Drug & supplement interaction

Ashwagandha + Meprobamate

Meprobamate brand names: Equanil, Miltown, Meprospan, Neuramate.

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

Ashwagandha has a moderate interaction with Meprobamate. Theoretically, taking ashwagandha might increase the sedative effects of CNS depressants.

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

Ashwagandha and Meprobamate

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Meprobamate

Meprobamate falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Ashwagandha interacts with.

Theoretically, taking ashwagandha might increase the sedative effects of CNS depressants.
Ashwagandha seems to have sedative effects. Theoretically, this may potentiate the effects of barbiturates, other sedatives, and anxiolytics.
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 thing to keep in mind with this combo. Meprobamate is a tranquilizer that calms your brain down, and ashwagandha appears to have its own mild calming, sleepy effect. Put the two together and those effects could stack up, leaving you more drowsy, lightheaded, or slowed down than you'd expect. With Meprobamate that might look like extra sleepiness, dizziness, trouble concentrating, or feeling unsteady on your feet.

I want to be honest about the strength of this one. It's a theoretical concern based on how each acts in the body, not on solid studies, so it may never cause a problem for you. Still, I wouldn't start ashwagandha alongside Meprobamate without running it by your pharmacist or doctor first, especially before driving.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Upton R, ed. Ashwagandha Root (Withania somnifera): Analytical, quality control, and therapuetic monograph. Santa Cruz, CA: American Herbal Pharmacopoeia 2000:1-25.

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 915 moderate, 456 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Meprobamate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 915 Minor 456 No known interaction 1,459 (incl. Meprobamate)
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 Meprobamate

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 Meprobamate, 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 Meprobamate

This page covers Ashwagandha only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Meprobamate page lists 105 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 Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 82 moderate · 16 minor.

Open the Meprobamate 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 Meprobamate 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 Meprobamate 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Meprobamate
Top 10%

#243 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
Medication

About Meprobamate

What Is Meprobamate Used For?

Brand names: Equanil, Miltown, Meprospan, Neuramate

Meprobamate tablets are used to manage anxiety disorders or to provide short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. It is intended for anxiety that rises to the level of a disorder — everyday stress and tension that most people experience generally do not require this type of medication.

Because its effectiveness beyond four months has not been well studied, meprobamate is typically used for a limited period of time, with a prescriber checking in regularly to decide whether continued use is still appropriate.

See full Meprobamate drug information
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
915Moderate
456Minor
1,458No known interaction
915 Moderate 456 Minor 1,458 No interaction
Moderate

915 interactions

Showing 60 of 915 moderate interactions — see all 915 on the Ashwagandha page.

Minor

456 interactions

Showing 60 of 456 minor interactions — see all 456 on the Ashwagandha page.

No interaction 1,458 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 1,458 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Ashwagandha list.

See the full Ashwagandha interactions page
See every supplement checked against Meprobamate, 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 Meprobamate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Meprobamate, ranked by severity Meprobamate drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Meprobamate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ashwagandha with Meprobamate?
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 Ashwagandha and Meprobamate 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 Meprobamate and Ashwagandha?

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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.