Drug & supplement interaction

Ashwagandha + Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide brand names: Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold, Coricidin II Cough & Cold, Pediatric Vicks Formula 44m Cough & Cold Relief.

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

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide falls into 2 drug categories that Ashwagandha can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Theoretically, ashwagandha might decrease the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Ashwagandha and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Ashwagandha interacts with whole categories of medication. Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Ashwagandha in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Ashwagandha interacts with.

Theoretically, ashwagandha might decrease the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that ashwagandha extract induces CYP3A4 enzymes.
Severity Minor 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

This combo cough and cold product pairs chlorpheniramine (an antihistamine that dries you up and makes you drowsy) with dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant). Both are partly broken down by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. The thinking here is that ashwagandha may speed that enzyme up a little, which could lower the levels of these medicines and make them work slightly less well, so you might notice a bit less cough or congestion relief.

Honestly, this is very theoretical. It comes only from lab studies, not from real people, and the interaction is rated minor. For a short-term cold remedy, this isn't something I'd lose sleep over. Still, if you take ashwagandha regularly, mention it to your pharmacist so they can keep an eye on things.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Haron MH, Dale O, Martin K, et al. Evaluation of the Herb-Drug Interaction Potential of Commonly Used Botanicals on the US Market with Regard to PXR- and AhR-Mediated Influences on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2. J Diet Suppl 2022. PubMed
Minor

Serotonergic Drugs

2 of 2

Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide also falls under Serotonergic Drugs.

Some animal studies have reported that ashwagandha can enhance serotonergic transmission by altering certain serotonin (5-HT) receptors. However, there is no evidence to suggest that ashwagandha increases the risk of serotonin-related effects, and there have been no published case reports of serotonin syndrome when combined with other serotonergic drugs. Nevertheless, due to the lack of extensive studies on the matter and the fact that ashwagandha appears to affect serotonergic pathways, it would be prudent to exercise caution when combining it with drugs that affect serotonin. [References: - Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwaga ndha) on Stress and the Stress-Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2021 Sep 14; 19: 1468–1495. - A Prospective, Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Safety and Efficacy of a High-Concentration Full-Spectrum Extract of Ashwagandha Root in Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Adults. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/]
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence C

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 gist for combining ashwagandha with this cough and cold combo. The dextromethorphan piece nudges serotonin levels up a bit, and ashwagandha may also touch serotonin pathways. In theory, stacking two things that affect serotonin could raise the very small chance of too much serotonin activity (think agitation, fast heartbeat, sweating, tremor, or shivering). The chlorpheniramine side mostly brings drowsiness, so the bigger everyday concern is just feeling extra sleepy.

That said, this is a low-grade, mostly theoretical concern. It comes from animal studies, and there are no real case reports of problems from pairing them. For occasional, short-term cold relief most people are fine, but it's worth a quick check with your pharmacist, especially if you take other serotonin medications.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction

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

Ashwagandha Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ashwagandha has 918 moderate, 454 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 918 Minor 454 No known interaction 1,458 (incl. Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ashwagandha

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Ashwagandha or Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Ashwagandha or Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide, 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 Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide

This page covers Ashwagandha only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide page lists 218 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Henbane (major), Lithium (major) and Scopolia (major).

By severity: 6 major · 170 moderate · 42 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide page

“Grapefruit is the interaction I would flag first for anyone taking chlorpheniramine with dextromethorphan (Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold). It blocks the enzyme that clears these ingredients, so levels and side effects can climb.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 4,964 real supplement products containing Ashwagandha, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ashwagandha. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide too, on top of Ashwagandha — 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 Ashwagandha and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide 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 Ashwagandha
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide
Top 10%

#249 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 Ashwagandha

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Sleep problems
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Athletic performance
  • General well-being (adaptogen)

Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb most often taken to help with stress, anxiety, and sleep, and some small studies suggest it may help, though the evidence is still limited. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use in healthy adults, but it should be avoided in pregnancy and used cautiously by people with thyroid or liver problems. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Read the full Ashwagandha monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ashwagandha

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

0Major
918Moderate
454Minor
1,457No known interaction
918 Moderate 454 Minor 1,457 No interaction
Moderate

918 interactions

Showing 60 of 918 moderate interactions — see all 918 on the Ashwagandha page.

Minor

454 interactions

Showing 60 of 454 minor interactions — see all 454 on the Ashwagandha page.

No interaction 1,457 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,457 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Ashwagandha list.

See the full Ashwagandha interactions page
See every supplement checked against Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide, 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
Ashwagandha monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Ashwagandha and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ashwagandha with Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Ashwagandha and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide?
Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide belongs to more than one drug category, and Ashwagandha interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Ashwagandha and Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

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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.