Drug & supplement interaction

Frankincense + Naproxen

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

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Frankincense and Naproxen 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 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

Frankincense and Naproxen

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 Naproxen and Frankincense 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Frankincense at all — not against Naproxen, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Frankincense safety at a glance

Frankincense overall Use caution Generally well tolerated short-term, but quality and dosing vary widely between products.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information; avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety information; avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Naproxen and Frankincense? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Frankincense and Naproxen 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.

  • Itching Additional detail

    Frankincense

    “Topically and by inhalation, frankincense essential oil seems to be well tolerated. For information on the safety of frankincense when used orally, see the Boswellia serrata monograph.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Topically: Dermatitis, irritation, itching.”

    Frankincense · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    Naproxen

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

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Frankincense

    “Frankincense has been rarely reported to cause allergic skin reactions. In one case report, a 68-year-old female with no history of atopy presented with contact dermatitis after frequent diffusion of a specific frankincense essential oil product (Young Living Essential Oils) and application to the pillow each night. The patient also applied various other creams to the face.”

    Frankincense · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in atopic disease.

    2 sources cited
    1. 110145. Buonomo M, Hylwa S. Allergic contact dermatitis from Boswellia carterii (frankincense) oil. Contact Dermatitis 2021;85(4):465-467.
    2. 36892. Acebo, E., Raton, J. A., Sautua, S., Eizaguirre, X., Trebol, I., and Perez, J. L. Allergic contact dermatitis from Boswellia serrata extract in a naturopathic cream. Contact Dermatitis 2004;51(2):91-92.

    Naproxen

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

Effects for Naproxen come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Frankincense come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 165,062 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Naproxen 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.

Overlapping uses

What Naproxen Is Prescribed For, and What Frankincense Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Naproxen is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Frankincense is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Naproxen is prescribed for: 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.

Frankincense has been studied for:

  • Osteoarthritis studied, not established Frankincense has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Frankincense for osteoarthritis

    It is unclear if topical frankincense is beneficial in patients with osteoarthritis.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Naproxen on your own; if you are taking Frankincense for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Frankincense 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 Frankincense 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 Frankincense 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 Frankincense as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 56 real supplement products containing Frankincense, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Frankincense. Even though Frankincense itself has no known interaction with Naproxen, 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 Frankincense 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 Frankincense
Top half

#378 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.

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 Frankincense reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Frankincense and Naproxen 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 Frankincense

What is Frankincense?

Frankincense
  • Joint pain and osteoarthritis
  • Inflammation
  • Digestive complaints
  • Asthma and breathing problems
  • Calming aromatherapy

Frankincense is the aromatic resin of the Boswellia tree and is best known for its boswellic acids, which may help with inflammation and joint pain. Early research is promising for conditions like osteoarthritis, but the evidence is still limited and dosing is not standardized. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Boswellia serrata · Burseraceae · Oleo-gum-resin from the tree bark; essential oil distilled from the resin · Capsules and tablets (often standardized Boswellia extract), resin, essential oil for aromatherapy, topical creams

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

Frankincense: dosing

There is no official, standardized dose of frankincense. Studies have used different Boswellia extracts standardized to varying amounts of boswellic acids, so it is hard to compare products directly.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and choose a reputable brand that lists its boswellic acid content. Essential oils are for inhalation or diluted topical use only and should never be taken by mouth.

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

Read the full Frankincense 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.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Naproxen

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (165,062 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 13,047 reports
Nausea 12,185 reports
Arthralgia 11,086 reports
Headache 10,504 reports
Diarrhea 9,841 reports
See full Naproxen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Frankincense

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Frankincense list.

See the full Frankincense interactions page
See every supplement checked against Naproxen, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Frankincense References

The 2 references that drive our Frankincense 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. Acebo, E., Raton, J. A., Sautua, S., Eizaguirre, X., Trebol, I., and Perez, J. L. Allergic contact dermatitis from Boswellia serrata extract in a naturopathic cream. Contact Dermatitis 2004;51(2):91-92.
  2. Buonomo M, Hylwa S. Allergic contact dermatitis from Boswellia carterii (frankincense) oil. Contact Dermatitis 2021;85(4):465-467.

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 Frankincense and Naproxen Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Frankincense with Naproxen?
We do not list a known interaction between Frankincense and Naproxen. 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 Frankincense and Naproxen 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.
Are Frankincense and Naproxen used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Frankincense in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Naproxen is being adjusted to a target.
Does Naproxen interact with any supplements?
Yes. Naproxen has documented interactions with 311 supplements in our database — Frankincense is not one of them. The Naproxen 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

Frankincense monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Naproxen drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Naproxen supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Naproxen, 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 2 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Naproxen and Frankincense?

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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.