Drug & supplement interaction

Thyme + Tolterodine

Tolterodine brand names: Detrol LA, Detrol.

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

Thyme has a moderate interaction with Tolterodine. Theoretically, concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs and thyme essential oil might reduce the effects of anticholinergic drugs.

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

Thyme and Tolterodine

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

Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Tolterodine

Tolterodine 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. Tolterodine calms an overactive bladder by blocking acetylcholine, the chemical that tells the bladder muscle to squeeze. In test-tube studies, certain compounds in concentrated thyme essential oil (like carvacrol) seem to do the opposite by raising acetylcholine levels. In theory, more of that signaling could push back against tolterodine and make it work a little less well, so you might notice more urgency, frequency, or leaking.

The big caveat: this has only been seen in the lab, never in real people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. The thyme you sprinkle on dinner is not a concern at all. If you regularly take concentrated thyme oil supplements, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye on how well your tolterodine is working.

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

This page covers Thyme only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tolterodine page lists 178 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Henbane (major), Scopolia (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 130 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tolterodine page

“Grapefruit juice is the first thing to know about with tolterodine (Detrol, Detrol LA), the overactive bladder medicine. It blocks the main enzyme that clears the drug, so blood levels can climb and side effects can climb with them.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tolterodine 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 Tolterodine 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 Tolterodine 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tolterodine
Top 5%

#128 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 Tolterodine

What Is Tolterodine Used For?

Brand names: Detrol LA, Detrol

Tolterodine — available as tablets (including Detrol and Tolterodine Tartrate tablets) and extended-release capsules (including Detrol LA and Tolterodine Tartrate extended-release capsules) — is prescribed for overactive bladder. It targets three main symptoms: a sudden, hard-to-control urge to urinate (urgency), urinating too often (frequency), and leaking urine when that urge hits (urge urinary incontinence).

All approved forms and brands share this same indication. No additional or separate uses are listed in the prescribing information for any individual product.

See full Tolterodine 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 Tolterodine, 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 Tolterodine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Tolterodine, ranked by severity Tolterodine 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 Tolterodine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Thyme with Tolterodine?
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 Tolterodine 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 Tolterodine 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.