Drug & supplement interaction

Sulforaphane + Flutamide

Flutamide brand names: Eulexin, Euflex.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Flutamide falls into 2 drug categories that Sulforaphane can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, sulforaphane might alter the levels and clinical effects of CYP1A2 substrates.

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

Sulforaphane and Flutamide

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Sulforaphane interacts with whole categories of medication. Flutamide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Sulforaphane 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 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Flutamide

Flutamide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Sulforaphane interacts with.

Theoretically, sulforaphane might alter the levels and clinical effects of CYP1A2 substrates.
Animal and in vitro research shows that sulforaphane inhibits CYP1A2 enzyme activity. However, its precursor glucoraphanin also appears to increase the expression of the CYP1A2 enzyme, which could lead to increased metabolism of CYP1A2 substrates. These effects have 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 situation with flutamide (Eulexin) and sulforaphane. Your liver uses an enzyme called CYP1A2 to help process flutamide. In test tube and animal studies, sulforaphane can block that enzyme, which in theory could let flutamide build up a bit higher. That might mean more of its usual side effects, like nausea, diarrhea, hot flashes, or changes in liver tests. Interestingly, a related broccoli compound may push the enzyme the other way, so the net effect is genuinely unclear.

The big thing to know: this hasn't actually been seen in people, and it comes from lab data only. Eating broccoli with dinner is very unlikely to matter. If you're considering a concentrated sulforaphane supplement, just run it by your oncology pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Barcelo S, Mace K, Pfeifer AM, Chipman JK. Production of DNA strand breaks by N-nitrosodimethylamine and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline in THLE cells expressing human CYP isoenzymes and inhibition by sulforaphane. Mutat Res 1998;402:111-20. PubMed
  2. Fimognari C, Lenzi M, Hrelia P. Interaction of the isothiocyanate sulforaphane with drug disposition and metabolism: pharmacological and toxicological implications. Curr Drug Metab. 2008;9(7):668-78. PubMed
  3. Chinnappan SM, George A, Evans M, Anthony J. Efficacy of Labisia pumila and Eurycoma longifolia standardised extracts on hot flushes, quality of life, hormone and lipid profile of peri-menopausal and menopausal women: a randomised, placebo-controlled stud
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

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

Theoretically, sulforaphane might increase the levels and effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
Animal and in vitro research shows that sulforaphane inhibits CYP3A4 enzyme activity and downregulates its expression. This interaction 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: your body uses an enzyme called CYP3A4 to help clear flutamide. In lab and animal studies, sulforaphane appears to slow that enzyme down. If that held true in people, flutamide could build up a bit more than expected, which in theory might mean stronger effects and a higher chance of side effects like nausea, diarrhea, hot flashes, or stress on the liver (something already watched closely with this medicine).

I want to be honest about the strength here. This interaction has only been seen in test tubes and animals, not in real patients, so it's theoretical. The broccoli on your dinner plate almost certainly isn't a concern. A concentrated sulforaphane supplement is a different story, so please run that by your oncology team or pharmacist before starting one.

References
  1. Fimognari C, Lenzi M, Hrelia P. Interaction of the isothiocyanate sulforaphane with drug disposition and metabolism: pharmacological and toxicological implications. Curr Drug Metab. 2008;9(7):668-78. PubMed
  2. Mahéo K, Morel F, Langouët S, et al. Inhibition of cytochromes P-450 and induction of glutathione S-transferases by sulforaphane in primary human and rat hepatocytes. Cancer Res. 1997;57(17):3649-52.
  3. Yoxall V, Kentish P, Coldham N, Kuhnert N, Sauer MJ, Ioannides C. Modulation of hepatic cytochromes P450 and phase II enzymes by dietary doses of sulforaphane in rats: Implications for its chemopreventive activity. Int J Cancer. 2005;117(3):356-62. 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

Sulforaphane Also Interacts With Other Medications

Sulforaphane has 721 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Flutamide 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 Sulforaphane

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Flutamide

This page covers Sulforaphane only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Flutamide page lists 189 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 · 143 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Flutamide page

“A man taking flutamide (Eulexin) to block testosterone during prostate cancer treatment cannot afford big swings in the drug's level, and most of the 189 supplements on this page are capable of causing exactly that. The bulk of them work through the liver enzyme CYP3A4, which breaks flutamide down.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Flutamide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 167 real supplement products containing Sulforaphane, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sulforaphane. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Flutamide too, on top of Sulforaphane — 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 Sulforaphane and Flutamide 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 Sulforaphane
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Flutamide
Top 10%

#233 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 Sulforaphane

What is Sulforaphane?

  • Antioxidant support
  • General cellular health
  • Detoxification support
  • Inflammation
  • Skin and aging concerns

Sulforaphane is a natural compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables that has shown promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in lab studies, but strong human evidence for most specific health claims is still limited. It is generally well tolerated as part of a vegetable-rich diet, but if you take a concentrated supplement, talk to your pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Sulforaphane monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Flutamide

What Is Flutamide Used For?

Brand names: Eulexin, Euflex

Eulexin (flutamide) capsules are used to treat prostate cancer in men. They are always used together with an LHRH agonist (a hormone-lowering injection), never alone.

Eulexin is indicated for two stages of prostate cancer: locally confined Stage B2-C prostate cancer (used alongside goserelin acetate and radiation therapy, starting eight weeks before radiation begins) and Stage D2 metastatic prostate cancer (cancer that has spread beyond the prostate, taken with an LHRH agonist until the disease progresses).

See full Flutamide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sulforaphane

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

0Major
721Moderate
0Minor
2,108No known interaction
Moderate

721 interactions

Showing 60 of 721 moderate interactions — see all 721 on the Sulforaphane page.

No interaction 2,108 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 Sulforaphane and Flutamide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Sulforaphane with Flutamide?
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 Sulforaphane and Flutamide?
Flutamide belongs to more than one drug category, and Sulforaphane 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 Sulforaphane and Flutamide 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 Flutamide and Sulforaphane?

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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.