Drug & supplement interaction

Garlic + Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone

Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone brand names: Parafon Forte, Extra Strength Tylenol Aches & Strains, Acetazone Forte.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Garlic has a moderate interaction with Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone. Garlic might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2E1.

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

Garlic and Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone

Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) SUBSTRATES — the group Garlic interacts with.

Garlic might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2E1.
Clinical research suggests garlic oil can inhibit the activity of CYP2E1 by 39%. Use garlic oil cautiously in patients taking drugs metabolized by these enzymes.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the quick version for this combo pill. The chlorzoxazone part (a muscle relaxant) is partly handled by a liver enzyme called CYP2E1. Garlic oil supplements may slow that enzyme down by roughly a third in studies, so chlorzoxazone could clear out a little slower and build up in your system. In plain terms, that might make its usual effects, like drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, or an upset stomach, feel stronger than expected.

The acetaminophen side is less of a concern at normal doses. This is based on lower-quality research, and everyday cooking with garlic almost certainly won't matter. Concentrated garlic capsules or garlic oil are the real question. Before adding one, just check with your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Gurley BJ, Gardner SF, Hubbard MA, et al. Cytochrome P450 phenotypic ratios for predicting herb-drug interactions in humans. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2002;72:276-87.. 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

Garlic Also Interacts With Other Medications

Garlic has 988 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Garlic

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Garlic or Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone

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

This page covers Garlic only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone page lists 162 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), Procaine (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 6 major · 120 moderate · 36 minor.

Open the Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 4,118 real supplement products containing Garlic, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Garlic. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone too, on top of Garlic — 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 Garlic and Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone 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 Garlic
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone
Top half

#798 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 Garlic

What is Garlic?

Garlic
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart health
  • Immune support and common cold
  • Antimicrobial uses

Garlic is a common food and supplement that may modestly help with blood pressure and cholesterol, though the evidence is mixed and effects are usually small. It is generally safe in food amounts, but concentrated supplements can cause stomach upset, breath and body odor, and a higher risk of bleeding. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before taking garlic supplements, especially if you take other medicines.

Read the full Garlic monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Garlic

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

0Major
988Moderate
0Minor
1,841No known interaction
Moderate

988 interactions

Showing 60 of 988 moderate interactions — see all 988 on the Garlic page.

No interaction 1,841 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Garlic and Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Garlic with Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone?
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 Garlic and Acetaminophen, Chlorzoxazone 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

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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.