Drug & supplement interaction

Theaflavin + Pravastatin Sodium

Pravastatin Sodium brand name: Pravachol.

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

Theaflavin has a moderate interaction with Pravastatin Sodium. 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 Pravastatin Sodium

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 Pravastatin Sodium

Pravastatin Sodium 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 for pravastatin (Pravachol): your gut uses tiny transporters called OATP to pull this statin into your body so it can do its job lowering cholesterol. In test-tube studies, theaflavin (a compound concentrated in black tea extracts) seems to block one of those transporters, OATP2B1. If that happened in real life, less pravastatin might get absorbed, which could make it work a little less well for your LDL and heart protection.

The honest part: this has only been seen in lab dishes, never in people, so it's a theoretical concern. A cup of black tea is very unlikely to matter. Concentrated theaflavin supplements are a bigger unknown. Before adding one, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
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 Pravastatin Sodium 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. Pravastatin Sodium)
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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Theaflavin or Pravastatin Sodium

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Theaflavin or Pravastatin Sodium, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pravastatin Sodium

This page covers Theaflavin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pravastatin Sodium page lists 74 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Apple (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 7 major · 53 moderate · 14 minor.

Open the Pravastatin Sodium 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 Pravastatin Sodium 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 Pravastatin Sodium 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pravastatin Sodium
Top 10%

#225 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
Medication

About Pravastatin

What Is Pravastatin Used For?

Brand name: Pravachol

Pravastatin Sodium tablets are used alongside a cholesterol-lowering diet to treat high LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), high triglycerides (blood fats), and abnormal cholesterol levels. They are approved for adults and for children ages 8 and older with a hereditary form of high cholesterol called heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH).

In people without known heart disease, pravastatin helps reduce the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular death. In people who already have coronary heart disease (CHD), it is used to reduce the risk of heart attack, coronary death, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and procedures to restore blood flow to the heart — and to slow the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

See full Pravastatin drug information
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
129 Moderate 2,700 No 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

We also checked Theaflavin 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 Theaflavin list.

See the full Theaflavin interactions page
See every supplement checked against Pravastatin Sodium, 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
Theaflavin monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Pravastatin Sodium supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Pravastatin Sodium, ranked by severity Pravastatin drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Theaflavin and Pravastatin Sodium Together: Common Questions

Can you take Theaflavin with Pravastatin Sodium?
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 Pravastatin Sodium 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 Pravastatin Sodium and Theaflavin?

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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.