Drug & supplement interaction

Limonene + Fenofibrate

Fenofibrate brand names: Tricor, Fenofibrate, Lipidil Micro, Lipidil Supra, Antara, and others.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Limonene has a moderate interaction with Fenofibrate. There's preliminary evidence that limonene might be a substrate for cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9).

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

Limonene and Fenofibrate

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) INHIBITORS

Why this applies to Fenofibrate

Fenofibrate falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) INHIBITORS — the group Limonene interacts with.

There's preliminary evidence that limonene might be a substrate for cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9). So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans. However, watch for side effects in patients taking limonene and CYP2C9 inhibitors. Some CYP2C9 inhibitors include amiodarone (Cordarone), fluconazole (Diflucan), lovastatin (Mevacor), paroxetine (Paxil), zafirlukast (Accolate), and many others.
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 of this one: it's really about limonene, not your fenofibrate. Limonene appears to be broken down by an enzyme called CYP2C9. Fenofibrate can act as a mild blocker of that same enzyme. So in theory, taking them together could slow how fast your body clears limonene, letting a bit more limonene hang around than usual.

The good news is this is only based on lab and animal research, and it has not been reported in real people. Fenofibrate itself isn't a prodrug, so its cholesterol and triglyceride benefits shouldn't change here. Food amounts of citrus are no concern. If you use concentrated limonene capsules, just give your pharmacist a heads-up so they can keep an eye out.

References
  1. Crowell PL. Prevention and therapy of cancer by dietary monoterpenes. J Nutr 1999;129:775S-778S. PubMed
  2. Miyazawa M, Shindo M, Shimada T. Metabolism of (+)- and (-)-limonenes to respective carveols and perillyl alcohols by CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 in human liver microsomes. Drug Metab Dispos 2002;30:602-7. 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

Limonene Also Interacts With Other Medications

Limonene has 229 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Fenofibrate 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 Limonene

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Fenofibrate

This page covers Limonene only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fenofibrate page lists 59 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Ashwagandha (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 46 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Fenofibrate page

“Fenofibrate (Tricor, Antara) is a cholesterol and triglyceride medicine that can strain the liver on its own, so this list of 59 supplements deserves genuine care rather than a shrug. Most of it, 38 ingredients, involves herbs that also stress the liver, ashwagandha among them, and stacking those effects is the risk that matters most h…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Fenofibrate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 89 real supplement products containing Limonene, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Limonene. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Fenofibrate too, on top of Limonene — 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 Limonene and Fenofibrate 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 Limonene
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Fenofibrate
Steady interest

#2,079 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 Limonene

What is Limonene?

  • Heartburn and acid reflux
  • Digestive upset
  • Stress and mood support
  • Antioxidant support
  • General wellness

Limonene is a natural compound found in the peel of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, and it is used as a flavoring agent and dietary supplement. People take it for heartburn, digestion, and general wellness, but solid human evidence is limited. It is generally well tolerated in food amounts, but talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Limonene monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Fenofibrate

What Is Fenofibrate Used For?

Brand names: Tricor, Fenofibrate, Lipidil Micro, Lipidil Supra, Antara, Lofibra, Triglide, Lipidil EZ

Fenofibrate is used along with diet to improve blood fats in adults. Tricor and the fenofibrate tablets are used to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B, and to raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol in primary hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol not caused by another condition) or mixed dyslipidemia. They are also used for severe hypertriglyceridemia (very high triglycerides).

Antara and Lipofen capsules are used to lower triglycerides in adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia (500 mg/dL or higher). They are also used to lower LDL cholesterol in primary hyperlipidemia (high blood fats not caused by another condition) when the recommended LDL-lowering therapy is not possible. Fenofibrate did not reduce heart disease complications or death in people with type 2 diabetes in large trials.

See full Fenofibrate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Limonene

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

0Major
229Moderate
0Minor
2,600No known interaction
Moderate

229 interactions

Showing 60 of 229 moderate interactions — see all 229 on the Limonene page.

No interaction 2,600 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,600 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Limonene 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 Limonene and Fenofibrate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Limonene with Fenofibrate?
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 Limonene and Fenofibrate 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 Fenofibrate and Limonene?

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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.