Drug & supplement interaction

Spearmint + Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol

Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol brand names: Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol, Robaxacet 8.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol falls into 2 drug categories that Spearmint can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, spearmint might alter the sedative effects of CNS depressants.

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

Spearmint and Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol

Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Spearmint interacts with.

Theoretically, spearmint might alter the sedative effects of CNS depressants.
Animal research suggests that (-)-carvone, a major constituent of spearmint, has sedative effects. However, in humans, chewing spearmint-flavored gum induced arousal effects.
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

This combo product mixes two ingredients that already make you drowsy: codeine (a mild opioid pain reliever) and methocarbamol (a muscle relaxant). The concern with spearmint here is only theoretical. One plant compound in spearmint, called carvone, made animals sleepy in lab studies, so on paper it might add to the calming effect. But here's the twist: in people, chewing spearmint gum actually seemed to perk folks up, not slow them down.

So in real life, a cup of spearmint tea or a flavored gum is very unlikely to deepen the sleepiness from this medication. If you're using a concentrated spearmint supplement and notice extra grogginess or dizziness, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. de Sousa, D. P., Farias Nobrega, F. F., and de Almeida, R. N. Influence of the chirality of (R)-(-)- and (S)-(+)-carvone in the central nervous system: a comparative study. Chirality 5-5-2007;19(4):264-268.
  2. Masumoto, Y., Morinushi, T., Kawasaki, H., Ogura, T., and Takigawa, M. Effects of three principal constituents in chewing gum on electroencephalographic activity. Psychiatry Clin.Neurosci. 1999;53(1):17-23. PubMed
  3. Goncalves, J. C., Oliveira, Fde S., Benedito, R. B., de Sousa, D. P., de Almeida, R. N., and de Araujo, D. A. Antinociceptive activity of (-)-carvone: evidence of association with decreased peripheral nerve excitability. Biol Pharm Bull. 2008;31(5):1017- PubMed
Moderate

HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS

2 of 2

Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol also falls under HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, high doses of spearmint might increase the risk of liver damage when taken with hepatotoxic drugs.
Animal research suggests that drinking spearmint tea for 30 days can increase markers of liver damage, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and cause liver degeneration and necrosis, in a dose-dependent manner. 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 this combo product: it contains acetaminophen (Tylenol), which is one of the better-known drugs that can stress the liver when taken in high doses or with too much alcohol. The concern on file is mostly theoretical. In animal studies, large amounts of spearmint over about a month nudged up liver enzymes (AST and ALT) and caused some liver damage. That hasn't actually been shown in people.

So the worry is really about stacking liver stress, not a dramatic reaction. A cup of spearmint tea is very unlikely to matter. Concentrated spearmint supplements taken alongside regular acetaminophen are the bigger question mark. If you take this medicine often or have any liver issues, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Akdogan M, Ozguner M, Aydin G, Gokalp O. Investigation of biochemical and histopathological effects of Mentha piperita Labiatae and Mentha spicata Labiatae on liver tissue in rats. Hum Exp Toxicol 2004;23:21-8.

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

Spearmint Also Interacts With Other Medications

Spearmint has 578 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol 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 Spearmint

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol

This page covers Spearmint only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol page lists 243 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major).

By severity: 10 major · 193 moderate · 40 minor.

Open the Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 408 real supplement products containing Spearmint, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Spearmint. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol too, on top of Spearmint — 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 Spearmint and Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol 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 Spearmint
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol
Top 5%

#116 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 Spearmint

What is Spearmint?

Spearmint
  • Digestive upset and indigestion
  • Nausea
  • Hormonal acne and unwanted hair (PCOS-related)
  • Memory and focus
  • Mild stress and anxiety
  • Joint discomfort

Spearmint is a common culinary mint that is generally safe in food and tea amounts. Early research suggests possible benefits for digestion, mild hormone-related issues (such as excess facial hair in women), and memory, but the evidence is still limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements, especially if you are pregnant or have a health condition.

Read the full Spearmint monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Spearmint

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

0Major
578Moderate
0Minor
2,251No known interaction
Moderate

578 interactions

Showing 60 of 578 moderate interactions — see all 578 on the Spearmint page.

No interaction 2,251 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 Spearmint and Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Spearmint with Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol?
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 Spearmint and Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol?
Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol belongs to more than one drug category, and Spearmint 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 Spearmint and Acetaminophen, Codeine, Methocarbamol 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.