Drug & supplement interaction

Adrue + Zaleplon

Zaleplon brand names: Sonata, Starnoc.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated October 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Adrue has a moderate interaction with Zaleplon. Animal research suggests that taking adrue in combination with sodium thiopental or diazepam increases total sleep time up to four-fold compared to the effects of the drugs alone.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Adrue and Zaleplon

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Zaleplon

Zaleplon falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Adrue interacts with.

Animal research suggests that taking adrue in combination with sodium thiopental or diazepam increases total sleep time up to four-fold compared to the effects of the drugs alone. Theoretically, concomitant use of adrue with CNS depressants might cause additive sedation. Some CNS depressants include benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), triazolam (Halcion), and estazolam (ProSom); barbiturates, such as mephobarbital (Mebaral), phenobarbital (Luminal Sodium), and pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal); zolpidem (Ambien); and others.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Zaleplon (Sonata) already works by calming down your brain so you can fall asleep. Adrue, used in traditional medicine as a mild calming herb, may push in the same direction. So the worry here is simply too much sedation if you take them together. You could feel more drowsy than expected, groggy, dizzy, less coordinated, or have a harder time waking up and thinking clearly, especially the next morning.

Honestly, this is a theoretical concern. The only real signal comes from animal studies, where adrue made sedatives last much longer. We have no good human data to say how strong it is in people. Zaleplon is not a prodrug, so adrue isn't changing how it activates, just possibly adding to its sleepy effect. Before pairing them, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Rakotonirina, V. S., Bum, E. N., Rakotonirina, A., and Bopelet, M. Sedative properties of the decoction of the rhizome of Cyperus articulatus. Fitoterapia 2001;72(1):22-29. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction 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.
  • PossibleInteraction 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.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Adrue Also Interacts With Other Medications

Adrue has 255 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Zaleplon one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 255 No known interaction 2,575 (incl. Zaleplon)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Adrue

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Adrue. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Adrue or Zaleplon

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Adrue or Zaleplon, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Zaleplon

This page covers Adrue only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Zaleplon page lists 195 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 9 major · 147 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Zaleplon interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Adrue as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 6 real supplement products containing Adrue, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Adrue. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Zaleplon too, on top of Adrue — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Adrue and Zaleplon Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Adrue
Steady interest

#857 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Zaleplon
Steady interest

#2,245 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Adrue

What is Adrue?

Adrue
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Digestive upset, gas, and diarrhea
  • Calming or sedative effect
  • Traditional use for fevers and infections

Adrue (Cyperus articulatus) is a sedge whose rhizome has long been used in traditional medicine for nausea and other stomach complaints, and as a mild calming agent. Solid human studies are lacking, so its real benefits and safe doses are not well established. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Adrue monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Zaleplon

What Is Zaleplon Used For?

Brand names: Sonata, Starnoc

Zaleplon capsules are used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. They help you fall asleep faster.

In studies, zaleplon shortened the time it took to fall asleep for up to 30 days. It has not been shown to increase total sleep time or reduce the number of awakenings.

See full Zaleplon drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Adrue

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Adrue — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
255Moderate
0Minor
2,574No known interaction
255 Moderate 2,574 No interaction
Moderate

255 interactions

Showing 60 of 255 moderate interactions — see all 255 on the Adrue page.

No interaction 2,574 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Adrue against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,574 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Adrue list.

See the full Adrue interactions page
See every supplement checked against Zaleplon, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Adrue and Zaleplon Together: Common Questions

Can you take Adrue with Zaleplon?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Adrue and Zaleplon interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Zaleplon and Adrue?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.