Drug & supplement interaction

Lime + Alitretinoin

Alitretinoin brand name: Panretin.

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

Lime has a moderate interaction with Alitretinoin. Theoretically, concomitant use of lime oil with photosensitizing drugs may increase the risk of phototoxicity.

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

Lime and Alitretinoin

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

Moderate

PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS

Why this applies to Alitretinoin

Alitretinoin falls under PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS — the group Lime interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of lime oil with photosensitizing drugs may increase the risk of phototoxicity.
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 gist for Panretin (alitretinoin), the gel you rub on Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. This medicine can already make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so treated areas may burn, redden, or blister more easily than usual. Lime oil contains compounds (called furocoumarins) that can also cause the skin to react to sunlight, especially where the oil touches your skin. Used together, they could in theory add up and raise your risk of a sunburn-like reaction.

I want to be honest about the evidence here: this concern comes only from lab and test-tube studies, not from real patients, so it's theoretical. Eating lime or drinking lime in a drink almost certainly won't matter. The bigger question is concentrated lime essential oil on your skin. Keep treated areas out of strong sun, and check with your pharmacist before applying any lime oil products.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Naganuma M, Hirose S, Nakayama Y, et al. A study of the phototoxicity of lemon oil. Arch Dermatol Res 1985;278:31-6. . 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

Lime Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lime has 885 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Alitretinoin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 885 No known interaction 1,945 (incl. Alitretinoin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Lime

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Alitretinoin

This page covers Lime only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Alitretinoin page lists 38 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Vitamin A (major), Alfalfa (moderate), Angelica Archangelica (moderate) and Arrach (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 26 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Alitretinoin page

“Alitretinoin (Panretin) is a retinoid gel used on Kaposi sarcoma skin lesions, and because it is a vitamin A derivative, treat these 38 supplement interactions with genuine care. Two carry a major rating.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Alitretinoin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 322 real supplement products containing Lime, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Lime. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Alitretinoin too, on top of Lime — 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 Lime and Alitretinoin 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 Lime
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Alitretinoin
Steady interest

#1,704 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 Lime

What is Lime?

Lime
  • Source of vitamin C
  • Digestive upset
  • Skin care
  • Mood and aromatherapy
  • Flavoring and food preservation

Lime is a common citrus fruit and a good natural source of vitamin C and plant antioxidants. As a food it is generally safe and enjoyed by most people, but evidence that lime treats any specific health condition is limited. Use the essential oil with care, and check with your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated lime products for health reasons.

Read the full Lime monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Alitretinoin

What Is Alitretinoin Used For?

Brand name: Panretin

Panretin Gel is approved to treat cutaneous lesions — visible skin sores — in adults who have AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), a cancer that causes abnormal tissue to grow in the skin.

Panretin Gel is applied directly to the affected skin spots. It is not for use when the disease has spread widely enough to need systemic (whole-body) treatment — for example, when there are more than 10 new lesions in a month, or when the lungs, lymph nodes, or internal organs are involved.

See full Alitretinoin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lime

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

0Major
885Moderate
0Minor
1,944No known interaction
885 Moderate 1,944 No interaction
Moderate

885 interactions

Showing 60 of 885 moderate interactions — see all 885 on the Lime page.

No interaction 1,944 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,944 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Lime list.

See the full Lime interactions page
See every supplement checked against Alitretinoin, 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
Lime monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Alitretinoin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Alitretinoin, ranked by severity Alitretinoin drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Lime and Alitretinoin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lime with Alitretinoin?
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 Lime and Alitretinoin 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 Alitretinoin and Lime?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.