Papain + Diclofenac Sodium
Diclofenac Sodium brand names: Voltaren XR, Voltaren, Voltaren SR, Diclo, Difenac, and others.
We found no known interaction between Papain and Diclofenac Sodium 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 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 Diclofenac Sodium
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 Diclofenac Sodium 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 Diclofenac Sodium
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Diclofenac Sodium is filed under 11 classifications — including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids), cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) substrates, anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs. Papain has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Diclofenac Sodium’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 — Diclofenac Sodium 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
What Diclofenac Sodium 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. Diclofenac Sodium 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.
Diclofenac Sodium is prescribed for: Diclofenac sodium topical gel is used to treat actinic keratoses (AK) — rough, scaly skin patches that form after years of sun exposure. These patches are considered precancerous, meaning they can develop into skin cancer if left untreated. This is a topical gel, meaning it is applied directly to the skin over the affected area rather than taken by mouth. It belongs to the NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) family.
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 Diclofenac Sodium 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.
Questions About Papain or Diclofenac Sodium
These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Papain or Diclofenac Sodium, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:
- Can Lisinopril and Diclofenac Be Taken Together? ›
- Can You Crush Voltaren Tablets? ›
- Can You Take Diclofenac And Tylenol At The Same Time? ›
Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Diclofenac Sodium
This page covers Papain only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Diclofenac Sodium page lists 308 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).
By severity: 7 major · 266 moderate · 35 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Diclofenac Sodium page
“Diclofenac (Voltaren), a daily mainstay for arthritis and joint pain, comes with a supplement list that calls for real vigilance. Of the 308 ingredients on file, 7 rate major, and roughly two hundred entries share a single theme: anything with blood-thinning activity adds to diclofenac's own bleeding risk, especially in the stomach.”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
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 Diclofenac Sodium, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Papain and Diclofenac Sodium 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.
#79 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#315 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 Diclofenac Sodium 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 Diclofenac
What Is Diclofenac Used For?
Brand names: Voltaren XR, Voltaren, Voltaren SR, Diclo, Difenac, Diclo SR, Voltarol, Acoflam, Defenac, Dicloflex, Diclovol, Diclozip, Fenactol, Flamrase, Volraman, Diclomax SR, Diclomax Retard, Motifene 75 mg, Voltarol 75 mg SR, Acoflam 75 SR, Defenac SR, Dexomon 75 SR, Dicloflex 75 SR, Diclovol SR, Fenactol 75 mg SR, Flamatak 75 MR, Flamrase SR, Flexotard MR 75, Rheumatac Retard 75, Rhumalgan CR, Slofenac SR, Volsaid Retard 75, Voltarol Retard, Acoflam Retard, Defenac Retard, Dexomon Retard 100, Dicloflex Retard, Diclovol Retard, Fenactol Retard 100 mg, Flamatak 100 MR, Volsaid Retard 100, Voltarol Ophtha Multidose, Voltarol Ophtha, Pennsaid, Voltaren Emulgel, Dyloject
Diclofenac sodium topical gel is used to treat actinic keratoses (AK) — rough, scaly skin patches that form after years of sun exposure. These patches are considered precancerous, meaning they can develop into skin cancer if left untreated.
This is a topical gel, meaning it is applied directly to the skin over the affected area rather than taken by mouth. It belongs to the NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) family.
Most-Reported Side Effects for Diclofenac Sodium
From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (155,962 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.
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 ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Testosterone ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Aspirin ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Docusate ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Prednisone ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Propranolol ›
- Metformin ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Bupropion ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Naproxen ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Letrozole ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Citalopram ›
- Buspirone ›
- 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.
Diclofenac Sodium Is Linked to Lower Levels of One Nutrient
Natural Medicines records Diclofenac Sodium as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Papain — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Diclofenac Sodium nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Papain and Diclofenac Sodium Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Papain with Diclofenac Sodium?
Do Papain and Diclofenac Sodium have any of the same side effects?
Are Papain and Diclofenac Sodium used for the same thing?
How was the Papain and Diclofenac Sodium combination checked?
Does Papain interact with any other medications?
Does Diclofenac Sodium interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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Still Have a Question About Diclofenac Sodium and Papain?
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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.