Drug & supplement interaction

Fig + Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

Glycerol Phenylbutyrate brand name: Ravicti.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate 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 label for Glycerol Phenylbutyrate states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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.

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Interaction report

Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

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 Glycerol Phenylbutyrate and Fig 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.

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.

Fig safety at a glance

Fig overall Generally safe Fig fruit is a safe food for most people; concentrated leaf products are less studied.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When the fresh or dried fruit is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of fig le... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When the fresh or dried fruit is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of fig le... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Glycerol Phenylbutyrate and Fig? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Glycerol Phenylbutyrate is filed under a single classification — oral drugs. Fig has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate), insulin (moderate) and photosensitizing drugs (moderate) — and none of Glycerol Phenylbutyrate’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Fig Does Interact With Other Medications

Fig has 410 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Glycerol Phenylbutyrate isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 410 No known interaction 2,420 (incl. Glycerol Phenylbutyrate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Fig

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate 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.

  • Anemia Worth acting on Additional detail

    Fig

    “Topically, fig leaf might cause photodermatitis. The leaf contains psoralens. Many cases of photodermatitis from fig leaf have been reported. In at least two cases, the burns were serious enough to require hospitalization. Severe anemia and sepsis developed in one patient,.”

    Fig · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anemia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 12579. Rubnov S, Kashman Y, Rabinowitz R, et al. Suppressors of cancer cell proliferation from fig (Ficus carica) resin: isolation and structure elucidation. J Nat Prod 2001;64:993-6.
    2. 12581. Zaynoun ST, Aftimos BG, Abi Ali L, et al. Ficus carica; isolation and quantification of the photoactive components. Contact Dermatitis 1984;11:21-5.
    3. 49962. Bollero, D., Stella, M., Rivolin, A., Cassano, P., Risso, D., and Vanzetti, M. Fig leaf tanning lotion and sun-related burns: case reports. Burns 2001;27(7):777-779. PubMed
    4. 49968. Ozdamar, E., Ozbek, S., and Akin, S. An unusual cause of burn injury: fig leaf decoction used as a remedy for a dermatitis of unknown etiology. J.Burn Care Rehabil. 2003;24(4):229-233. PubMed
    5. 49973. Munteanu, M. Contact dermatitis to the sap of fig-tree. Rev.Med.Chir Soc.Med.Nat.Iasi 1989;93(3):602.
    6. 49975. Lembo, G., Lo, Presti M., and Balato, N. Phytophotodermatitis due to ficus carica. Photodermatol. 1985;2(2):119-120.

    Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

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

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Fig

    “Orally, fig fruit can cause allergy and, in rare cases, anaphylaxis. Topically, exposure to fig fruit and leaves can cause contact dermatitis. In some cases, sun exposure can make contact dermatitis worse.”

    Fig · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    4 sources cited
    1. 8815. Gandolfo M, Baeza M, De Barrio M, Anaphylaxis after eating figs. Allergy 2001;56:462-3. PubMed
    2. 12580. Dechamp C, Bessot JC, Pauli G, Deviller P. First report of anaphylactic reaction after fig (Ficus carica) ingestion. Allergy 1995;50:514-6.
    3. 12689. Lembo G, Lo Presti M, Balato N. Phytophotodermatitis due to ficus carica. Photodermatol 1985;2:119-20.
    4. 99961. Bonamonte D, Foti C, Lionetti N, Rigano L, Angelini G. Photoallergic contact dermatitis to 8-methoxypsoralen in Ficus carica. Contact Dermatitis. 2010;62(6):343-8.

    Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

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

Reported for Fig but not commonly for Glycerol Phenylbutyrate: a severe allergic reaction and a higher chance of infection.

Effects for Glycerol Phenylbutyrate come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Fig come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 1,358 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Glycerol Phenylbutyrate 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.

Special populations

Fig in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When the fresh or dried fruit is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of fig leaf or fruit used in medicinal amounts during pregnancy and lactation; avoid use.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Glycerol Phenylbutyrate Products Have a Food Rule — Fig Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Glycerol Phenylbutyrate says to take it with food. If you take Fig on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Glycerol Phenylbutyrate with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Glycerol Phenylbutyrate products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Instruct patients to take glycerol phenylbutyrate oral liquid with food or formula and to administer directly into the mouth via oral syringe.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Glycerol Phenylbutyrate — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

This page covers Fig only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Glycerol Phenylbutyrate page lists 17 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 · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Glycerol Phenylbutyrate page

“Ravicti (glycerol phenylbutyrate) pulls ammonia out of the blood in people with urea cycle disorders, so a dose that never gets absorbed is not a small problem, it can let ammonia climb toward dangerous levels. That is why this list deserves real attention even though it is short.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Glycerol Phenylbutyrate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 189 real supplement products containing Fig, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Fig. Even though Fig itself has no known interaction with Glycerol Phenylbutyrate, 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 Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate 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 Fig
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Glycerol Phenylbutyrate
Top 10%

#185 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 Fig reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate 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 Fig

What is Fig?

  • Constipation and digestive health
  • Blood sugar support
  • Cough and sore throat
  • Skin conditions (topical sap)
  • Source of fiber and minerals

Fig (Ficus carica) is a common fruit that has long been used as a gentle food remedy for constipation, and its leaves are used traditionally for blood sugar and coughs. The fruit is a safe and nutritious food, but evidence for fig leaf supplements treating specific health conditions is limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated fig leaf products, especially if you have diabetes.

