Drug & supplement interaction

N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) + Dicumarol

Dicumarol brand name: Dicumarol.

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

N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) has a moderate interaction with Dicumarol. Theoretically, N-acetyl cysteine might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

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

N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) and Dicumarol

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Dicumarol

Dicumarol falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) interacts with.

Theoretically, N-acetyl cysteine might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Clinical research suggests that intravenous N-acetyl cysteine decreases prothrombin time, prolongs coagulation time, decreases platelet aggregation, and increases blood loss in surgical patients. Furthermore, in vitro research suggests that N-acetyl cysteine increases the anticoagulant activity of nitroglycerin.
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

Dicumarol is a blood thinner that works a lot like warfarin, keeping your blood from clotting too easily. The concern here is that NAC may add to that blood-thinning effect. In some studies, NAC (mostly given through an IV) lengthened clotting times, lowered platelet stickiness, and led to a bit more bleeding. Layered on top of Dicumarol, that could tip you toward easier bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or harder-to-stop cuts.

Keep in mind this is theoretical, based on how NAC behaves rather than proven cases with Dicumarol itself. Still, since Dicumarol is already a strong anticoagulant where small shifts matter, please run any NAC supplement by your pharmacist or doctor first, and don't change your dose on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Loscalzo J. N-Acetylcysteine potentiates inhibition of platelet aggregation by nitroglycerin. J Clin Invest. 1985;76(2):703-8. PubMed
  2. Niemi, T. T., Munsterhjelm, E., Poyhia, R., Hynninen, M. S., and Salmenpera, M. T. The effect of N-acetylcysteine on blood coagulation and platelet function in patients undergoing open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Blood Coagul.Fibrinolysis 2006;1 PubMed
  3. Wijeysundera, D. N., Karkouti, K., Rao, V., Granton, J. T., Chan, C. T., Raban, R., Carroll, J., Poonawala, H., and Beattie, W. S. N-acetylcysteine is associated with increased blood loss and blood product utilization during cardiac surgery. Crit Care Me PubMed
  4. Chirkov, Y. Y. and Horowitz, J. D. N-Acetylcysteine potentiates nitroglycerin-induced reversal of platelet aggregation. J Cardiovasc.Pharmacol 1996;28(3):375-380. 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

N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) Also Interacts With Other Medications

N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) has 1 major, 292 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Dicumarol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 292 No known interaction 2,537 (incl. Dicumarol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against N-acetyl Cysteine (nac)

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against N-acetyl Cysteine (nac). Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Dicumarol

This page covers N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dicumarol page lists 218 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Piracetam (major), Aconite (moderate) and Allspice (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 190 moderate · 25 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dicumarol page

“Danshen tops my worry list for anyone taking dicumarol, an older blood thinner in the warfarin family. It has clot-blocking activity of its own, and stacking it on an anticoagulant can push bleeding risk too far.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dicumarol interaction page

One more smart check

Taking N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 3,554 real supplement products containing N-acetyl Cysteine (nac), each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides N-acetyl Cysteine (nac). Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Dicumarol too, on top of N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) — 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 N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) and Dicumarol 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 N-acetyl Cysteine (nac)
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Dicumarol
Steady interest

#2,017 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 N-acetyl Cysteine (nac)

What is N-acetyl Cysteine (nac)?

N-acetyl Cysteine (nac)
  • Thinning mucus in lung conditions
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose treatment
  • Antioxidant and glutathione support
  • Liver support
  • Respiratory health

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a supplement form of the amino acid cysteine and a building block for the antioxidant glutathione. It has well-established prescription uses for acetaminophen overdose and thinning mucus, but evidence for many over-the-counter uses is still limited. It is generally well tolerated, but you should check with a pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Read the full N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & N-acetyl Cysteine (nac)

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

1Major
292Moderate
0Minor
2,536No known interaction
1 Major 292 Moderate 2,536 No interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

292 interactions

Showing 60 of 292 moderate interactions — see all 292 on the N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) page.

No interaction 2,536 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,536 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) list.

See the full N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) interactions page
See every supplement checked against Dicumarol, 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
N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Dicumarol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Dicumarol, 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 N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) and Dicumarol Together: Common Questions

Can you take N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) with Dicumarol?
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 N-acetyl Cysteine (nac) and Dicumarol 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 Dicumarol and N-acetyl Cysteine (nac)?

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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.