Garcinia + Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine
Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine brand name: Colrex.
Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine falls into 2 drug categories that Garcinia can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, combining garcinia with other serotonergic drugs might increase the risk of serotonergic side effects, including serotonin syndrome.
Read the full interaction reportGarcinia and Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine
These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.
Why Are There 2 Interactions?
Garcinia interacts with whole categories of medication. Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Garcinia in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).
SEROTONERGIC DRUGS
1 of 2Why this applies to Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine
Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine falls under SEROTONERGIC DRUGS — the group Garcinia interacts with.
In one report, a patient experienced serotonin syndrome after taking garcinia extract (60% hydroxycitric acid) 1000 mg daily in combination with escitalopram 20 mg, which had been taken for a year. The patient was switched to sertraline 50 mg daily and again experienced serotonin syndrome.
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.
This combination product (Colrex) contains codeine, which has mild serotonin activity in the body. Garcinia, in turn, has been linked in rare case reports to serotonin syndrome when paired with other serotonin-raising drugs. So in theory, taking the two together could nudge serotonin levels a bit higher.
Honestly, this is a weak, theoretical concern. The reports involved antidepressants, not cough-and-cold medicines, and the evidence is anecdotal. Still, if you ever notice agitation, a racing heart, sweating, shivering, muscle twitching, or confusion, stop and get help. Keep in mind this product also makes you drowsy and constipated on its own. Before mixing in Garcinia, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor.
- Lopez AM, Kornegay J, Hendrickson RG. Serotonin Toxicity Associated with Garcinia cambogia Over-the-counter Supplement. J Med Toxicol. 2014 Apr 4. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS
2 of 2Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine also falls under HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS.
There have been reports of acute hepatitis with elevated liver enzymes associated with garcinia, when taken alone or in combination with other ingredients. Case reports collected from the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network suggest this risk may be greater in people who carry the HLA B*35:01 allele.
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.
The piece of this combo cold-and-cough medicine I'd watch here is the acetaminophen (the same active ingredient in Tylenol). Acetaminophen is processed by your liver, and in higher doses it's a well-known cause of liver stress. Garcinia, on the other hand, has been tied to rare reports of liver inflammation, sometimes with raised liver enzymes. So the worry is simple: stacking two things that can each be hard on the liver might add up.
To be honest, this is a theoretical concern based on how each one behaves, not proof that taking them together will hurt you. Still, watch for warning signs like yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, belly pain, or unusual tiredness, and never exceed the acetaminophen dose on the label. If you want to use both, check with your pharmacist or doctor first, especially if you have any liver issues.
- Stevens T, Qadri A, Zein NN. Two patients with acute liver injury associated with use of the herbal weight-loss supplement hydroxycut. Ann Intern Med 2005;142:477-8. PubMed
- Bunchorntavakul, C. and Reddy, K. R. Review article: herbal and dietary supplement hepatotoxicity. Aliment.Pharmacol.Ther 2013;37(1):3-17. PubMed
- Dara L, Hewett J, Lim JK. Hydroxycut hepatotoxicity: a case series and review of liver toxicity from herbal weight loss supplements. World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Dec 7;14(45):6999-7004. PubMed
- Sharma T, Wong L, Tsai N, Wong RD. Hydroxycut(®) (herbal weight loss supplement) induced hepatotoxicity: a case report and review of literature. Hawaii Med J. 2010 Aug;69(8):188-90.
- Rashid NN, Grant J. Hydroxycut hepatotoxicity. Med J Aust. 2010 Feb 1;192(3):173-4. PubMed
- Corey R, Werner KT, Singer A, Moss A, Smith M, Noelting J, Rakela J. Acute liver failure associated with Garcinia cambogia use. Ann Hepatol. 2016 Jan-Feb;15(1):123-6. PubMed
- Melendez-Rosado J, Snipelisky D, Matcha G, Stancampiano F. Acute hepatitis induced by pure Garcinia cambogia. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2015 May-Jun;49(5):449-50. PubMed
- García-Cortés M, Robles-Díaz M, Ortega-Alonso A, Medina-Caliz I, Andrade RJ. Hepatotoxicity by Dietary Supplements: A Tabular Listing and Clinical Characteristics. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Apr 9;17(4):537. PubMed
- Yousaf MN, Chaudhary FS, Hodanazari SM, Sittambalam CD. Hepatotoxicity associated with Garcinia cambogia: a case report. World J Hepatol 2019;11(11):735-42.
- Mas Ordeig A, Bordón García N. Hepatotoxicity caused by Garcinia cambogia. Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020;43(3):134-5. DOI
- Vuppalanchi R, Bonkovsky HL, Ahmad J, et al. Garcinia cambogia, Either Alone or in Combination With Green Tea, Causes Moderate to Severe Liver Injury. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021. PubMed
What These Ratings Mean
Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.
Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.
Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.
Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.
- 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.
- 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.
Garcinia Also Interacts With Other Medications
Garcinia has 703 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Garcinia
We haven’t checked that one against Garcinia yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Garcinia. Pick one to open its full report.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine
This page covers Garcinia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine page lists 338 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Ephedra (major).
By severity: 18 major · 275 moderate · 45 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine page
“Someone taking Colrex is usually fighting a miserable cold, and cold season is also when people reach for herbal sleep aids and energy boosters, which is exactly where this list bites hardest. Colrex combines acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, codeine, and phenylephrine, and 18 of its 338 supplement interactions rate major, enough to war…”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Open the Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine interaction page
Taking Garcinia as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 1,374 real supplement products containing Garcinia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Garcinia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine too, on top of Garcinia — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Garcinia and Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine 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.
#172 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#279 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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.
About Garcinia
What is Garcinia?
- Weight loss
- Appetite suppression
- Curbing sugar and carb cravings
- Supporting metabolism
- Traditional cooking and souring agent
Garcinia is a tropical fruit whose rind contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), widely marketed for weight loss and appetite control. The scientific evidence is weak and mixed, with most studies showing only small or no meaningful weight effects, and rare reports of liver problems raise safety concerns. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before trying it, especially if you have liver issues, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Other Drugs & Garcinia
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Garcinia — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
703 interactions
- Diclofenac Sodium ›
- Nifedipine ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Aspirin ›
- Insulin (rdna) ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Naproxen ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Minocycline ›
- Tetracycline ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Testosterone ›
- Verapamil ›
- Fenofibrate ›
- Levonorgestrel ›
- Quinidine ›
- Cyclosporine ›
- Glyburide ›
- Insulin (pork) ›
- Methyltestosterone ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Fentanyl ›
- Phenytoin ›
- Allopurinol ›
- Carbamazepine ›
- Dextromethorphan ›
- Diclofenac Potassium ›
- Dipyridamole ›
- Insulin (human) ›
- Phenylephrine ›
- Trimipramine ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Buprenorphine ›
- Ketoprofen ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Nitrofurantoin ›
- Nortriptyline ›
- Ofloxacin ›
- Propoxyphene ›
- Rifampin ›
- Selegiline ›
- Sumatriptan Succinate ›
- Testosterone Undecanoate ›
- Acarbose ›
- Aripiprazole ›
- Bivalirudin ›
- Cyclobenzaprine ›
- Dapsone ›
- Desipramine ›
- Doxepin ›
- Doxycycline Hyclate ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Eltrombopag ›
- Insulin Glargine ›
- Interferon Alfa-2b ›
- Interferon Beta-1b ›
- Isoniazid ›
- Itraconazole ›
- Levofloxacin ›
- Metoclopramide ›
Showing 60 of 703 moderate interactions — see all 703 on the Garcinia page.
No interaction 2,126 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Garcinia against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Docusate ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Prednisone ›
- Propranolol ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Bupropion ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Letrozole ›
- Bisoprolol ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Diazepam ›
- Cyclopentolate ›
- Candesartan Cilexetil ›
- Mannitol ›
- Cephalexin ›
- Roxithromycin ›
- Pegunigalsidase Alfa-iwxj ›
- Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Doxylamine ›
- Daptomycin ›
- Finasteride ›
- Hexobarbitone ›
- Valsartan ›
- Levothyroxine Sodium ›
- Levetiracetam ›
- Estrogen ›
- Alprazolam ›
- Amlodipine Besylate, Benazepril ›
- Bromocriptine ›
- Dutasteride ›
- Mitomycin ›
- Minoxidil ›
- Cefaclor ›
- Factor 7a ›
- Carbidopa, Levodopa ›
- Thyroid Hormone ›
- Ezetimibe ›
- Levodopa ›
- Dexamethasone ›
- Vancomycin ›
- Spironolactone ›
- Dirithromycin ›
- Procainamide ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,126 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Garcinia list.
Sources & How We Checked
Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.
- Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — Evidence-graded clinical reference for vitamins, herbs and supplements — the basis for our interaction data.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine — NIH consumer drug information, used for the medication overviews.
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) — Official supplement product labels.
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
Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine Is Linked to Lower Levels of One Nutrient
Natural Medicines records Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Garcinia — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Garcinia and Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine Together: Common Questions
Can you take Garcinia with Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine?
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Garcinia and Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine?
How serious is the Garcinia and Acetaminophen, Chlorpheniramine, Codeine, Phenylephrine interaction?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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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.