Is saffron (Crocus sativus) Safe with warfarin?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Avoid regular or high-dose saffron supplementation while taking warfarin. If saffron is consumed, monitor INR more frequently and report any signs of unusual bleeding or bruising to your healthcare provider.
Why this interaction occurs
Saffron inhibits CYP enzymes including CYP3A4 and CYP1A2, which are involved in warfarin metabolism. Inhibition may increase warfarin exposure and bleeding risk. Warfarin has a narrow therapeutic index making this pharmacokinetic interaction clinically significant.
Evidence
Evidence level: limited.
Data source
PubMed - PMID 40167627
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 134,328 reports mentioning warfarin. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the warfarin + 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 saffron (Crocus sativus) interactions → · All warfarin interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.