Drug & supplement interaction

Albizia Julibrissin + Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline brand name: Elavil.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Albizia Julibrissin has a moderate interaction with Amitriptyline. Animal research suggests that certain constituents from Albizia julibrissin flowers can potentiate pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in mice.

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

Albizia Julibrissin and Amitriptyline

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Albizia Julibrissin interacts with.

Animal research suggests that certain constituents from Albizia julibrissin flowers can potentiate pentobarbital-induced sleeping time in mice. Theoretically, Albizia julibrissin might enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of CNS depressants.
Some CNS depressants include pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital (Luminal), secobarbital (Seconal), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), 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

Here's the simple version: amitriptyline (Elavil) already has a sedating side, it can leave you feeling drowsy, foggy, or extra relaxed. Albizia julibrissin is used in traditional medicine as a calming, sleep-supporting herb. Putting the two together could add up, so you might feel sleepier than usual, more lightheaded, or have trouble staying sharp.

I want to be honest about how strong this concern is. Right now it's theoretical, based mostly on animal studies where the plant lengthened sleeping time in mice, not on solid human data. So it isn't a reason to panic, but it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them, especially if you notice unusual drowsiness. Please don't change your amitriptyline on your own.

References
  1. Kang, T. H., Jeong, S. J., Kim, N. Y., Higuchi, R., and Kim, Y. C. Sedative activity of two flavonol glycosides isolated from the flowers of Albizzia julibrissin Durazz. J Ethnopharmacol 2000;71(1-2):321-323. 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

Albizia Julibrissin Also Interacts With Other Medications

Albizia Julibrissin has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Amitriptyline one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Albizia Julibrissin

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Albizia Julibrissin or Amitriptyline

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Albizia Julibrissin or Amitriptyline, 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 Amitriptyline

This page covers Albizia Julibrissin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Amitriptyline page lists 296 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), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 17 major · 228 moderate · 51 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Amitriptyline page

“Amitriptyline (Elavil), an older antidepressant now often prescribed for nerve pain, migraines, and sleep, is one of the drugs I genuinely want patients to be careful with, and 17 of the 296 supplement and herbal ingredients on this list carry a major rating. Most of the serious ones deepen the drowsiness amitriptyline already causes,…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Amitriptyline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 124 real supplement products containing Albizia Julibrissin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Albizia Julibrissin. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Amitriptyline too, on top of Albizia Julibrissin — 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 Albizia Julibrissin and Amitriptyline 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 Albizia Julibrissin
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Amitriptyline
Top 5%

#33 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 Albizia Julibrissin

What is Albizia Julibrissin?

Albizia Julibrissin
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Low mood or mild depression
  • Sleep trouble (insomnia)
  • Irritability
  • Traditional support for swelling or injuries

Albizia julibrissin (Persian silk tree, He Huan) is a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, mainly the flower and bark, for calming the mind, lifting mood, and easing sleep problems. Human evidence is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Albizia Julibrissin monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Amitriptyline

What Is Amitriptyline Used For?

Brand name: Elavil

Amitriptyline tablets (sold as Amitriptyline HCL and Amitriptyline Hydrochloride) are used to relieve the symptoms of depression.

Endogenous depression is more likely to improve with this medicine than other types of depression.

See full Amitriptyline drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Albizia Julibrissin

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

0Major
247Moderate
0Minor
2,582No known interaction
Moderate

247 interactions

Showing 60 of 247 moderate interactions — see all 247 on the Albizia Julibrissin page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Albizia Julibrissin and Amitriptyline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Albizia Julibrissin with Amitriptyline?
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 Albizia Julibrissin and Amitriptyline 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 Amitriptyline and Albizia Julibrissin?

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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.