Drug & supplement interaction

Grape + Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol

Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol brand names: Ortho-Cept 28, Ortho-Cept 21, Marvelon 21, Marvelon 28, Desogen, and others.

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

Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol falls into 3 drug categories that Grape can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, grape juice might reduce the levels of CYP1A2 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Grape and Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Grape interacts with whole categories of medication. Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Grape in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol

Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Grape interacts with.

Theoretically, grape juice might reduce the levels of CYP1A2 substrates.
A small pharmacokinetic study in healthy adults shows that ingestion of 200 mL of grape juice decreases phenacetin plasma levels. This is thought to be due to induction of CYP1A2.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 short version for your birth control pill (Desogen, Marvelon, Ortho-Cept). One small study suggested that grape juice may slightly speed up a liver enzyme called CYP1A2, which helps process the estrogen part (ethinyl estradiol) of your pill. In theory, speeding that enzyme up could lower the hormone levels a bit. The worry would be slightly weaker birth control protection or more breakthrough spotting, not a dangerous reaction.

Honestly, though, this is mostly theoretical and based on weak evidence, and eating grapes or drinking a glass of juice is very unlikely to cause a real problem. A concentrated grape supplement is the bigger question mark. If you want reassurance, just run it past your pharmacist or doctor before starting one.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Xiao Dong S, Zhi Ping Z, Zhong Xiao W, et al. Possible enhancement of the first-pass metabolism of phenacetin by ingestion of grape juice in Chinese subjects. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1999;48:638-40. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 3

Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

It is unclear if grape seed extract inhibits or induces CYP3A4; research is conflicting.
In vitro evidence suggests that grape seed extract might inhibit CYP3A4 enzymes. However, evidence from animal research shows that grape seed extract may induce CYP3A4 in the liver. So far, these interactions have not been reported in humans.
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 honest picture: your birth control pill (desogestrel with ethinyl estradiol) is processed by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. Grape seed extract may bump up against that same enzyme, but the lab and animal studies don't agree on whether it speeds the enzyme up or slows it down. So far, nobody has actually seen this play out in real people.

Why care at all? If a supplement sped up that enzyme, it could in theory clear the hormones faster and weaken protection against pregnancy or cause spotting. If it slowed the enzyme, you might see more estrogen-type side effects like nausea or breast tenderness. This is only theoretical, and eating grapes as food is not a concern. Before starting a concentrated grape seed supplement, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Nishikawa, M., Ariyoshi, N., Kotani, A., Ishii, I., Nakamura, H., Nakasa, H., Ida, M., Nakamura, H., Kimura, N., Kimura, M., Hasegawa, A., Kusu, F., Ohmori, S., Nakazawa, K., and Kitada, M. Effects of continuous ingestion of green tea or grape seed extra
  2. Etheridge, A. S., Black, S. R., Patel, P. R., So, J., and Mathews, J. M. An in vitro evaluation of cytochrome P450 inhibition and P-glycoprotein interaction with goldenseal, Ginkgo biloba, grape seed, milk thistle, and ginseng extracts and their constitu
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

3 of 3

Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES.

It is unclear if grape juice or grape seed extract inhibits CYP2C9; research is conflicting.
In vitro evidence shows that grape seed extract or grape juice might inhibit CYP2C9 enzymes. However, a small pharmacokinetic study in healthy adults shows that drinking 8 ounces of grape juice once does not affect the clearance of flurbiprofen, a probe-drug for CYP2C9 metabolism. The effects of continued grape juice consumption are unclear.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

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

Here's the short version: this is a very mild, mostly theoretical concern. Lab studies hint that grape juice or grape seed extract might slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2C9. If it did, a medication cleared by that enzyme could build up a little. But a real-world study in healthy people found that drinking grape juice didn't actually change how fast the body cleared a test drug, so the evidence here is weak and conflicting.

For your birth control pill (desogestrel with ethinyl estradiol), the estrogen and progestin are mainly handled by other enzymes, so any grape effect on CYP2C9 is unlikely to matter much. Enjoying grapes as food is no problem. If you're thinking about a concentrated grape seed supplement, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Greenblatt DJ, von Moltke LL, Perloff ES, et al. Interaction of flurbiprofen with cranberry juice, grape juice, tea, and fluconazole: in vitro and clinical studies. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2006;79:125-33. PubMed
  2. Nishikawa, M., Ariyoshi, N., Kotani, A., Ishii, I., Nakamura, H., Nakasa, H., Ida, M., Nakamura, H., Kimura, N., Kimura, M., Hasegawa, A., Kusu, F., Ohmori, S., Nakazawa, K., and Kitada, M. Effects of continuous ingestion of green tea or grape seed extra
  3. Etheridge, A. S., Black, S. R., Patel, P. R., So, J., and Mathews, J. M. An in vitro evaluation of cytochrome P450 inhibition and P-glycoprotein interaction with goldenseal, Ginkgo biloba, grape seed, milk thistle, and ginseng extracts and their constitu

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

Grape Also Interacts With Other Medications

Grape has 867 moderate, 42 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 867 Minor 42 No known interaction 1,921 (incl. Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Grape

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Grape or Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Grape or Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol, 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 Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol

This page covers Grape only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol page lists 246 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 201 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol page

“St. John's Wort is the supplement I would flag first for anyone on desogestrel with ethinyl estradiol (Desogen, Ortho-Cept, Marvelon).”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 8,053 real supplement products containing Grape, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Grape. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol too, on top of Grape — 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 Grape and Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol 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 Grape
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol
Top 25%

#449 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 Grape

What is Grape?

Grape
  • Antioxidant support
  • Heart and circulation health
  • Vein problems (such as varicose veins)
  • Eye health
  • General anti-inflammatory support

Grapes and grape products like grape seed extract contain antioxidant compounds such as resveratrol and proanthocyanidins that may support heart and blood vessel health. While the food is healthy and generally safe, the supplement evidence for treating specific conditions is mostly limited or preliminary. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting a grape supplement.

Read the full Grape monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Grape

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

0Major
867Moderate
42Minor
1,920No known interaction
867 Moderate 42 Minor 1,920 No interaction
Moderate

867 interactions

Showing 60 of 867 moderate interactions — see all 867 on the Grape page.

Minor

42 interactions

No interaction 1,920 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,920 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Grape list.

See the full Grape interactions page
See every supplement checked against Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol, 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
Grape monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Grape and Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Grape with Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol?
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.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Grape and Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol?
Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol belongs to more than one drug category, and Grape interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Grape and Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol 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 Desogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol and Grape?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.