Drug & supplement interaction

Thyme + Edrophonium, Atropine

Edrophonium, Atropine brand name: Enlon-Plus.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Edrophonium, Atropine falls into 2 drug categories that Thyme can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs and thyme essential oil might reduce the effects of anticholinergic drugs.

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

Thyme and Edrophonium, Atropine

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Thyme interacts with whole categories of medication. Edrophonium, Atropine falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Thyme in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Edrophonium, Atropine

Edrophonium, Atropine falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS — the group Thyme interacts with.

Theoretically, concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs and thyme essential oil might reduce the effects of anticholinergic drugs.
In vitro evidence suggests that thyme essential oil and specific essential oil constituents like thymohydroquinone and carvacrol can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE). However, this effect has not been observed 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 idea behind this one. Thyme's essential oil compounds, like thymol and carvacrol, can block an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase in lab dishes. The atropine part of Enlon-Plus works by quieting that same acetylcholine signaling, so in theory thyme could push in the opposite direction and slightly blunt atropine's effect. That might mean less of the intended drying and heart-rate steadying you'd expect from this medicine.

Honestly, I wouldn't lose sleep over this. The evidence is purely from test tubes, not people, and Enlon-Plus is given by a clinician in a monitored setting for short periods. Everyday seasoning amounts of thyme are not a concern. If you regularly use concentrated thyme oil, just mention it to your doctor or pharmacist beforehand.

References
  1. Jukic, M., Politeo, O., Maksimovic, M., Milos, M., and Milos, M. In vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties of thymol, carvacrol and their derivatives thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone. Phytother.Res 2007;21(3):259-261.
Moderate

CHOLINERGIC DRUGS

2 of 2

Edrophonium, Atropine also falls under CHOLINERGIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, concurrent use of cholinergic drugs and thyme essential oil might cause additive cholinergic effects.
In vitro evidence suggests that thyme essential oil and specific essential oil constituents like thymohydroquinone and carvacrol can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE). However, this effect has not been observed 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 idea behind this one. Enlon-Plus contains edrophonium, which works by blocking the enzyme acetylcholinesterase so your body keeps more of the messenger chemical acetylcholine around. In lab dish studies, certain compounds in thyme oil (like carvacrol) seemed to block that same enzyme a little. In theory, stacking the two could push cholinergic effects further in the same direction, things like extra saliva, watery eyes, stomach cramping, or a slower heart rate. The atropine in this product is actually there to keep those effects in check.

Honestly, I wouldn't lose sleep over this. The evidence is only test-tube level and has never shown up in people, and Enlon-Plus is given in a monitored medical setting. Cooking with thyme is a non-issue. Still, mention any concentrated thyme oil supplements to your care team.

References
  1. Jukic, M., Politeo, O., Maksimovic, M., Milos, M., and Milos, M. In vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties of thymol, carvacrol and their derivatives thymoquinone and thymohydroquinone. Phytother.Res 2007;21(3):259-261.

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

Thyme Also Interacts With Other Medications

Thyme has 378 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Edrophonium, Atropine 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 Thyme

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Edrophonium, Atropine

This page covers Thyme only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Edrophonium, Atropine page lists 34 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Henbane (major), Scopolia (major), Angel's Trumpet (moderate), Arenaria Rubra (moderate) and Bacopa (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 29 moderate · 3 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Edrophonium, Atropine page

“Enlon-Plus combines edrophonium, which raises levels of the nerve messenger acetylcholine, with atropine, which tempers its side effects, and the supplements listed below can tip that balance in either direction. I read this list with real caution.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Edrophonium, Atropine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 708 real supplement products containing Thyme, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Thyme. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Edrophonium, Atropine too, on top of Thyme — 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 Thyme and Edrophonium, Atropine 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 Thyme
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Edrophonium, Atropine
Top half

#826 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 Thyme

What is Thyme?

Thyme
  • Cough and respiratory congestion
  • Sore throat
  • Digestive upset
  • Antimicrobial and antiseptic uses
  • Flavoring in cooking

Thyme is a common kitchen herb that has long been used for coughs, sore throats, and digestive complaints. It is generally safe in the amounts found in food, and some cough products that combine thyme with other herbs have modest supporting evidence, but high-quality research on thyme alone is limited. The concentrated essential oil should never be swallowed undiluted.

Read the full Thyme monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Thyme

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

0Major
378Moderate
0Minor
2,451No known interaction
Moderate

378 interactions

Showing 60 of 378 moderate interactions — see all 378 on the Thyme page.

No interaction 2,451 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 Thyme and Edrophonium, Atropine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Thyme with Edrophonium, Atropine?
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 Thyme and Edrophonium, Atropine?
Edrophonium, Atropine belongs to more than one drug category, and Thyme 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 Thyme and Edrophonium, Atropine 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.