Drug & supplement interaction

Turmeric + Epirubicin

Epirubicin brand name: Ellence.

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

Turmeric has a moderate interaction with Epirubicin. Turmeric has antioxidant effects. Theoretically, this may reduce the activity of chemotherapy drugs that generate free radicals.

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

Turmeric and Epirubicin

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

Moderate

ANTITUMOR ANTIBIOTICS

Why this applies to Epirubicin

Epirubicin falls under ANTITUMOR ANTIBIOTICS — the group Turmeric interacts with.

Turmeric has antioxidant effects. Theoretically, this may reduce the activity of chemotherapy drugs that generate free radicals. However, research is conflicting.
In vitro and animal research shows that curcumin, a constituent of turmeric, inhibits doxorubicin-induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells by up to 65%. However, curcumin does not seem to affect the apoptosis capacity of daunorubicin. In fact, some research shows that curcumin might augment the cytotoxic effects of antitumor antibiotics, increasing their effectiveness. Reasons for the discrepancies may relate to the dose of curcumin and the chemotherapeutic agent. Lower doses of curcumin might have antioxidant effects while higher doses might have pro-oxidant effects. More evidence is needed to determine what effects, if any, antioxidants such as turmeric have on antitumor antibiotics.
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 thinking on this one. Epirubicin (Ellence) is an anthracycline chemo drug, and part of how it fights breast cancer is by generating free radicals that damage cancer cells. Turmeric's main compound, curcumin, acts as an antioxidant, which in theory could mop up some of those free radicals and blunt the chemo's punch. That's the worry on file.

But I want to be honest with you: this concern comes from lab and animal studies only, and the results actually pull in different directions. Some research even suggests curcumin might boost chemo's effect, possibly depending on the dose. There's no solid human proof either way yet. Because this is your cancer treatment, please don't start a turmeric supplement without first clearing it with your oncology team. The spice on your food is a different story and unlikely to matter.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Mitchell TM. Correspondence re: Somasundaram et al., Dietary curcumin inhibits chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in models of human breast cancer. Cancer Res. 2003;63(16):5165-6; author reply 5166-7.
  2. Somasundaram S, Edmund NA, Moore DT, Small GW, Shi YY, Orlowski RZ. Dietary curcumin inhibits chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in models of human breast cancer. Cancer Res. 2002;62(13):3868-75.

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

Turmeric Also Interacts With Other Medications

Turmeric has 1,055 moderate, 77 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Epirubicin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,055 Minor 77 No known interaction 1,698 (incl. Epirubicin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Turmeric

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Turmeric or Epirubicin

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

This page covers Turmeric only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Epirubicin page lists 24 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Acerola (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate) and European Mandrake (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 14 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Epirubicin page

“Epirubicin (Ellence) is chemotherapy, most often used for breast cancer, and when a supplement can weaken the treatment itself, the 24 ingredients on this list deserve real caution. The lone major entry is activated charcoal, which can pull the drug back out of the body even though epirubicin is given by IV, since the medicine recircul…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Epirubicin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,368 real supplement products containing Turmeric, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Turmeric. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Epirubicin too, on top of Turmeric — 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 Turmeric and Epirubicin 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 Turmeric
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Epirubicin
Top half

#821 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 Turmeric

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric
  • Joint pain and arthritis
  • Inflammation
  • Digestive upset
  • Antioxidant support
  • Skin conditions

Turmeric is a popular spice whose main active compounds, curcuminoids, are studied mostly for inflammation and joint pain. Some research is promising, but quality is mixed and curcumin is poorly absorbed on its own. For most people, dietary amounts are safe, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking concentrated supplements, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition.

Read the full Turmeric monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Epirubicin

What Is Epirubicin Used For?

Brand name: Ellence

Ellence (epirubicin), given as an intravenous injection, is used as part of adjuvant (post-surgery) combination chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer who have evidence of tumor involvement in the axillary lymph nodes (lymph nodes under the arm) following surgical removal of the primary tumor.

It is not used alone — Ellence is always given as part of a multi-drug regimen alongside other chemotherapy agents.

See full Epirubicin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Turmeric

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

0Major
1,055Moderate
77Minor
1,697No known interaction
1,055 Moderate 77 Minor 1,697 No interaction
Moderate

1,055 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,055 moderate interactions — see all 1,055 on the Turmeric page.

Minor

77 interactions

Showing 60 of 77 minor interactions — see all 77 on the Turmeric page.

No interaction 1,697 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,697 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Turmeric list.

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

Can you take Turmeric with Epirubicin?
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 Turmeric and Epirubicin 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 Epirubicin and Turmeric?

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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.