Drug & supplement interaction

Theaflavin + Grepafloxacin

Grepafloxacin brand name: Raxar.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Theaflavin has a moderate interaction with Grepafloxacin. In vitro, theaflavin inhibits organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP)2B1.

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

Theaflavin and Grepafloxacin

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

Moderate

ORGANIC ANION-TRANSPORTING POLYPEPTIDE SUBSTRATES (OATP)

Why this applies to Grepafloxacin

Grepafloxacin falls under ORGANIC ANION-TRANSPORTING POLYPEPTIDE SUBSTRATES (OATP) — the group Theaflavin interacts with.

In vitro, theaflavin inhibits organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP)2B1. OATP2B1 is expressed in the small intestine and liver and is responsible for the uptake of drugs and other compounds. This interaction has not been shown in humans. However, theaflavin might reduce the absorption of drugs that are OATP2B1 substrates. Use with caution.
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 grepafloxacin, an antibiotic from the fluoroquinolone family. There's some early lab work suggesting theaflavin (a compound found in black tea) can block a transporter called OATP2B1, which helps your gut absorb certain medicines. If that same effect held true for grepafloxacin, the worry would be slightly less of the antibiotic getting into your system, which could mean it doesn't fight your infection as well.

That said, this has only been seen in test tubes, not in real people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over a normal cup of tea. Concentrated theaflavin extracts are a bigger question mark. Before mixing them with an antibiotic, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Kondo A, Narumi K, Okuhara K, et al. Black tea extract and theaflavin derivatives affect the pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin by modulating organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) 2B1 activity. Biopharm Drug Dispos. 2019;40(8):302-306. 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

Theaflavin Also Interacts With Other Medications

Theaflavin has 129 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Grepafloxacin 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 Theaflavin

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Grepafloxacin

This page covers Theaflavin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Grepafloxacin page lists 164 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 9 major · 113 moderate · 42 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Grepafloxacin page

“A week on grepafloxacin (Raxar), a quinolone antibiotic, often comes with juice at breakfast, coffee through the day, maybe a probiotic for the stomach, and each of those shows up on this list. The nine major entries among these 164 deserve your attention first: grapefruit and other fruit juices can block the transporter that carries t…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Grepafloxacin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 11 real supplement products containing Theaflavin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Theaflavin. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Grepafloxacin too, on top of Theaflavin — 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 Theaflavin and Grepafloxacin 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 Theaflavin
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Grepafloxacin
Steady interest

#2,311 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 Theaflavin

What is Theaflavin?

  • Heart health and cholesterol support
  • Antioxidant support
  • Weight management
  • Blood sugar support
  • General wellness

Theaflavins are antioxidant compounds formed when tea leaves are oxidized to make black tea. Early research suggests they may help with cholesterol and provide antioxidant effects, but high-quality human evidence is limited and doses are not standardized. Drinking black tea is generally safe, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking concentrated extracts.

Read the full Theaflavin monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Theaflavin

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Theaflavin — 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
Moderate

129 interactions

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

No interaction 2,700 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 Theaflavin and Grepafloxacin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Theaflavin with Grepafloxacin?
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 Theaflavin and Grepafloxacin 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.