Drug & supplement interaction

Propionyl-l-carnitine + Mesalamine

Mesalamine brand names: Pentasa, Asacol, Canasa, Rowasa, Lialda, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine 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 Mesalamine 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.

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Interaction report

Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine

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 Mesalamine and Propionyl-l-carnitine 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.

Propionyl-l-carnitine safety at a glance

Propionyl-l-carnit... overall Use caution Generally well tolerated for short-term use, but talk to a healthcare provider first.
Pregnancy Avoid Safety has not been established, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety data is available, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Mesalamine and Propionyl-l-carnitine? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Mesalamine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Mesalamine is filed under a single classification — oral drugs. Propionyl-l-carnitine has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being acenocoumarol (sintrom) (moderate), thyroid hormone (moderate) and warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Mesalamine’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.

Keep it in perspective

Propionyl-l-carnitine Does Interact With Other Medications

Propionyl-l-carnitine has 19 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Mesalamine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Propionyl-l-carnitine

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Propionyl-l-carnitine. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Diarrhea / Vomiting Additional detail

    Propionyl-l-carnitine

    “Orally, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and gastric pain have been reported with propionyl-L-carnitine use.”

    Propionyl-l-carnitine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    6 sources cited
    1. 1579. Cherchi A, Lai C, Onnis E, et al. Propionyl carnitine in stable effort angina. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 1990;4:481-6. PubMed
    2. 1580. Bartels GL, Remme WJ, den Hartog FR, et al. Additional anti-ischemic effects of long-term L-propionylcarnitine in anginal patients treated with conventional antianginal therapy. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 1995;9:749-53.
    3. 1582. Caponnetto S, Canale C, Masperone MA, et al. Efficacy of L-propionylcarnitine treatment in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Eur Heart J 1994;15:1267-73. PubMed
    4. 12682. Gentile V, Vicini P, Prigiotti G, et al. Preliminary observations on the use of propionyl-L-carnitine in combination with sildenafil in patients with erectile dysfunction and diabetes. Curr Med Res Opin 2004;20:1377-84. PubMed
    5. 94439. Brass EP, Koster D, Hiatt WR, Amato A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of propionyl-L-carnitine effects on exercise performance in patients with claudication. Vasc Med 2013;18:3-12.
    6. 94443. Hiatt WR, Creager MA, Amato A, Brass EP. Effect of propionyl-L-carnitine on a background of monitored exercise in patients with claudication secondary to peripheral artery disease. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev 2011;31:125-32. PubMed

    Mesalamine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Mesalamine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Propionyl-l-carnitine but not commonly for Mesalamine: back pain and nausea.

Effects for Mesalamine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Propionyl-l-carnitine come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Mesalamine Products Have a Food Rule — Propionyl-l-carnitine Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Mesalamine says to take it with food. If you take Propionyl-l-carnitine on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Mesalamine 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 Mesalamine 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.

( 2 ) Administer mesalamine delayed-release tablets with food.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Mesalamine — 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.

Overlapping uses

What Mesalamine Is Prescribed For, and What Propionyl-l-carnitine Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Mesalamine is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Propionyl-l-carnitine is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Mesalamine is prescribed for: Mesalamine is used to treat mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis — a condition where the lining of the large intestine becomes inflamed and ulcerated. Depending on the product and formulation, it can be used to bring the disease under control (induction of remission) and/or to keep it from coming back (maintenance of remission). Different products target different parts of the lower digestive tract. Oral forms (tablets and capsules) treat the colon more broadly.

Read the rest of what Mesalamine is prescribed for

Rectal forms — including enemas (ROWASA, sfROWASA, mesalamine rectal suspension) — are used for distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis, or proctitis (inflammation limited to the lower end of the colon or rectum). Rectal suppositories (CANASA, mesalamine rectal suppositories) are specifically for ulcerative proctitis (inflammation of the rectum only).

Propionyl-l-carnitine has been studied for:

  • Ulcerative colitis Natural Medicines rates the evidence for Propionyl-l-carnitine: Possibly Effective Read what the research shows

    Propionyl-l-carnitine for ulcerative colitis

    Oral propionyl-L-carnitine may improve clinical response and remission rates in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

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 Mesalamine on your own; if you are taking Propionyl-l-carnitine for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Propionyl-l-carnitine or Mesalamine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Propionyl-l-carnitine or Mesalamine, 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 Mesalamine

This page covers Propionyl-l-carnitine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Mesalamine page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Mesalamine page

“Activated charcoal is the one entry here I would treat as a genuine problem for anyone taking mesalamine (Asacol, Lialda, Pentasa, and others). It is the lone major-rated interaction among the 17 on file, because charcoal soaks up drugs in the gut and can pull mesalamine out of the picture before it does its job.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Mesalamine interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Propionyl-l-carnitine as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 57 real supplement products containing Propionyl-l-carnitine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Propionyl-l-carnitine. Even though Propionyl-l-carnitine itself has no known interaction with Mesalamine, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine 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 Propionyl-l-carnitine
Steady interest

#1,163 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Mesalamine
Top 25%

#522 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.

