Papain + Mexiletine
Mexiletine brand name: Mexitil.
We found no known interaction between Papain and Mexiletine 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 Mexiletine 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 Mexiletine
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 Mexiletine 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 Mexiletine
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Mexiletine is filed under 7 classifications — including cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates. Papain has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Mexiletine’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 — Mexiletine 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 Mexiletine Products Have a Food Rule — Papain Should Not Break It
At least one FDA label for a product containing Mexiletine says to take it with food. If you take Papain on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Mexiletine 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 Mexiletine 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.
Administration with food or antacid is recommended.
From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Mexiletine — 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.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Mexiletine
This page covers Papain only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Mexiletine page lists 152 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).
By severity: 1 major · 107 moderate · 44 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Mexiletine page
“Mexiletine (Mexitil) steadies the heart's rhythm, and its benefit depends on holding a fairly precise blood level, so the 152 supplements on this list deserve real attention rather than a shrug. Only one entry, activated charcoal, is rated major, because it can soak up the drug in the gut and cut how much actually reaches your bloodstr…”
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 Mexiletine, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Papain and Mexiletine 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.
#68 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#814 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 13, 2026. The Papain and Mexiletine 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 Mexiletine
What Is Mexiletine Used For?
Brand name: Mexitil
Mexiletine Hydrochloride capsules are indicated for the treatment of documented, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias — for example, sustained ventricular tachycardia (a dangerously fast heart rhythm originating in the lower chambers). Because mexiletine itself can trigger arrhythmias, it is not recommended for minor or symptom-free irregular heartbeats.
Treatment is started in a hospital setting so heart rhythm can be monitored closely. Antiarrhythmic drugs, including mexiletine, have not been shown to improve overall survival in patients with ventricular arrhythmias.
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 ›
- Testosterone ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Aspirin ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Docusate ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Prednisone ›
- Propranolol ›
- Bupropion ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Metformin ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Letrozole ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
- Naproxen ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Bisoprolol ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
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 Mexiletine Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Papain with Mexiletine?
Do Papain and Mexiletine have any of the same side effects?
Should I take Papain and Mexiletine at the same time of day?
How was the Papain and Mexiletine combination checked?
Does Papain interact with any other medications?
Does Mexiletine interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
Keep Exploring
Still Have a Question About Mexiletine and Papain?
Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.
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.