Drug & supplement interaction

Papaya + Warfarin Sodium

Warfarin Sodium brand names: Coumadin, Panwarfin, Sofarin.

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

Papaya has a moderate interaction with Warfarin Sodium. Theoretically, concomitant use of warfarin with papain-containing papaya extract might increase the effects and side effects of warfarin.

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

Papaya and Warfarin Sodium

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

Moderate

WARFARIN (Coumadin)

Theoretically, concomitant use of warfarin with papain-containing papaya extract might increase the effects and side effects of warfarin.
In one case report, a patient previously stable on warfarin was found to have an international normalization ratio (INR) of 7.4, which was attributed to ingestion of a supplement containing papain from papaya extract.
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 gist for warfarin: it's a blood thinner with a very narrow safety margin, so even small shifts in how strongly it works can be a big deal. The concern with concentrated papaya supplements (the ones rich in papain) is that they may boost warfarin's blood-thinning effect, pushing your INR higher. That can mean easier bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or in worse cases more serious bleeding. In one reported case, a stable patient's INR jumped to 7.4 after taking a papain supplement, which is quite high.

That said, this is based on a single case report and theory, so the evidence is weak. Eating a normal serving of ripe papaya as food is very unlikely to cause trouble. The caution is really about concentrated papaya or papain capsules. Please don't start or stop anything on your own, just check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. 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.

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

Papaya Also Interacts With Other Medications

Papaya has 91 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Warfarin Sodium one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 91 No known interaction 2,739 (incl. Warfarin Sodium)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Papaya

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Papaya or Warfarin 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 Papaya or Warfarin 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:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Warfarin Sodium

This page covers Papaya only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Warfarin Sodium page lists 361 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Alfalfa (major), American Ginseng (major), Beer (major) and Cannabis (major).

Open the Warfarin Sodium interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,801 real supplement products containing Papaya, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Papaya. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Warfarin Sodium too, on top of Papaya — 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 Papaya and Warfarin 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.

Supplement Papaya
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Warfarin Sodium
Top 1%

#20 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 Papaya

What is Papaya?

Papaya
  • Digestive upset and indigestion
  • Constipation
  • Wound and skin care (topical)
  • Intestinal parasites (traditional)
  • Supporting platelet counts in dengue (investigational)

Papaya is a tropical fruit that is nutritious and generally safe to eat as food, and it contains an enzyme called papain used as a digestive aid and meat tenderizer. Papaya leaf extract is being studied for raising platelet counts in dengue fever, but most other supplement uses have limited human evidence. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated papaya supplements, and avoid unripe (green) papaya and papaya seed products in pregnancy.

Read the full Papaya monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Warfarin

What Is Warfarin Used For?

Brand names: Coumadin, Panwarfin, Sofarin

Warfarin sodium tablets and Jantoven tablets are both used to prevent and treat venous thrombosis (blood clots in the veins) and pulmonary embolism (a clot in the lungs). They are also used to prevent clot-related complications in people with atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm) or who have had a heart valve replaced.

In people who have had a heart attack, warfarin is used to reduce the risk of death, another heart attack, stroke, or other clotting events. It does not dissolve an existing clot, but it helps prevent the clot from growing and stops new dangerous clots from forming.

See full Warfarin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Papaya

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

0Major
91Moderate
0Minor
2,738No known interaction
91 Moderate 2,738 No interaction
Moderate

91 interactions

Showing 60 of 91 moderate interactions — see all 91 on the Papaya page.

No interaction 2,738 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,738 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Papaya list.

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

Can you take Papaya with Warfarin Sodium?
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 Papaya and Warfarin Sodium 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 Warfarin Sodium and Papaya?

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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.