Drug & supplement interaction

Cranberry + Diclofenac

Diclofenac brand name: Zorvolex.

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

Diclofenac falls into 2 drug categories that Cranberry can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Theoretically, cranberry might increase the levels and adverse effects of CYP2C9 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodUnlikely
Interactions2
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Cranberry and Diclofenac

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Cranberry interacts with whole categories of medication. Diclofenac falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Cranberry in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Diclofenac

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

Theoretically, cranberry might increase the levels and adverse effects of CYP2C9 substrates. However, research is conflicting.
There is contradictory evidence about the effect of cranberry on CYP2C9 enzymes. In vitro evidence suggests that flavonoids in cranberry inhibit CYP2C9 enzymes. However, clinical research shows that cranberry juice does not significantly affect the levels, metabolism, or elimination of the CYP2C9 substrates flurbiprofen or diclofenac. Also, in patients stabilized on warfarin, drinking cranberry juice 250 mL daily for 7 days does not significantly increase the anticoagulant activity of warfarin, a CYP2C9 substrate. Additional pharmacokinetic research shows that cranberry juice does not increase peak plasma concentrations or area under the concentration-time curve of warfarin.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

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 gist with cranberry and diclofenac: your body relies on an enzyme called CYP2C9 to break this pain reliever down. In the test tube, certain plant compounds in cranberry seem to slow that enzyme, which in theory could let diclofenac build up a little and nudge up the usual NSAID side effects, things like stomach upset, heartburn, or a higher chance of irritation or bleeding in the gut.

The reassuring news is that this stayed mostly theoretical. Actual studies in people, including ones looking specifically at diclofenac, did not find that cranberry juice meaningfully changed its levels. So for most folks the everyday glass of cranberry juice is unlikely to cause trouble. Still, if you take diclofenac regularly or use concentrated cranberry supplements, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Anon. Possible interaction between warfarin and cranberry juice. Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance 2003;29:8. PubMed
  2. Greenblatt DJ, von Moltke LL, Perloff ES, et al. Interaction of flurbiprofen with cranberry juice, grape juice, tea, and fluconazole: in vitro and clinical studies. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2006;79:125-33. PubMed
  3. Hodek P, Trefil P, Stiborova M. Flavonoids-potent and versatile biologically active compounds interacting with cytochromes P450. Chem Biol Interact 2002;139:1-21.. PubMed
  4. Li Z, Seeram NP, Carpenter CL, et al. Cranberry does not affect prothrombin time in male subjects on warfarin. J Am Diet Assoc 2006;106:2057-61. PubMed
  5. Lilja JJ, Backman JT, Neuvonen PJ. Effects of daily ingestion of cranberry juice on the pharmacokinetics of warfarin, tizanidine, and midazolam - probes of CYP2C9, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. Clin Pharmacol The 2007:81:833-9. PubMed
  6. Ushijima K, Tsuruoka S, Tsuda H, Hasegawa G, Obi Y, Kaneda T, Takahashi M, Maekawa T, Sasaki T, Koshimizu TA, Fujimura A. Cranberry juice suppressed the diclofenac metabolism by human liver microsomes, but not in healthy human subjects. Br J Clin Pharmaco PubMed
Minor

DICLOFENAC (Voltaren, others)

2 of 2
Theoretically, cranberry might modestly increase the levels and adverse effects of diclofenac.
In vitro evidence suggests that cranberry juice inhibits diclofenac metabolism by human liver microsomes. However, drinking cranberry juice does not seem to affect diclofenac metabolism in humans.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

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 short version on pairing cranberry with diclofenac: the concern is mostly on paper. In a lab dish, cranberry compounds slowed down the liver enzymes that break diclofenac down, which could in theory let a little more of the drug build up. If that actually happened, you might notice more of diclofenac's usual side effects, like stomach upset, heartburn, or fluid retention.

The reassuring part is that when researchers had people actually drink cranberry juice, it did not meaningfully change how diclofenac was processed. So for most folks this is a very low concern, and a glass of juice isn't likely to cause trouble. If you take concentrated cranberry capsules daily or have stomach or kidney issues, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye on things.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Ushijima K, Tsuruoka S, Tsuda H, Hasegawa G, Obi Y, Kaneda T, Takahashi M, Maekawa T, Sasaki T, Koshimizu TA, Fujimura A. Cranberry juice suppressed the diclofenac metabolism by human liver microsomes, but not in healthy human subjects. Br J Clin Pharmaco 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

Cranberry Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cranberry has 643 moderate, 68 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Diclofenac one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 643 Minor 68 No known interaction 2,119 (incl. Diclofenac)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cranberry

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Cranberry or Diclofenac

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

This page covers Cranberry only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Diclofenac page lists 306 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 · 265 moderate · 34 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Diclofenac page

“Diclofenac (Zorvolex) is an NSAID pain reliever that already stresses the stomach lining and kidneys on its own, so treat this list as a real safety issue, not fine print. Two thirds of the 306 supplements on file can thin the blood or slow clotting, and stacked on an NSAID that raises the odds of stomach bleeding.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Diclofenac interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 5,249 real supplement products containing Cranberry, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cranberry. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Diclofenac too, on top of Cranberry — 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 Cranberry and Diclofenac 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 Cranberry
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Diclofenac
Top half

#835 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 Cranberry

What is Cranberry?

Cranberry
  • Urinary tract infection prevention
  • Bladder health
  • Antioxidant support
  • Source of vitamin C

Cranberry is best known for helping to prevent repeated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in some people, and the evidence here is moderate but mixed. It is not a reliable treatment for an active UTI, which usually needs antibiotics. For most people cranberry products are well tolerated, but check with a pharmacist before relying on them, especially if you have frequent infections.

Read the full Cranberry monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Diclofenac

What Is Diclofenac Used For?

Brand name: Zorvolex

Diclofenac sodium topical gel is used to treat actinic keratoses (AK) — rough, scaly skin patches that form after years of sun exposure. These patches are considered precancerous, meaning they can develop into skin cancer if left untreated.

This is a topical gel, meaning it is applied directly to the skin over the affected area rather than taken by mouth. It belongs to the NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) family.

See full Diclofenac drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cranberry

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

0Major
643Moderate
68Minor
2,118No known interaction
643 Moderate 68 Minor 2,118 No interaction
Moderate

643 interactions

Showing 60 of 643 moderate interactions — see all 643 on the Cranberry page.

Minor

68 interactions

Showing 60 of 68 minor interactions — see all 68 on the Cranberry page.

No interaction 2,118 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,118 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cranberry list.

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

Can you take Cranberry with Diclofenac?
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 2 interactions listed for Cranberry and Diclofenac?
Diclofenac belongs to more than one drug category, and Cranberry 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 Cranberry and Diclofenac 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 Diclofenac and Cranberry?

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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.