Drug & supplement interaction

Turpentine Oil + Asenapine

Asenapine brand names: Saphris, Secuado.

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

Asenapine falls into 2 drug categories that Turpentine Oil can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Some in vitro research shows that alpha-pinene, the major constituent of turpentine oil, does not increase the absorption of chlorpromazine or haloperidol when applied topically.

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

Turpentine Oil and Asenapine

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

TOPICAL DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Asenapine

Asenapine falls under TOPICAL DRUGS — the group Turpentine Oil interacts with.

Some in vitro research shows that alpha-pinene, the major constituent of turpentine oil, does not increase the absorption of chlorpromazine or haloperidol when applied topically. However, animal research shows that turpentine oil increases the absorption of ibuprofen when applied topically. Theoretically, applying turpentine oil to the skin along with other medications might increase the effects and side effects of these medications.
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: turpentine oil rubbed on the skin can act like a penetration helper, meaning it may push certain medicines through the skin a bit faster. The catch is that asenapine (Saphris) isn't really a skin product the way this interaction imagines. Saphris dissolves under the tongue, and Secuado is a patch already designed for absorption, so smearing turpentine oil nearby isn't a typical pairing.

The evidence here is weak, based only on lab and animal studies, and it isn't specific to asenapine. In theory, if more drug got into your system, you might feel more of asenapine's usual effects like drowsiness, dizziness, or lightheadedness when standing. Asenapine is not a prodrug, so more absorption would mean stronger effects, not weaker ones. Before combining anything topical with your patch, please check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Jiang Q, Wu Y, Zhang H, et al. Development of essential oils as skin permeation enhancers: penetration enhancement effect and mechanism of action. Pharmaceutical Biol. 2017;55(1):1592-1600. PubMed
  2. Almirall M, Montana J, Excribano E, Obach R, Berrozpe JD. Effect of d-limonene, alpha-pinene, and cineole on in vitro transdermal human skin penetration of chlorpromazine and haloperidol. Arzneimittelforschung. 1996 Jul;46(7):676-80.
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Asenapine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES.

There is some concern that turpentine oil can inhibit CYP1A2 enzyme activity by up to 90% via induction of inflammation and subsequent downregulation of CYP activity. However, animal research suggests that turpentine oil does not affect the metabolism of phenacetin, a CYP1A2 substrate, despite inducing inflammation.
Some medications metabolized by CYP1A2 include clozapine (Clozaril), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), fluvoxamine (Luvox), haloperidol (Haldol), imipramine (Tofranil), mexiletine (Mexitil), olanzapine (Zyprexa), pentazocine (Talwin), propranolol (Inderal), tacrine (Cognex), theophylline, tizanidine (Zanaflex), zileuton (Zyflo), zolmitriptan (Zomig), and others.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: your body partly clears asenapine (Saphris, Secuado) using a liver enzyme called CYP1A2. There's a theory that turpentine oil could slow that enzyme down. If that happened, asenapine might hang around a bit longer and feel stronger, so you could notice more drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness when standing, or that numbing feeling in your mouth from the tablet.

That said, I wouldn't lose sleep over this one. The concern comes from lab and animal studies only, and one animal study actually showed turpentine oil didn't change how a CYP1A2 drug was processed. It's rated minor and unlikely. Since turpentine oil is risky on its own, please don't swallow it, and check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it alongside asenapine.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Prasad VG, Vivek Ch, Anand Kumar P, Ravi Kumar P, Rao GS. Turpentine oil induced inflammation decreases absorption and increases distribution of phenacetin without altering its elimination process in rats. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2015;40(1):23-8. 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

Turpentine Oil Also Interacts With Other Medications

Turpentine Oil has 197 moderate, 178 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Asenapine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 197 Minor 178 No known interaction 2,455 (incl. Asenapine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Turpentine Oil

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Asenapine

This page covers Turpentine Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Asenapine page lists 122 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 9 major · 78 moderate · 35 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Asenapine page

“The heart rhythm risk is the one to understand first. Asenapine (Saphris, Secuado), an antipsychotic for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can affect the QT interval, the electrical reset between heartbeats, and 13 ingredients on this list can prolong it too, including everyday grapefruit.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Asenapine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Turpentine Oil and Asenapine 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 Turpentine Oil
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Asenapine
Steady interest

#1,740 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 Turpentine Oil

What is Turpentine Oil?

Turpentine Oil
  • Muscle and joint aches (topical)
  • Cough and congestion (chest rubs)
  • Minor skin conditions
  • Antiseptic
  • Toothache (traditional)

Turpentine oil is a strong-smelling pine resin product used mostly in tiny amounts in topical rubs for muscle aches and congestion. It can be dangerous and even deadly if swallowed, and reliable evidence for health benefits is very limited. Never drink turpentine oil, and only use diluted, purified products on the skin with care.

Read the full Turpentine Oil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Asenapine

What Is Asenapine Used For?

Brand names: Saphris, Secuado

Asenapine treats schizophrenia in adults and bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) in adults and, for the sublingual forms, in children and teenagers ages 10 to 17. It can be used alone or alongside lithium or valproate for bipolar I disorder in adults.

Saphris and asenapine sublingual tablets are approved for both schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. Secuado (the skin patch) is approved only for schizophrenia in adults.

See full Asenapine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Turpentine Oil

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

0Major
197Moderate
178Minor
2,454No known interaction
197 Moderate 178 Minor 2,454 No interaction
Moderate

197 interactions

Showing 60 of 197 moderate interactions — see all 197 on the Turpentine Oil page.

Minor

178 interactions

Showing 60 of 178 minor interactions — see all 178 on the Turpentine Oil page.

No interaction 2,454 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,454 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Turpentine Oil list.

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

Can you take Turpentine Oil with Asenapine?
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 Turpentine Oil and Asenapine?
Asenapine belongs to more than one drug category, and Turpentine Oil 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 Turpentine Oil and Asenapine 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.