Herb & supplement monograph

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

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Chlorophyllin 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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On this page

Chlorophyllin Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, Chlorophyllin drug interactions center on one main concern: a moderate risk of extra sun sensitivity when it is taken with medicines that already make the skin more sensitive to light. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and every one of them involves this same photosensitivity effect.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The medicines that deserve the most attention are photosensitizing drugs, a broad group that makes the skin react more strongly to sunlight. This concern is reasonably well documented: chlorophyll, the compound chlorophyllin is made from, has been reported to cause photosensitization, and taking it by mouth has been linked in multiple case reports to pseudoporphyria, a blistering skin reaction triggered by light. Combining chlorophyllin with these medicines may add to that effect, so an unusual sunburn-like reaction is the sign to watch for.

What the rest of the list means

The number of interacting medications looks large, but it does not reflect hundreds of separate problems. Nearly all of these drugs appear because they share one trait, sensitizing the skin to light, so the whole list points back to a single additive effect rather than many different risks.

Check your medications against Chlorophyllin

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

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Chlorophyllin

335 medications have a known interaction with Chlorophyllin, 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 Chlorophyllin using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Chlorophyllin 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 Chlorophyllin 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 Chlorophyllin affects

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

All 1 drug category Chlorophyllin interacts with

Photosensitizing Drugs

Theoretically, concomitant use of chlorophyllin with photosensitizing drugs may have additive effects.
Chlorophyllin is a semi-synthetic derivative of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll has been reported to cause photosensitization. Orally, chlorophyll has also been associated with the development of pseudoporphyria in multiple case reports.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Monograph

Chlorophyllin: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

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

The bottom line

Chlorophyllin is a water-soluble, semi-synthetic form of chlorophyll most often used to help control body and fecal odor and to support wound healing. The best evidence is for its use as a deodorizing agent, while many popular claims like detoxification and digestive benefits are not well proven. It is generally considered safe for short-term use, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Part used: Semi-synthetic derivative of chlorophyll (originally from green plant leaves)
Common forms: Tablets, capsules, liquid drops, topical ointments and sprays

People commonly use it for

Body and breath odor control
Wound and skin care
Internal deodorant for ostomy or incontinence
Detoxification claims
Digestive support

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

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated short-term, but quality evidence and long-term safety data are limited.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

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

Chlorophyllin is a man-made (semi-synthetic) version of chlorophyll, the green pigment that plants use to capture sunlight. To make chlorophyllin, chlorophyll taken from green plant leaves is chemically changed in a laboratory. Most products contain a form called sodium copper chlorophyllin, in which the magnesium in natural chlorophyll is replaced with copper.

This change makes chlorophyllin more stable and more water-soluble than natural chlorophyll, which makes it easier to use in supplements and as a green food coloring. People take it by mouth in tablets, capsules, or liquid drops, and it is also found in some topical ointments and sprays.

It is widely marketed for purposes such as reducing body and breath odor, helping with wound care, and supporting "detox" and digestion. Some of these uses have more scientific support than others.

How it works

Chlorophyllin's exact actions in the body are not fully understood. As a deodorizer, it is thought to bind to or neutralize certain odor-causing compounds, though the details are not firmly established.

In laboratory and animal studies, chlorophyllin acts as an antioxidant and can bind to certain cancer-causing chemicals, which may make it harder for the body to absorb them. Researchers have also looked at possible anti-inflammatory effects.

It is important to remember that much of this work comes from test-tube and animal research. What happens in a lab does not always translate into proven benefits for people.

Effectiveness

Does Chlorophyllin work?

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

Evidence overview · 10 uses evaluated

1 Leans ineffective 9 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 Ineffective Urinary odor