibuprofen also falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS.

Theoretically, clove oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Laboratory research suggests that eugenol, a constituent of clove, has antiplatelet activity. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version. Ibuprofen already nudges your platelets so they don't clump together quite as easily, which is part of why it can sometimes cause stomach upset or bruising. Clove contains a compound called eugenol, and in lab studies only eugenol seems to have a mild anti-platelet effect too. Stack the two and, in theory, you could see a slightly higher chance of bleeding-type effects like bruising more easily, nosebleeds, or stomach irritation.

I want to be honest with you: this is a theoretical concern. It has never actually been reported in people, and a little clove in your cooking is not going to be an issue. Concentrated clove oil or supplements are where I'd pay more attention. If you use those regularly with ibuprofen, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Chen SJ, Wang MH, Chen IJ. Antiplatelet and calcium inhibitory properties of eugenol and sodium eugenol acetate. Gen Pharmacol 1996;27:629-33. PubMed
  2. Srivastava, K. C. and Malhotra, N. Acetyl eugenol, a component of oil of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum L.) inhibits aggregation and alters arachidonic acid metabolism in human blood platelets. Prostaglandins Leukot.Essent.Fatty Acids 1991;42(1):73-81. PubMed
  3. Saeed, S. A. and Gilani, A. H. Antithrombotic activity of clove oil. J Pak Med Assoc 1994;44(5):112-115.
  4. Srivastava, K. C. Antiplatelet principles from a food spice clove (Syzygium aromaticum L) [corrected]. Prostaglandins Leukot.Essent.Fatty Acids 1993;48(5):363-372.

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

Clove Also Interacts With Other Medications

Clove has 918 moderate, 60 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Ibuprofen one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 918 Minor 60 No known interaction 1,852 (incl. Ibuprofen)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Clove

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Clove or Ibuprofen

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

This page covers Clove only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ibuprofen page lists 286 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 7 major · 243 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ibuprofen page

“Most people treat ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) as an everyday pain reliever, which is exactly why this list of 286 interacting supplements deserves real attention rather than a shrug. The dominant pattern by far is bleeding: 202 of these ingredients can add to the bleeding and stomach irritation ibuprofen already causes, and the seven maj…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ibuprofen interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 59 real supplement products containing Clove, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Clove. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ibuprofen too, on top of Clove — 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 Clove and Ibuprofen 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 Clove
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ibuprofen
Top 1%

#21 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 Clove

What is Clove?

Clove
  • Toothache and oral pain
  • Digestive upset
  • Antimicrobial and antifungal
  • Cough and respiratory complaints
  • Flavoring in food and drinks

Clove is a common cooking spice that is also used in traditional medicine, especially as a topical numbing agent for tooth pain thanks to its main compound, eugenol. Food amounts are generally safe, but concentrated clove oil and supplements can be irritating or toxic if overused, and human evidence for most health claims is limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using clove medicinally, especially in children or during pregnancy.

Read the full Clove monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ibuprofen

What Is Ibuprofen Used For?

Brand names: Motrin, Children's Motrin, Advil, Children's Advil, Fenbid Forte Gel, Ibugel Forte, Arthrofen, Ebufac, Rimafen, Calprofen, Fenpaed, Galprofen, Nurofen for Children, Orbifen for Children, Brufen, Brufen Retard, Fenbid, Tab-Profen, Ibuprofen, Calodor

Over-the-counter ibuprofen products (tablets, capsules and others) temporarily relieve minor aches and pains from headache, toothache, backache, muscular aches, the common cold, menstrual cramps and minor arthritis pain. They also temporarily reduce fever.

Prescription ibuprofen tablets are used for signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, mild to moderate pain, and primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods). Caldolor (intravenous) is used in adults and children 3 months and older for mild to moderate pain, moderate to severe pain along with opioid medicines, and fever. Ibuprofen Lysine (intravenous) is used only to close a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA, a heart vessel that stays open) in certain premature infants.

See full Ibuprofen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Clove

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

0Major
918Moderate
60Minor
1,851No known interaction
918 Moderate 60 Minor 1,851 No interaction
Moderate

918 interactions

Showing 60 of 918 moderate interactions — see all 918 on the Clove page.

Minor

60 interactions

No interaction 1,851 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,851 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Clove list.

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

Can you take Clove with Ibuprofen?
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.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Clove and Ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen belongs to more than one drug category, and Clove 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 Clove and Ibuprofen 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 Ibuprofen and Clove?

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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.