Drug & supplement interaction

Tamarind + Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital

Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital brand name: Phenaphen.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Tamarind has a moderate interaction with Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital. Theoretically, tamarind fruit extract might increase the effects and side effects of aspirin.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Tamarind and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital

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

Moderate

ASPIRIN

Theoretically, tamarind fruit extract might increase the effects and side effects of aspirin.
Taking tamarind fruit extract as a component of millet porridge concurrently with aspirin seems to increase aspirin absorption and blood levels.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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

The medicine you're asking about is a combo product that contains aspirin, codeine, and phenobarbital. The interaction on file is specifically about the aspirin piece. In one study, tamarind taken as part of a millet porridge seemed to boost how much aspirin the body absorbed, raising aspirin levels in the blood. So tamarind isn't slowing down aspirin's breakdown so much as helping more of it get in.

What that could mean in plain terms: a bit more aspirin effect than expected, which can show up as stomach upset, heartburn, or a higher chance of bleeding or bruising. This is theoretical and based on limited evidence, and ordinary food amounts of tamarind in cooking are far less likely to matter than concentrated extracts. If you use tamarind supplements regularly, just check in with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Mustapha A, Yakasai IA, Abdu Aguye I. Effect of Tamarindus indica L. on the bioavailability of aspirin in healthy human volunteers. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 1996;21:223-6.

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

Tamarind Also Interacts With Other Medications

Tamarind has 129 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 129 No known interaction 2,701 (incl. Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Tamarind

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital

This page covers Tamarind only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital page lists 352 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 Danshen (major).

By severity: 12 major · 304 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital page

“Alcohol is the entry I would flag first with Phenaphen (aspirin, codeine phosphate, phenobarbital): beer or wine layered onto codeine and phenobarbital can deepen sedation and, at worst, slow breathing. This medication deserves real caution with supplements.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 45 real supplement products containing Tamarind, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Tamarind. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital too, on top of Tamarind — 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 Tamarind and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital 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 Tamarind
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital
Top 25%

#351 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 Tamarind

What is Tamarind?

  • Constipation and digestive upset
  • Culinary flavoring
  • Fever and sore throat
  • Antioxidant support
  • Traditional wound or skin care

Tamarind is a tangy tropical fruit widely used in cooking and traditional medicine, mainly for digestion and as a mild laxative. While it is a nutritious food, strong human evidence for most of its medicinal claims is limited, so use it mainly as a food and talk to your pharmacist before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Tamarind monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Tamarind

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

0Major
129Moderate
0Minor
2,700No known interaction
129 Moderate 2,700 No interaction
Moderate

129 interactions

Showing 60 of 129 moderate interactions — see all 129 on the Tamarind page.

No interaction 2,700 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Tamarind against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,700 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Tamarind list.

See the full Tamarind interactions page
See every supplement checked against Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Tamarind monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Tamarind and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital Together: Common Questions

Can you take Tamarind with Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital?
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 Tamarind and Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital 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 Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Phenobarbital and Tamarind?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.