Is Echinacea Safe with Theophylline?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Avoid combining Echinacea with Theophylline — Echinacea blocks the liver enzyme (CYP1A2) that processes Theophylline, potentially raising Theophylline levels to toxic range. Consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Why this interaction occurs
Echinacea inhibits CYP1A2. Result: increased drug levels.
Evidence
Evidence level: moderate.
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 13,216 reports mentioning Theophylline. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the Theophylline + supplement combination on this page.
FAERS reports are voluntary and cannot prove that a drug caused an event. Do not use report counts to assess the safety of this specific drug-supplement pair.
Frequently asked questions
Related interactions
All Echinacea interactions → · All Theophylline interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.