Drug & supplement interaction

Dong Quai + Naproxen

Naproxen brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, and others.

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

Dong Quai has a moderate interaction with Naproxen. Theoretically, dong quai may increase the risk of bleeding when used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs; however, research is conflicting.

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

Dong Quai and Naproxen

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Naproxen

Naproxen falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Dong Quai interacts with.

Theoretically, dong quai may increase the risk of bleeding when used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs; however, research is conflicting.
Animal studies suggest that dong quai has antithrombin activity and inhibits platelet aggregation due to its coumarin components. Additionally, some case reports in humans suggest that dong quai can increase the anticoagulant effects of warfarin. However, clinical research in healthy adults shows that taking 1 gram of dong quai root daily for 3 weeks does not significantly inhibit platelet aggregation or cause bleeding. Until more is known, use dong quai with caution in patients taking antiplatelet/anticoagulant drugs.
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 thing to keep in mind with naproxen and Dong Quai: naproxen already nudges up your bleeding risk a bit on its own. It works by blocking the chemicals that cause pain and swelling, but those same chemicals help your platelets clump together and protect your stomach lining. That's why naproxen can sometimes cause stomach irritation, bruising, or bleeding.

Dong Quai contains natural coumarin-like compounds that might thin the blood too. Stack that on top of naproxen, and in theory you could see more bruising, nosebleeds, or stomach upset. I'll be honest though, this is mostly theory and lab data, and human studies have been mixed. It's not a reason to panic, just a good thing to mention to your pharmacist or doctor, especially if you notice unusual bruising or dark stools.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Page RL II, Lawrence JD. Potentiation of warfarin by dong quai. Pharmacotherapy 1999;19:870-6. PubMed
  2. Heck AM, DeWitt BA, Lukes AL. Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2000;57:1221-7. DOI
  3. Hoult JR, Paya M. Pharmacological and biochemical actions of simple coumarins: natural products with therapeutic potential. Gen Pharmacol 1996;27:713-22.. PubMed
  4. Ellis GR, Stephens MR. Untitled (photograph and a brief case report). BMJ 1999;319:650.
  5. Scott, G. N. and Elmer, G. W. Update on natural product--drug interactions. Am J Health Syst.Pharm 2-15-2002;59(4):339-347. PubMed
  6. Fung FY, Wong WH, Ang SK, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled study on the anti-haemostatic effects of Curcuma longa, Angelica sinensis and Panax ginseng. Phytomedicine. 2017;32:88-96. 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

Dong Quai Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dong Quai has 2 major, 160 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Naproxen one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 2 Moderate 160 No known interaction 2,668 (incl. Naproxen)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Dong Quai

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Dong Quai or Naproxen

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

This page covers Dong Quai only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naproxen page lists 311 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 · 260 moderate · 44 minor.

Open the Naproxen interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,989 real supplement products containing Dong Quai, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dong Quai. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Naproxen too, on top of Dong Quai — 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 Dong Quai and Naproxen 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 Dong Quai
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Naproxen
Top 5%

#46 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 Dong Quai

What is Dong Quai?

Dong Quai
  • Menopause symptoms
  • Menstrual cramps and irregular periods
  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
  • Blood circulation support
  • General women's health tonic

Dong Quai is a traditional Chinese herb often called "female ginseng" and is mostly used for menstrual and menopausal complaints. High-quality scientific evidence that it works for these uses is limited, and it can affect bleeding, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Read the full Dong Quai monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Naproxen

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, Navalbine, Naproxen, Naprosyn EC, Napro-Na, Aleve, Arthroxen, Synflex, EC-Naprosyn

Naproxen tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and naproxen oral suspension are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, and acute gout, and for managing pain and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps).

Naproxen Sodium Controlled-Release Tablets are indicated for the same conditions plus the relief of mild to moderate pain. Several over-the-counter naproxen sodium products are indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever.

See full Naproxen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dong Quai

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

2Major
160Moderate
0Minor
2,667No known interaction
2 Major 160 Moderate 2,667 No interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

160 interactions

Showing 60 of 160 moderate interactions — see all 160 on the Dong Quai page.

No interaction 2,667 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,667 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dong Quai list.

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

Can you take Dong Quai with Naproxen?
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 Dong Quai and Naproxen 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 Naproxen and Dong Quai?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.