Drug & supplement interaction

Turpentine Oil + Rotigotine

Rotigotine brand name: Neupro.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Turpentine Oil has a moderate interaction with Rotigotine. 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
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Turpentine Oil and Rotigotine

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

Moderate

TOPICAL DRUGS

Why this applies to Rotigotine

Rotigotine 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 thing with Rotigotine: it's delivered through a skin patch (Neupro), so anything you put on or near that same patch of skin can change how much medicine gets absorbed. Turpentine oil is a skin irritant that increases blood flow to the area, and in lab and animal studies it boosted how much of certain drugs soaked through the skin. We don't have direct studies on Rotigotine, so this is mostly theoretical.

If turpentine oil did push more Rotigotine into your system, you might see stronger dopamine-related effects like nausea, dizziness when standing, drowsiness, or sudden sleepiness. To be safe, don't apply turpentine rubs over or right next to your patch. Check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

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.

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 Rotigotine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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 Rotigotine

This page covers Turpentine Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Rotigotine page lists 7 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Ayahuasca (moderate), Black Horehound (moderate), Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) (moderate), Syrian Rue (moderate) and Vitex Agnus-castus (moderate).

By severity: 6 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Rotigotine page

“Rotigotine (Neupro) treats Parkinson's disease and restless legs through a skin patch, and the seven supplement interactions on file split along those two facts. None rates major, six are moderate and one minor, so this reads as a watch list rather than a stop list.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Rotigotine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Turpentine Oil and Rotigotine 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
Steady interest

#1,163 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Rotigotine
Top half

#725 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 Rotigotine Transdermal Patch

What Is Rotigotine Transdermal Patch Used For?

Brand name: Neupro

Neupro (rotigotine transdermal patch) is approved to treat Parkinson's disease — both early-stage and advanced-stage. It helps manage the movement-related symptoms of Parkinson's by stimulating dopamine receptors in the brain.

Neupro is also approved to treat moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) — an uncomfortable urge to move the legs, often worse at night, that isn't caused by another medical condition.

See full Rotigotine Transdermal Patch 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
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
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 Turpentine Oil and Rotigotine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Turpentine Oil with Rotigotine?
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 Turpentine Oil and Rotigotine 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.