Drug & supplement interaction

Oolong Tea + Rasagiline

Rasagiline brand name: Azilect.

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

Oolong Tea has a moderate interaction with Rasagiline. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of a hypertensive crisis.

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

Oolong Tea and Rasagiline

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

Moderate

MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS (MAOIs)

Why this applies to Rasagiline

Rasagiline falls under MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS (MAOIs) — the group Oolong Tea interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of a hypertensive crisis.
Oolong tea contains caffeine. Caffeine has been shown to inhibit MAO A and B in laboratory studies. Concomitant intake of large amounts of caffeine with MAOIs might precipitate a hypertensive crisis.
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 deal with rasagiline (Azilect) and oolong tea. Rasagiline blocks MAO, the enzyme that breaks down certain brain chemicals. Caffeine in tea can mildly affect that same enzyme system in lab studies, and the worry is that pairing the two could nudge your blood pressure up. In rare cases that can lead to a dangerous spike, with symptoms like a pounding headache, a racing heart, sweating, or chest discomfort.

I want to be honest: this is a theoretical concern based on how things work in the lab, not a well-documented event. A cup or two of oolong is unlikely to cause trouble for most people, but loading up on large amounts of caffeine is where I'd be cautious. Since rasagiline already comes with food and tyramine warnings, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor to find your safe limit before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
  2. MacKenzie, T., Comi, R., Sluss, P., Keisari, R., Manwar, S., Kim, J., Larson, R., and Baron, J. A. Metabolic and hormonal effects of caffeine: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Metabolism 2007;56(12):1694-1698. PubMed
  3. Moisey, L. L., Robinson, L. E., and Graham, T. E. Consumption of caffeinated coffee and a high carbohydrate meal affects postprandial metabolism of a subsequent oral glucose tolerance test in young, healthy males. Br.J Nutr. 2010;103(6):833-841. PubMed
  4. Buscemi, S., Verga, S., Batsis, J. A., Donatelli, M., Tranchina, M. R., Belmonte, S., Mattina, A., Re, A., and Cerasola, G. Acute effects of coffee on endothelial function in healthy subjects. Eur.J Clin Nutr. 2010;64(5):483-489. PubMed
  5. Orozco-Gregorio, H., Mota-Rojas, D., Bonilla-Jaime, H., Trujillo-Ortega, M. E., Becerril-Herrera, M., Hernandez-Gonzalez, R., and Villanueva-Garcia, D. Effects of administration of caffeine on metabolic variables in neonatal pigs with peripartum asphyxia 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

Oolong Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Oolong Tea has 8 major, 517 moderate, 126 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Rasagiline one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 8 Moderate 517 Minor 126 No known interaction 2,179 (incl. Rasagiline)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Oolong Tea

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Rasagiline

This page covers Oolong Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Rasagiline page lists 173 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Bitter Orange (major), Brewer's Yeast (major) and Cowhage (major).

By severity: 14 major · 125 moderate · 34 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Rasagiline page

“Rasagiline (Azilect) treats Parkinson's disease by blocking monoamine oxidase, the same enzyme that clears tyramine from aged and fermented foods. That shared pathway explains most of the 14 major-rated interactions on this page.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Rasagiline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 75 real supplement products containing Oolong Tea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Oolong Tea. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Rasagiline too, on top of Oolong Tea — 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 Oolong Tea and Rasagiline 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 Oolong Tea
Steady interest

#1,130 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Rasagiline
Steady interest

#2,089 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 Oolong Tea

What is Oolong Tea?

  • Weight management
  • Mental alertness and energy
  • Heart health
  • Blood sugar support
  • Antioxidant support

Oolong tea is a traditional partially oxidized tea made from the same plant as green and black tea, and it provides caffeine and plant antioxidants. As a beverage it is generally considered safe for most healthy adults in moderate amounts, but evidence for specific health benefits like weight loss or blood sugar control is limited. If you have heart, blood pressure, or caffeine-sensitivity concerns, talk with your pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Oolong Tea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Rasagiline

What Is Rasagiline Used For?

Brand name: Azilect

Rasagiline tablets — sold as Azilect, Rasagiline, and Rasagiline mesylate — are approved to treat Parkinson's disease. They can be used on their own (monotherapy) or alongside other Parkinson's medications, including levodopa.

When used with levodopa, rasagiline helps smooth out the motor fluctuations that can occur as Parkinson's disease progresses. Your prescriber will determine whether it's right for you as a standalone treatment or as an add-on.

See full Rasagiline drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oolong Tea

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

8Major
517Moderate
126Minor
2,178No known interaction
8 Major 517 Moderate 126 Minor 2,178 No interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

517 interactions

Showing 60 of 517 moderate interactions — see all 517 on the Oolong Tea page.

Minor

126 interactions

Showing 60 of 126 minor interactions — see all 126 on the Oolong Tea page.

No interaction 2,178 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,178 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Oolong Tea list.

See the full Oolong Tea interactions page
See every supplement checked against Rasagiline, 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
Oolong Tea monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Rasagiline supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Rasagiline, ranked by severity Rasagiline 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 Oolong Tea and Rasagiline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Oolong Tea with Rasagiline?
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 Oolong Tea and Rasagiline 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 Rasagiline and Oolong Tea?

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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.