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 Propionyl-l-carnitine reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine 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.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Propionyl-l-carnitine

What is Propionyl-l-carnitine?

  • Peripheral artery disease and leg pain
  • Heart and circulation support
  • Energy and exercise performance
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Diabetic nerve pain

Propionyl-l-carnitine is a form of the amino acid derivative carnitine that the body uses to help turn fat into energy, and it is studied mostly for circulation problems like peripheral artery disease. Some evidence suggests it may help walking distance in people with poor leg circulation, but results are mixed and it is not a substitute for standard medical care. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a medical condition or take other medicines.

Capsules, tablets, oral powder

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Propionyl-l-carnitine is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Propionyl-l-carnitine record says about it on its own.

Propionyl-l-carnitine: dosing

There is no single official dose of PLC for supplement use, and the right amount can depend on the condition being studied and the specific product. They can help you decide whether PLC is appropriate for you and what amount makes sense.Do not assume more is better. Higher doses raise the chance of side effects without guaranteeing more benefit.

From our Propionyl-l-carnitine monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Propionyl-l-carnitine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Mesalamine

What Is Mesalamine Used For?

Brand names: Pentasa, Asacol, Canasa, Rowasa, Lialda, Delzicol

Mesalamine is used to treat mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis — a condition where the lining of the large intestine becomes inflamed and ulcerated. Depending on the product and formulation, it can be used to bring the disease under control (induction of remission) and/or to keep it from coming back (maintenance of remission).

Different products target different parts of the lower digestive tract. Oral forms (tablets and capsules) treat the colon more broadly. Rectal forms — including enemas (ROWASA, sfROWASA, mesalamine rectal suspension) — are used for distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis, or proctitis (inflammation limited to the lower end of the colon or rectum). Rectal suppositories (CANASA, mesalamine rectal suppositories) are specifically for ulcerative proctitis (inflammation of the rectum only).

See full Mesalamine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Propionyl-l-carnitine

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

0Major
19Moderate
0Minor
2,810No known interaction
Moderate

19 interactions

No interaction 2,810 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Propionyl-l-carnitine References

The 12 references that drive our Propionyl-l-carnitine 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.

  1. Cherchi A, Lai C, Onnis E, et al. Propionyl carnitine in stable effort angina. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 1990;4:481-6. PubMed
  2. Bartels GL, Remme WJ, den Hartog FR, et al. Additional anti-ischemic effects of long-term L-propionylcarnitine in anginal patients treated with conventional antianginal therapy. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 1995;9:749-53.
  3. Caponnetto S, Canale C, Masperone MA, et al. Efficacy of L-propionylcarnitine treatment in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Eur Heart J 1994;15:1267-73. PubMed
  4. Benvenga S, Ruggeri RM, Russo A, et al. Usefulness of L-carnitine, a naturally occurring peripheral antagonist of thyroid hormone action, in iatrogenic hyperthyroidism: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol Meta
  5. Martinez E, Domingo P, Roca-Cusachs A. Potentiation of acenocoumarol action by L-carnitine. J Intern Med 1993;233:94.
  6. Bachmann HU, Hoffmann A. Interaction of food supplement L-carnitine with oral anticoagulant acenocoumarol. Swiss Med Wkly 2004;134:385. PubMed
  7. Gentile V, Vicini P, Prigiotti G, et al. Preliminary observations on the use of propionyl-L-carnitine in combination with sildenafil in patients with erectile dysfunction and diabetes. Curr Med Res Opin 2004;20:1377-84. PubMed
  8. 12761 Benvenga S, Amato A, Calvani M, Trimarchi F. Effects of carnitine on thyroid hormone action. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2004;1033:158-67. PubMed
  9. Brass EP, Koster D, Hiatt WR, Amato A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of propionyl-L-carnitine effects on exercise performance in patients with claudication. Vasc Med 2013;18:3-12.
  10. Hiatt WR, Creager MA, Amato A, Brass EP. Effect of propionyl-L-carnitine on a background of monitored exercise in patients with claudication secondary to peripheral artery disease. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev 2011;31:125-32. PubMed
  11. Jacobs PL, Goldstein ER, Blackburn W, et al. Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine produces enhanced anaerobic work capacity with reduced lactate accumulation in resistance trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2009;6:9. PubMed
  12. Jacobs PL, Goldstein ER. Long-term glycine propionyl-l-carnitine supplementation and paradoxical effects on repeated anaerobic sprint performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2010;7:35.

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.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Propionyl-l-carnitine with Mesalamine?
We do not list a known interaction between Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Mesalamine says to take it with food. If you take Propionyl-l-carnitine on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Mesalamine with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Mesalamine products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Propionyl-l-carnitine in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Mesalamine is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Propionyl-l-carnitine and Mesalamine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Mesalamine is filed under 1 classification, and Propionyl-l-carnitine has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Mesalamine's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Propionyl-l-carnitine interact with any other medications?
Yes. Propionyl-l-carnitine has 19 documented drug interactions in our database — Mesalamine is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Mesalamine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Mesalamine has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Propionyl-l-carnitine is not one of them. The Mesalamine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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.