Drug & supplement interaction

Copper + Penicillamine

Penicillamine brand names: Cuprimine, Depen Titratable.

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

Copper has a moderate interaction with Penicillamine. Theoretically, taking copper with penicillamine might decrease the absorption of penicillamine; separate dosing by at least 2 hours.

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

Copper and Penicillamine

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

Moderate

PENICILLAMINE (Cuprimine, Depen)

Theoretically, taking copper with penicillamine might decrease the absorption of penicillamine; separate dosing by at least 2 hours.
Copper chelates penicillamine, which decreases its absorption and may reduce its clinical effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

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

Here's the simple version: penicillamine works by grabbing onto metals like copper and pulling them out through your urine. The catch is that if you swallow a copper supplement around the same time, the copper can latch onto the penicillamine right there in your gut. That ties up the drug before your body absorbs it, so less of it gets into your system to do its job.

In practical terms, that could mean weaker treatment, whether you're taking it for Wilson's disease, cystinuria, or rheumatoid arthritis. For Wilson's disease especially, adding copper works against the whole point of the medicine. This is based mostly on lab reasoning, but it's easy to sidestep: separate the two by at least 2 hours, and check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any copper supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Murry JJ, Healy MD. Drug-mineral interactions: a new responsibility for the hospital dietician. J Am Diet Assoc 1991;91:66-73.
  2. Campbell IA, Elmes PC. Ethambutol and the eye: zinc and copper (letter). Lancet 1975;2:711. DOI
  3. Segal S, Kaminski S. Drug-nutrient interactions. American Druggist 1996 Jul;42-8.
  4. Kozak SF, Inderlied CB, Hsu HY, et al. The role of copper on ethambutol's antimicrobial action and implications for ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy. Diag Microbiol Infect Dis 1998;30:83-7. PubMed
  5. Cantilena LR, Klaassen CD. The effect of chelating agents on the excretion of endogenous metals. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1982;63:344-50.

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

Copper Also Interacts With Other Medications

Copper has 30 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Penicillamine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Minor 30 No known interaction 2,800 (incl. Penicillamine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Copper

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Penicillamine

This page covers Copper only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Penicillamine page lists 26 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Aristolochia (moderate) and Coffee Charcoal (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 13 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Penicillamine page

“People take penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen) for demanding conditions, Wilson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cystinuria, and its 26 supplement interactions are not a list to skim, three of them rated major. Seventeen ingredients can keep an oral dose from being fully absorbed, activated charcoal chief among them, and six more can str…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Penicillamine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 14,186 real supplement products containing Copper, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Copper. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Penicillamine too, on top of Copper — 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 Copper and Penicillamine 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 Copper
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Penicillamine
Steady interest

#2,650 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 Copper

What is Copper?

  • Preventing or treating copper deficiency
  • Supporting red blood cell formation
  • Bone and connective tissue health
  • Immune support
  • Antioxidant defense
  • Balancing high zinc intake

Copper is an essential trace mineral your body needs in small amounts for making red blood cells, supporting nerves and bones, and helping enzymes work. Most people get enough copper from food, and supplements are mainly useful for diagnosed deficiency. Too much copper can be harmful, so do not take high doses without medical advice.

Read the full Copper monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Penicillamine

What Is Penicillamine Used For?

Brand names: Cuprimine, Depen Titratable

Penicillamine is used for three distinct conditions. It treats Wilson's disease — a rare genetic disorder in which the body accumulates dangerous levels of copper — by binding to the excess copper and helping the body remove it. It also treats cystinuria, a condition where the amino acid cystine builds up and forms painful kidney stones, by converting cystine into a more soluble form that the body can excrete more easily.

For patients with severe, active rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded adequately to conventional therapies, penicillamine (available as Aagylur, Cuprimine, Depen, and other products) may be used to help suppress disease activity and reduce joint pain, tenderness, and swelling.

See full Penicillamine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Copper

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

0Major
0Moderate
30Minor
2,799No known interaction
30 Minor 2,799 No interaction
Minor

30 interactions

No interaction 2,799 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,799 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Copper list.

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

Can you take Copper with Penicillamine?
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 Copper and Penicillamine 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 Penicillamine and Copper?

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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.