Drug & supplement interaction

Propolis + Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate

Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate brand name: Konvomep.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate falls into 3 drug categories that Propolis can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, high doses of propolis might increase blood levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C19.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Propolis and Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Propolis interacts with whole categories of medication. Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Propolis in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate

Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES — the group Propolis interacts with.

Theoretically, high doses of propolis might increase blood levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C19.
In vitro research shows that propolis extract can inhibit CYP2C19. However, animal research shows that propolis extract does not significantly affect CYP2C19 activity when administered to rats at doses up to 250 mg/kg. It is postulated that the constituents of propolis that inhibit CYP2C19 in vitro do not have significant effects in vivo due to low bioavailability and hepatic first-pass effect. This effect has not been reported in humans.
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 short version on combining propolis with your omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Konvomep). Omeprazole is cleared from your body partly by a liver enzyme called CYP2C19. In test-tube studies, propolis appears to slow that enzyme down. If that happened in real life, omeprazole could build up a bit higher, which might mean slightly more chance of things like headache, nausea, or stomach upset.

The reassuring part: this is theoretical. Lab dishes showed an effect, but animal studies did not, likely because propolis isn't well absorbed. Nothing like this has been reported in people, and omeprazole already has a wide safety margin. Everyday or concentrated propolis is unlikely to cause trouble, but it never hurts to mention any supplement to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Naramoto K, Kato M, Ichihara K. Effects of an ethanol extract of Brazilian green propolis on human cytochrome P450 enzyme activities in vitro. J Agric Food Chem 2014;62(46):11296-302. PubMed
  2. Ryu CS, Oh SJ, Oh JM, et al. Inhibition of cytochrome P450 by propolis in human liver microsomes. Toxicol Res 2016;32(3):207-13. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

2 of 3

Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, high doses of propolis might increase blood levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C9.
In vitro research shows that propolis extract can inhibit CYP2C9. However, animal research shows that propolis extract does not significantly affect CYP2C9 activity when administered to rats at doses up to 250 mg/kg. It is postulated that the constituents of propolis that inhibit CYP2C9 in vitro do not have significant effects in vivo due to low bioavailability and hepatic first-pass effect. This effect has not been reported in humans.
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 of it: propolis, in test-tube studies, may slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2C9. The theory is that this could let drugs handled by that enzyme build up a bit. With your Konvomep (omeprazole plus sodium bicarbonate), omeprazole is mostly broken down by a different enzyme (CYP2C19), with CYP2C9 playing only a minor side role. So even if propolis nudged CYP2C9, the real-world impact on this medicine is likely small.

On top of that, this concern comes only from lab dishes. When propolis was actually given to animals, it didn't meaningfully change CYP2C9, and nothing like this has been reported in people. Everyday food amounts are very unlikely to matter; concentrated supplements are the bigger unknown. If you take high-dose propolis regularly, just mention it to your pharmacist.

References
  1. Naramoto K, Kato M, Ichihara K. Effects of an ethanol extract of Brazilian green propolis on human cytochrome P450 enzyme activities in vitro. J Agric Food Chem 2014;62(46):11296-302. PubMed
  2. Ryu CS, Oh SJ, Oh JM, et al. Inhibition of cytochrome P450 by propolis in human liver microsomes. Toxicol Res 2016;32(3):207-13. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

3 of 3

Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, high doses of propolis might increase blood levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
Some in vitro research shows that propolis extract can inhibit CYP3A4; however, other in vitro research shows that propolis has no effect on CYP3A4 activity. Furthermore, animal research shows that propolis extract does not significantly affect CYP3A4 activity when administered to rats at doses up to 250 mg/kg. It is postulated that the constituents of propolis that might in inhibit CYP3A4 in vitro do not have significant effects in vivo due to low bioavailability and hepatic first-pass effect. This effect has not been reported in humans.
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 with Konvomep (which pairs omeprazole with sodium bicarbonate). In some test-tube studies, propolis can slow down a liver enzyme called CYP3A4, which is one of the pathways that helps clear omeprazole. If that pathway is blocked, omeprazole could theoretically build up a bit, possibly bringing on more of its usual side effects like headache, nausea, gas, or loose stools.

That said, I wouldn't lose sleep over this one. The evidence is weak and only comes from lab and animal work, and other studies showed no effect at all. It has never been reported in real people, and food or normal supplement amounts are unlikely to matter. Still, if you take high-dose propolis daily, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Naramoto K, Kato M, Ichihara K. Effects of an ethanol extract of Brazilian green propolis on human cytochrome P450 enzyme activities in vitro. J Agric Food Chem 2014;62(46):11296-302. PubMed
  2. Ryu CS, Oh SJ, Oh JM, et al. Inhibition of cytochrome P450 by propolis in human liver microsomes. Toxicol Res 2016;32(3):207-13. 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

Propolis Also Interacts With Other Medications

Propolis has 920 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Propolis

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate

This page covers Propolis only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate page lists 174 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 121 moderate · 50 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate page

“Omeprazole with sodium bicarbonate (Konvomep) is a heartburn and ulcer treatment, a proton pump inhibitor paired with an antacid, and its supplement list warrants real vigilance because three of the 174 ingredients on file rate major. St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 723 real supplement products containing Propolis, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Propolis. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate too, on top of Propolis — 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 Propolis and Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate 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 Propolis
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate
Steady interest

#2,028 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 Propolis

What is Propolis?

Propolis
  • Cold sores and herpes lesions (topical)
  • Sore throat and mouth sores
  • Wound and skin healing
  • Immune support
  • Oral and gum health

Propolis is a natural, resin-like substance made by bees that has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in lab studies. Early research suggests it may help with cold sores, mouth sores, and minor wounds, but high-quality evidence is limited for most uses. It is generally well tolerated, but allergic reactions can occur, especially in people allergic to bee products.

Read the full Propolis monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Propolis

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

0Major
920Moderate
0Minor
1,909No known interaction
Moderate

920 interactions

Showing 60 of 920 moderate interactions — see all 920 on the Propolis page.

No interaction 1,909 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Propolis and Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Propolis with Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate?
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 3 interactions listed for Propolis and Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate?
Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate belongs to more than one drug category, and Propolis 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 Propolis and Omeprazole, Sodium Bicarbonate 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

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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.