Ficus carica · Moraceae · Fruit, leaves, and latex (sap) · Fresh or dried fruit, leaf tea, leaf extract, syrup, capsules

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

Fig: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for fig as a medicine. As a food, people commonly eat a few dried or fresh figs for fiber and to help with constipation.For fig leaf teas, extracts, or capsules, no well-established medicinal dose exists. If you choose to use a product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Fig monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

What Is Glycerol Phenylbutyrate Used For?

Brand name: Ravicti

Glycerol phenylbutyrate oral liquid — available as the brand Ravicti and as a generic — is used for the long-term (chronic) management of urea cycle disorders (UCDs). UCDs are rare inherited conditions where the body cannot properly convert ammonia into urea, causing toxic ammonia levels to build up in the blood and brain.

It is used in patients whose ammonia cannot be controlled by a low-protein diet and/or amino acid supplements alone. It must always be used alongside dietary protein restriction and, in some cases, additional dietary supplements such as essential amino acids, arginine, or citrulline. It is not for treating a sudden, severe spike in ammonia (acute hyperammonemia), and its safety and effectiveness for N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS) deficiency have not been established.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Glycerol Phenylbutyrate

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (1,358 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Ammonia increased 197 reports
Vomiting 165 reports
Hyperammonaemia 158 reports
Decreased appetite 104 reports
Nausea 74 reports
See full Glycerol Phenylbutyrate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fig

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

0Major
410Moderate
0Minor
2,419No known interaction
410 Moderate 2,419 No interaction
Moderate

410 interactions

Showing 60 of 410 moderate interactions — see all 410 on the Fig page.

No interaction 2,419 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,419 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Fig list.

See the full Fig interactions page
See every supplement checked against Glycerol Phenylbutyrate, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Fig References

The 13 references that drive our Fig 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. Gandolfo M, Baeza M, De Barrio M, Anaphylaxis after eating figs. Allergy 2001;56:462-3. PubMed
  2. Serraclara A, Hawkins F, Perez C, et al. Hypoglycemic action of an oral fig-leaf decoction in type-I diabetic patients. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 1998;39:19-22. PubMed
  3. Rubnov S, Kashman Y, Rabinowitz R, et al. Suppressors of cancer cell proliferation from fig (Ficus carica) resin: isolation and structure elucidation. J Nat Prod 2001;64:993-6.
  4. Dechamp C, Bessot JC, Pauli G, Deviller P. First report of anaphylactic reaction after fig (Ficus carica) ingestion. Allergy 1995;50:514-6.
  5. Zaynoun ST, Aftimos BG, Abi Ali L, et al. Ficus carica; isolation and quantification of the photoactive components. Contact Dermatitis 1984;11:21-5.
  6. Lembo G, Lo Presti M, Balato N. Phytophotodermatitis due to ficus carica. Photodermatol 1985;2:119-20.
  7. Bollero, D., Stella, M., Rivolin, A., Cassano, P., Risso, D., and Vanzetti, M. Fig leaf tanning lotion and sun-related burns: case reports. Burns 2001;27(7):777-779. PubMed
  8. Ozdamar, E., Ozbek, S., and Akin, S. An unusual cause of burn injury: fig leaf decoction used as a remedy for a dermatitis of unknown etiology. J.Burn Care Rehabil. 2003;24(4):229-233. PubMed
  9. Munteanu, M. Contact dermatitis to the sap of fig-tree. Rev.Med.Chir Soc.Med.Nat.Iasi 1989;93(3):602.
  10. Lembo, G., Lo, Presti M., and Balato, N. Phytophotodermatitis due to ficus carica. Photodermatol. 1985;2(2):119-120.
  11. Micali, G., Nasca, M. R., and Musumeci, M. L. Severe phototoxic reaction secondary to the application of a fig leaves' decoction used as a tanning agent. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33(3):212-213. PubMed
  12. Bonamonte D, Foti C, Lionetti N, Rigano L, Angelini G. Photoallergic contact dermatitis to 8-methoxypsoralen in Ficus carica. Contact Dermatitis. 2010;62(6):343-8.
  13. Pinto AR, Machado Cunha I, Rebelo Gomes E. Fig Tree-Induced Phytophotodermatitis: A Case Report on the Perils of a Hobby. Cureus 2023;15(7):e41888. 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 Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Fig with Glycerol Phenylbutyrate?
We do not list a known interaction between Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate. 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 Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate 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.
Should I take Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Glycerol Phenylbutyrate says to take it with food. If you take Fig on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Glycerol Phenylbutyrate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Glycerol Phenylbutyrate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Fig and Glycerol Phenylbutyrate combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Glycerol Phenylbutyrate is filed under 1 classification, and Fig has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Glycerol Phenylbutyrate's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Fig interact with any other medications?
Yes. Fig has 410 documented drug interactions in our database — Glycerol Phenylbutyrate is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Glycerol Phenylbutyrate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Glycerol Phenylbutyrate has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Fig is not one of them. The Glycerol Phenylbutyrate 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

Fig monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Glycerol Phenylbutyrate drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Glycerol Phenylbutyrate supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Glycerol Phenylbutyrate, 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 13 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Glycerol Phenylbutyrate and Fig?

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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.