Drug & supplement interaction

Pomegranate + Lidocaine

Lidocaine brand names: Xylocaine, Dilocaine, Lidoject-1, Xylocaine MPF, Nervocaine, and others.

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

Lidocaine falls into 2 drug categories that Pomegranate can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, pomegranate might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Pomegranate and Lidocaine

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Pomegranate interacts with whole categories of medication. Lidocaine falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Pomegranate in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Lidocaine

Lidocaine falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES — the group Pomegranate interacts with.

Theoretically, pomegranate might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.
In vitro, pomegranate juice inhibits CYP2D6. However, the clinical significance of this potential interaction in humans is not known.
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 pomegranate and lidocaine. Lidocaine is partly cleared by a liver enzyme called CYP2D6, and in lab dish studies pomegranate juice slowed that enzyme down. On paper, that could let a bit more lidocaine linger in your body, which might mean stronger or longer-lasting effects.

But I want to keep this in perspective. This is based only on test-tube work, and we honestly don't know if it happens in real people. Most folks use lidocaine as a skin patch or cream, where very little reaches the bloodstream, so a glass of juice is unlikely to cause trouble. If you ever get lidocaine as an injection or use concentrated pomegranate extracts, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Kim ND, Mehta R, Yu W, et al. Chemopreventive and adjuvant therapeutic potential of pomegranate (Punica granatum) for human breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2002;71:203-17. PubMed
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Lidocaine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, pomegranate might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, but most research suggests this interaction is unlikely to be clinically significant.
Pomegranate contains several polyphenols that have individually been shown to inhibit CYP3A4. However, there is contradictory evidence about the effect of whole pomegranate juice on CYP3A4 activity. In vitro, pomegranate juice significantly inhibits the CYP3A4 enzyme, with comparable inhibition to grapefruit juice. In an animal model, pomegranate juice inhibits CYP3A4 metabolism of carbamazepine and increases levels of carbamazepine by 1.5 times; however, in human volunteers, drinking a single glass of pomegranate juice 240 mL or taking 200 mL daily for 2 weeks does not significantly affect levels of the CYP3A4 substrate midazolam after oral or intravenous administration. Another study in healthy volunteers shows that consuming pomegranate juice 300 mL three times daily for three days also does not significantly affect levels of simvastatin, a CYP3A4 substrate This suggests that pomegranate is unlikely to significantly affect levels of CYP3A4 substrates in humans.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: your body uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to help break down lidocaine, and some compounds in pomegranate can slow that enzyme down a little in the lab. In theory, that could let a bit more lidocaine linger in your system, with more chance of effects like dizziness, drowsiness, numbness around the mouth, or a fluttery feeling in the heart.

The good news is that this concern is largely theoretical. When researchers actually tested pomegranate juice in people, it didn't meaningfully change levels of other CYP3A4 drugs. On top of that, most folks use lidocaine as a patch or cream, where very little reaches the bloodstream. So enjoying pomegranate as food or juice is very unlikely to cause trouble. If you use concentrated pomegranate extracts or get lidocaine by injection, just run it by your pharmacist first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Hidaka M, Okumura M, Fujita K, et al. Effects of pomegranate juice on human cytochrome p450 3A (CYP3A) and carbamazepine pharmacokinetics in rats. Drug Metab Dispos 2005;33:644-8. PubMed
  2. Farkas D, Oleson LE, Zhao Y, et al. Pomegranate juice does not impair clearance of oral or intravenous midazolam, a probe for cytochrome P450-3A activity: comparison with grapefruit juice. J Clin Pharmacol 2007;47:286-94. PubMed
  3. Yeo C, Shon J, Liu K, et al. The effects of pomegranate juice on the pharmacokinetics of simvastatin in healthy Korean subjects (PI-63). Clin Pharmacol Ther 2006;79:23.
  4. Farkas D, Greenblatt DJ. Influence of fruit juices on drug disposition: discrepancies between in vitro and clinical studies. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2008;4:381-93.
  5. Misaka S, Nakamura R, Uchida S, et al. Effect of 2 weeks' consumption of pomegranate juice on the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of midazolam: an open-label, randomized, single-center, 2-period crossover study in healthy Japanese volunteers. Clin Ther PubMed
  6. Park SJ, Yeo CW, Shim EJ, et al. Pomegranate juice does not affect the disposition of simvastatin in healthy subjects. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2016;41(4):339-44. 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

Pomegranate Also Interacts With Other Medications

Pomegranate has 354 moderate, 567 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Lidocaine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 354 Minor 567 No known interaction 1,909 (incl. Lidocaine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Pomegranate

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Pomegranate or Lidocaine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Pomegranate or Lidocaine, 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 Lidocaine

This page covers Pomegranate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lidocaine page lists 145 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Fever Bark (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 111 moderate · 31 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lidocaine page

“Lidocaine (Xylocaine) deserves genuine care on this page, and I would learn its three major-rated entries first. Grapefruit and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lidocaine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 4,607 real supplement products containing Pomegranate, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Pomegranate. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lidocaine too, on top of Pomegranate — 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 Pomegranate and Lidocaine 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 Pomegranate
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lidocaine
Steady interest

#1,658 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 Pomegranate

What is Pomegranate?

Pomegranate
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Antioxidant support
  • High blood pressure
  • Inflammation
  • Digestive upset
  • Skin health

Pomegranate is a nutrient-rich fruit that is high in antioxidants and is widely enjoyed as food and juice. Early research suggests it may support heart health and blood pressure, but the evidence is still limited and not strong enough to call it a proven treatment. As a food it is generally safe, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated extracts, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or take medications.

Read the full Pomegranate monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lidocaine Transdermal Patch

What Is Lidocaine Transdermal Patch Used For?

Brand names: Xylocaine, Dilocaine, Lidoject-1, Xylocaine MPF, Nervocaine, Lidoject-2, Duo-Trach Kit, Octocaine, Lidoderm, Ztlido

Lidocaine skin patches are applied directly to the painful area to treat post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) — the persistent burning or aching nerve pain that can remain after a shingles outbreak.

Lidoderm (lidocaine patch 5%) and ZTlido (lidocaine topical system 1.8%) are both indicated for this use in adults. Note that despite their different strengths, one ZTlido topical system provides equivalent lidocaine exposure to one Lidoderm patch.

See full Lidocaine Transdermal Patch drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Pomegranate

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

0Major
354Moderate
567Minor
1,908No known interaction
354 Moderate 567 Minor 1,908 No interaction
Moderate

354 interactions

Showing 60 of 354 moderate interactions — see all 354 on the Pomegranate page.

Minor

567 interactions

Showing 60 of 567 minor interactions — see all 567 on the Pomegranate page.

No interaction 1,908 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,908 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Pomegranate list.

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

Can you take Pomegranate with Lidocaine?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Pomegranate and Lidocaine?
Lidocaine belongs to more than one drug category, and Pomegranate interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Pomegranate and Lidocaine 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 Lidocaine and Pomegranate?

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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.