Papain + Bexarotene
Bexarotene brand name: Targretin.
We found no known interaction between Papain and Bexarotene in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Bexarotene states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.
Papain and Bexarotene
We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.
No Known Interaction Found
We did not find a documented interaction between Bexarotene and Papain in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.
If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.
Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.
Papain safety at a glance
Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.
Why No Interaction Is Listed for Bexarotene
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Bexarotene is filed under 3 classifications — retinoids, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates, oral drugs. Papain has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Bexarotene’s classifications are among them.
Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.
Papain Does Interact With Other Medications
Papain has 2 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Bexarotene isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Papain
We haven’t checked that one against Papain yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Papain. Pick one to open its full report.
Papain in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
When used orally. There is some concern that crude papain is teratogenic and embryotoxic.
DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center
Some Bexarotene Products Have a Food Rule — Papain Should Not Break It
At least one FDA label for a product containing Bexarotene says to take it with food. If you take Papain on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Bexarotene with a meal where the label says to.
This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Bexarotene products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.
TARGRETIN should be taken as a single oral daily dose with a meal.
From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Bexarotene — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›
A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.
What Bexarotene Is Prescribed For, and What Papain Has Been Studied For
These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Bexarotene is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Papain is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.
Bexarotene is prescribed for: Bexarotene capsules (brands: Bexarotene, Targretin) are used to treat the skin symptoms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in patients whose disease has not responded to at least one prior systemic treatment. Bexarotene gel 1% (brands: Bexarotene, Targretin) is used to treat the skin lesions of early-stage CTCL (Stage IA and IB) when other therapies have not worked or could not be tolerated. The gel is a topical therapy and is not intended for systemic use.
Papain has been studied for:
-
Cancer studied, not established Papain has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows
Papain for cancer
Although there has been interest in using oral papain for cancer, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of papain for this purpose.
Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Bexarotene on your own; if you are taking Papain for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Bexarotene
This page covers Papain only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Bexarotene page lists 139 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Vitamin A (major) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).
By severity: 4 major · 94 moderate · 41 minor.
Taking Papain as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 3,790 real supplement products containing Papain, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Papain. Even though Papain itself has no known interaction with Bexarotene, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Papain and Bexarotene 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.
#75 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#535 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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.
Where does our data come from?
- Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
- Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Papain reference on this page ↓
- Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Papain and Bexarotene records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
- What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
About Papain
What is Papain?
- Digestive support for protein digestion
- Wound cleaning (debridement of dead tissue)
- Sore throat and inflammation
- Sports injuries such as sprains
- Skin conditions
Papain is a protein-digesting enzyme from the papaya plant that is used in digestive supplements and some topical products. While it has clear food and laboratory uses, strong human evidence for most health claims is limited, and it can cause allergic reactions or throat irritation. Check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a latex or papaya allergy.
Carica papaya · Caricaceae · Latex (sap) from the unripe fruit; also derived from leaves · Capsules, tablets, chewable digestive enzyme blends, topical ointments and gels, meat tenderizer powder
An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Papain is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Papain record says about it on its own.
Papain: dosing
There is no official, standardized dose for papain. The amount in supplements varies widely between products and is often measured in enzyme activity units rather than milligrams.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.
From our Papain monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.
About Bexarotene
What Is Bexarotene Used For?
Brand name: Targretin
Bexarotene capsules (brands: Bexarotene, Targretin) are used to treat the skin symptoms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in patients whose disease has not responded to at least one prior systemic treatment.
Bexarotene gel 1% (brands: Bexarotene, Targretin) is used to treat the skin lesions of early-stage CTCL (Stage IA and IB) when other therapies have not worked or could not be tolerated. The gel is a topical therapy and is not intended for systemic use.
Other Drugs & Papain
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Papain — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
2 interactions
No interaction 2,827 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Papain against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Sertraline ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Testosterone ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Aspirin ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Docusate ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Prednisone ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Propranolol ›
- Metformin ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Bupropion ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Naproxen ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Letrozole ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Bisoprolol ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,827 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Papain list.
Papain References
The 11 references that drive our Papain monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.
- The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
- Shaw D, Leon C, Kolev S, Murray V. Traditional remedies and food supplements: a 5-year toxicological study (1991-1995). Drug Saf 1997;17:342-56.
- Shuttleworth D, Hill S, Marks R, Connelly DM. Relief of experimentally induced pruritus with a novel eutectic mixture of local anaesthetic agents. Br J Dermatol 1988;119:535-40.
- Mansfield LE, Ting S, Haverly RW, Yoo TJ. The incidence and clinical implications of hypersensitivity to papain in an allergic population, confirmed by blinded oral challenge. Ann Allergy 1985;55:541-3.
- Martin, T., Uhder, K., Kurek, R., Roeddiger, S., Schneider, L., Vogt, H. G., Heyd, R., and Zamboglou, N. Does prophylactic treatment with proteolytic enzymes reduce acute toxicity of adjuvant pelvic irradiation? Results of a double-blind randomized trial PubMed
- Walker-Renard, P. Update on the medicinal management of phytobezoars. Am J Gastroenterol. 1993;88(10):1663-1666.
- Tymoszuk D, Wiszniewska M, Walusiak-Skorupa J. Papain-induced occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma - A case report. Med Pr 2016;67(1):109-12. PubMed
- Soto-Mera MT, López-Rico MR, Filgueira JF, et al. Occupational allergy to papain. Allergy 2000;55(10):983-4. PubMed
- Tarlo SM, Shaikh W, Bell B, et al. Papain-induced allergic reactions. Clin Allergy 1978;8(3):207-15. PubMed
- Baur X, König G, Bencze K, Fruhmann G. Clinical symptoms and results of skin test, RAST and bronchial provocation test in thirty-three papain workers: Evidence for strong immunogenic potency and clinically relevant proteolytic e?ects of airborne papain. C
- Novey HS, Keenan WJ, Fairshter RD, Wells ID, Wilson AF, Culver BD. Pulmonary disease in workers exposed to papain: clinico-physiological and immunological studies. Clin Allergy 1980;10(6):721-31. PubMed
Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.
Taking Papain and Bexarotene Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Papain with Bexarotene?
Do Papain and Bexarotene have any of the same side effects?
Should I take Papain and Bexarotene at the same time of day?
Are Papain and Bexarotene used for the same thing?
How was the Papain and Bexarotene combination checked?
Does Papain interact with any other medications?
Does Bexarotene interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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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.