Drug & supplement interaction

Strawberry + Terfenadine

Terfenadine brand name: Seldane.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Strawberry has a moderate interaction with Terfenadine. In vitro research suggests that strawberry extract can inhibit p-glycoprotein efflux.

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

Strawberry and Terfenadine

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Terfenadine

Terfenadine falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Strawberry interacts with.

In vitro research suggests that strawberry extract can inhibit p-glycoprotein efflux. Theoretically, strawberry might inhibit p-glycoprotein mediated drug efflux and potentially increase levels of drugs that are substrates of p-glycoprotein. Until more is known, strawberry should be used cautiously in people taking p-glycoprotein substrates.
Drugs that might be affected include some chemotherapeutic agents (etoposide, paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine), antifungals (ketoconazole, itraconazole), protease inhibitors (amprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir), H2 antagonists (cimetidine, ranitidine), some calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, verapamil), corticosteroids, erythromycin, cisapride (Propulsid), fexofenadine (Allegra), cyclosporine, loperamide (Imodium), quinidine, and others.
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 connection with terfenadine (Seldane). Your body uses a kind of cellular pump called P-glycoprotein to move certain drugs out of cells and keep their levels in check. Lab studies hint that strawberry extract may slow that pump down. If that happened in the body, a little more terfenadine could stick around than expected.

That matters because terfenadine was actually pulled from the U.S. market for a reason: when its levels climb, it can disturb the heart's rhythm (a problem called QT prolongation). So in theory, higher levels could raise that risk. I want to stress this is only test-tube evidence, not proof in people, and everyday strawberries you eat are very unlikely to cause trouble. Concentrated strawberry supplements are the bigger question mark. If you take terfenadine, please run any strawberry supplement past your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Van Gelder, J., Deferme, S., Naesens, L., De Clercq, E., van den, Mooter G., Kinget, R., and Augustijns, P. Intestinal absorption enhancement of the ester prodrug tenofovir disoproxil fumarate through modulation of the biochemical barrier by defined este
  2. Deferme, S., Van Gelder, J., and Augustijns, P. Inhibitory effect of fruit extracts on P-glycoprotein-related efflux carriers: an in-vitro screening. J Pharm Pharmacol 2002;54(9):1213-1219.

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

Strawberry Also Interacts With Other Medications

Strawberry has 315 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Terfenadine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Strawberry

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Terfenadine

This page covers Strawberry only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Terfenadine page lists 65 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 42 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Terfenadine page

“Terfenadine (Seldane) is an older antihistamine with a well-known heart rhythm hazard, and its supplement list warrants genuine caution. Eight of the 65 interactions on file are rated major, and the biggest danger is additive strain on the heart's electrical timing: 13 ingredients can prolong the QT interval the way terfenadine itself…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Terfenadine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,806 real supplement products containing Strawberry, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Strawberry. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Terfenadine too, on top of Strawberry — 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 Strawberry and Terfenadine 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 Strawberry
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Terfenadine
Steady interest

#2,671 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 Strawberry

What is Strawberry?

  • General antioxidant support
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Blood sugar support
  • Skin and oral health
  • Source of vitamin C and fiber

Strawberry is a popular, nutrient-rich fruit that supplies vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidant plant compounds. Eating strawberries as part of a balanced diet is healthy for most people, but concentrated supplement forms have only limited research behind specific health claims. If you have allergies or take it as a supplement, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Strawberry monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Strawberry

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

0Major
315Moderate
0Minor
2,514No known interaction
Moderate

315 interactions

Showing 60 of 315 moderate interactions — see all 315 on the Strawberry page.

No interaction 2,514 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 Strawberry and Terfenadine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Strawberry with Terfenadine?
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 Strawberry and Terfenadine 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.