Herb & supplement monograph

Cabbage Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Cabbage interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Cabbage is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Cabbage is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Cabbage Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Cabbage drug interaction appears low for most people. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and even the best-studied ones showed only modest changes in drug levels.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The interaction that deserves the most respect involves warfarin. Cabbage contains vitamin K, and eating large amounts could work against this blood thinner, where small changes matter. Human studies also show that regular cabbage intake can lower levels of acetaminophen and oxazepam somewhat, likely because cabbage speeds up a pathway the body uses to clear them, though the drops seen were small. For people on diabetes medications, cabbage might in theory add to blood sugar lowering, but this comes from animal and lab research only.

What the rest of the list means

The long list of medications looks worrying, but most entries come from one theory: cabbage may stimulate pathways the body uses to break down and clear many drugs. Much of this is based on animal or lab research, and where the effect has been measured in people, the changes were modest and unlikely to matter for most medicines.

Check your medications against Cabbage

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Cabbage interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Cabbage

325 medications have a known interaction with Cabbage, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Cabbage using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Cabbage interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction 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.
Possible. 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
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Cabbage combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Cabbage affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Cabbage is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 6 drug categories Cabbage interacts with

Acetaminophen (tylenol, Others)Antidiabetes DrugsCytochrome P450 1a2 (cyp1a2) SubstratesGlucuronidated DrugsOxazepam (serax)Warfarin (coumadin)

Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Others)

Cabbage might increase clearance and reduce the effects of acetaminophen.
A small clinical study shows that daily consumption of cabbage and Brussels sprout decreases acetaminophen levels by as much as 16%, with some evidence suggesting that this effect is due to increased elimination through glucuronide conjugation.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, cabbage might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Animal and in vivo research suggests that cabbage might have hypoglycemic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Cytochrome P450 1A2 (Cyp1A2) Substrates

Theoretically, cabbage might decrease levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.
Some animal research suggests that cabbage or its constituent indole-3-carbinol might increase drug metabolism and elimination by stimulating CYP1A2 activity.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Glucuronidated Drugs

Theoretically, cabbage might increase clearance and decrease the effects of drugs metabolized through glucuronide conjugation.
A small clinical study shows that daily consumption of cabbage and Brussels sprout decreases levels of some drugs metabolized through glucuronide conjugation.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Oxazepam (Serax)

Cabbage might increase clearance and reduce the effects of oxazepam.
A small clinical study shows that daily consumption of cabbage and brussels sprout decreases oxazepam levels by as much as 17%, with some evidence suggesting that this effect is due to increased elimination through glucuronide conjugation.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Warfarin (Coumadin)

Theoretically, cabbage might decrease the anticoagulant effects of warfarin.
Cabbage contains vitamin K. If consumed in large quantities, cabbage might decrease the anticoagulant effects of warfarin.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Cabbage: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Cabbage is a nutritious, low-calorie vegetable that is safe to eat as food and is sometimes applied to the skin as a leaf wrap for breast engorgement or sore joints. Most medicinal claims are based on tradition or limited research, with the strongest (though still modest) evidence being for cooling cabbage leaves on engorged breasts. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using cabbage in large amounts or as a treatment.

Scientific name: Brassica oleracea
Family: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
Part used: Leaves (head); also juice and extracts
Common forms: Fresh vegetable, raw leaves, juice, fermented (sauerkraut), capsules, and topical leaf wraps

People commonly use it for

Breast engorgement during breastfeeding
Joint pain and swelling (topical)
Digestive and stomach upset
General nutrition and antioxidant support
Skin and minor inflammation (topical)

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallLikely safe

Cabbage is safe for most people when eaten as a food.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

There is insufficient reliable information available about using cabbage in medicinal amounts during pregnancy; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingLikely Safe

When used topically and appropriately, short-term. Significant adverse effects have not been reported in short-term studies. There is insufficient rel...

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Cabbage is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassicaceae (mustard) family, which also includes broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Common types include green, red, and Napa (Chinese) cabbage. It is grown widely around the world in cooler climates and has been a staple food for centuries.

Cabbage is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and fiber, and it contains plant antioxidants. Most people eat it raw, cooked, or fermented (such as sauerkraut or kimchi). Beyond food, cabbage has a long history in folk medicine, where chilled or crushed leaves are applied to the skin for swelling, and the vegetable or its juice is used for stomach complaints.

How it works

Cabbage contains vitamins (especially C and K), fiber, and antioxidant plant compounds. Like other cruciferous vegetables, it provides glucosinolates, which the body can convert into substances such as sulforaphane and indoles. Laboratory and animal studies suggest these compounds may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

For topical use, the proposed benefit of a cabbage leaf wrap may come partly from the cooling effect and from compounds in the leaf that could reduce swelling. It is worth noting that much of this is based on lab research or tradition, and these effects have not been clearly proven in people.

Effectiveness

Does Cabbage work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 12 uses evaluated

1 Possibly effective 11 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Breast engorgement