Herb & supplement monograph

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

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Peppermint 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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Peppermint 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 Peppermint drug interaction appears low for most people. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and nearly all rest on lab or animal findings rather than confirmed effects in people.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The best-documented concern involves medications the body clears through a specific liver enzyme that peppermint oil can slow. In a human study, a single dose of peppermint oil raised blood levels of felodipine, a blood pressure medication processed this way. Animal research also suggests peppermint oil could raise levels of cyclosporine, a transplant medication where even small level changes matter, though this has not been reported in people. These deserve the closest attention.

What the rest of the list means

Peppermint's long list of interacting medications looks daunting, but most entries are theoretical, based on lab studies showing peppermint may affect enzymes the body uses to clear many drugs. In several cases the predicted effect has not appeared in humans; for example, peppermint tea did not meaningfully change how people processed caffeine. A long list here mostly reflects possibilities, not proven problems.

Check your medications against Peppermint

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

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Peppermint

796 medications have a known interaction with Peppermint, 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 Peppermint using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Peppermint 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 Peppermint 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 Peppermint affects

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

All 5 drug categories Peppermint interacts with

Cyclosporine (neoral, Sandimmune)Cytochrome P450 2c19 (cyp2c19) SubstratesCytochrome P450 2c9 (cyp2c9) SubstratesCytochrome P450 3a4 (cyp3a4) SubstratesCytochrome P450 1a2 (cyp1a2) Substrates

Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)

Theoretically, peppermint oil might increase the levels and adverse effects of cyclosporine.
In animal research, peppermint oil inhibits cyclosporine metabolism and increases cyclosporine levels. Inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) may be partially responsible for this interaction. An interaction between peppermint oil and cyclosporine has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Cytochrome P450 2C19 (Cyp2C19) Substrates

Theoretically, peppermint might increase the levels of CYP2C19 substrates.
In vitro research shows that peppermint oil inhibits CYP2C19. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Cytochrome P450 2C9 (Cyp2C9) Substrates

Theoretically, peppermint might increase the levels of CYP2C9 substrates.
In vitro research shows that peppermint oil inhibits CYP2C9. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates

Theoretically, peppermint might increase the levels of CYP3A4 substrates.
Clinical research in healthy volunteers shows that a single dose of peppermint oil 600 mg inhibits CYP3A4 enzymes and increases the AUC of felodipine, a CYP3A4 substrate. However, in vitro research suggests that peppermint oil only inhibits CYP3A4 at very high concentrations.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Cytochrome P450 1A2 (Cyp1A2) Substrates

Theoretically, peppermint might increase the levels of CYP1A2 substrates.
In vitro and animal research shows that peppermint oil and peppermint leaf inhibit CYP1A2. However, in clinical research, peppermint tea did not significantly affect the metabolism of caffeine, a CYP1A2 substrate. It is possible that the 6-day duration of treatment may have been too short to identify a difference.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Monograph

Peppermint: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

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

The bottom line

Peppermint is a popular herb with the best evidence supporting enteric-coated peppermint oil for easing IBS symptoms. It is generally well tolerated for most adults, but it can cause heartburn and is not recommended in concentrated oil form for infants and young children. Check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it regularly, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Scientific name: Mentha x piperita
Family: Lamiaceae
Part used: Leaves and essential oil
Common forms: Tea, capsules (including enteric-coated peppermint oil), essential oil, tincture, topical creams

People commonly use it for

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Indigestion and gas
Nausea
Tension headache (topical oil)
Colds and congestion
Freshening breath

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

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Peppermint tea and culinary use are generally safe, but concentrated oil should be used carefully.

PregnancyLikely Safe

When used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient information available about the safety of using peppermint in medicinal amo...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingLikely Safe

When used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient information available about the safety of using peppermint in medicinal amo...

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

Peppermint is a fragrant perennial herb from the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is actually a natural cross between watermint and spearmint, and it is now grown around the world. It is native to Europe and Asia and is easily recognized by its cool, minty smell and spear-shaped leaves.

People use peppermint in many ways. The leaves are brewed into tea, used in cooking, and added to candies and personal care products. The essential oil, which is pressed or distilled from the plant, is used in capsules, topical products, and aromatherapy. In supplements aimed at digestion, peppermint oil is often placed in an enteric-coated capsule so it travels further down the gut before being released.

How it works

The main active ingredient in peppermint oil is menthol. Menthol can relax the smooth muscle of the gut wall, which may explain why peppermint oil can ease cramping and pain in IBS. This muscle-relaxing effect is also thought to help with gas and bloating.

Menthol creates a cooling sensation by acting on temperature-sensing nerve receptors in the skin and mucous membranes, which is why peppermint feels refreshing and may give a mild numbing or soothing feeling. Laboratory studies also suggest peppermint compounds may have antioxidant and germ-fighting properties.

It is important to remember that many of these mechanisms come from test-tube and animal research. These findings help explain how peppermint might work, but they do not prove it will treat a specific condition in people.

Effectiveness

Does Peppermint work?

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

Evidence overview · 37 uses evaluated

1 Likely effective 6 Possibly effective 30 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.

Likely Effective Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)