Drug & supplement interaction

Thyme + Naproxen

Naproxen brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, and others.

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

Thyme has a moderate interaction with Naproxen. Theoretically, thyme leaf extract might have additive effects with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

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

Thyme and Naproxen

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Naproxen

Naproxen falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Thyme interacts with.

Theoretically, thyme leaf extract might have additive effects with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro and animal research suggests that thyme leaf extract has antiplatelet effects. 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 gist: naproxen already has a mild blood-thinning side effect because it lowers how well your platelets stick together and clot. Thyme, at least in test-tube and animal studies, seems to do something similar. So the worry is that putting them together could add up and make bleeding a little more likely (think easy bruising, nosebleeds, or stomach irritation, which naproxen can cause on its own).

The important part: this is only theoretical. The antiplatelet effect of thyme has not actually been shown in people, and the amount of thyme you'd get from cooking or seasoning food is very unlikely to matter at all. Concentrated thyme supplements are a different story. If you take naproxen regularly and want to use thyme that way, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Okazaki K, Kawazoe K, Takaishi Y. Human platelet aggregation inhibitors from thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). Phytother Res 2002;16:398-9. .
  2. Yamamoto J, Yamada K, Naemura A, et al. Testing various herbs for antithrombotic effect. Nutrition 2005;21(5):580-7. PubMed
  3. Tognolini, M., Barocelli, E., Ballabeni, V., Bruni, R., Bianchi, A., Chiavarini, M., and Impicciatore, M. Comparative screening of plant essential oils: phenylpropanoid moiety as basic core for antiplatelet activity. Life Sci. 2-23-2006;78(13):1419-1432. 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

Thyme Also Interacts With Other Medications

Thyme has 378 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Naproxen one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 378 No known interaction 2,452 (incl. Naproxen)
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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Thyme or Naproxen

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Thyme or Naproxen, 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 Naproxen

This page covers Thyme only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naproxen page lists 311 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 260 moderate · 44 minor.

Open the Naproxen 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 Naproxen 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 Naproxen 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Naproxen
Top 5%

#55 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
Medication

About Naproxen

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, Navalbine, Naproxen, Naprosyn EC, Napro-Na, Aleve, Arthroxen, Synflex, EC-Naprosyn

Naproxen tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and naproxen oral suspension are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, and acute gout, and for managing pain and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps).

Naproxen Sodium Controlled-Release Tablets are indicated for the same conditions plus the relief of mild to moderate pain. Several over-the-counter naproxen sodium products are indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever.

See full Naproxen drug information
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
378 Moderate 2,451 No 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

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,451 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Thyme list.

See the full Thyme interactions page
See every supplement checked against Naproxen, 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
Thyme monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Naproxen supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Naproxen, ranked by severity Naproxen 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 Thyme and Naproxen Together: Common Questions

Can you take Thyme with Naproxen?
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 Thyme and Naproxen 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 Naproxen and Thyme?

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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.