Bacopa + Lofepramine
Lofepramine brand names: Feprapax, Lomont, Gamanil, Tymelyt.
Lofepramine falls into 3 drug categories that Bacopa can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, bacopa might increase the levels and adverse effects of CYP1A2 substrates.
Read the full interaction reportBacopa and Lofepramine
These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.
Why Are There 3 Interactions?
Bacopa interacts with whole categories of medication. Lofepramine falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Bacopa in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).
CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES
1 of 3Why this applies to Lofepramine
Lofepramine falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Bacopa interacts with.
Research on the effects of bacopa extracts on CYP1A2 enzymes is conflicting. Some in vitro evidence shows that bacopa extract can moderately and non-competitively inhibit CYP1A2, while other in vitro evidence suggests that any effect is unlikely to be clinically significant.
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.
Lofepramine is a tricyclic antidepressant, and your liver uses an enzyme called CYP1A2 to help break some of it down. The thinking here is that bacopa might slow that enzyme a little, which could let more lofepramine linger in your body. If that happened, you might notice more of the usual tricyclic side effects, things like a dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness, blurry vision, or a faster heartbeat.
The good news is this is mostly theoretical. It comes from lab and test-tube studies, and even those disagree on whether bacopa affects CYP1A2 enough to matter in real people. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since lofepramine can affect your heart, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding bacopa.
- Kar A, Pandit S, Mukherjee K, Bahadur S, Mukherjee PK. Safety assessment of selected medicinal food plants used in Ayurveda through CYP450 enzyme inhibition study. J Sci Food Agric 2017;97(1):333-40. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7739. PubMed
- Ramasamy S, Kiew LV, Chung LY. Inhibition of human cytochrome P450 enzymes by Bacopa monnieri standardized extract and constituents. Molecules 2014;19(2):2588-601. PubMed
CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES
2 of 3Lofepramine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES.
In vitro evidence suggests that bacopa extract can moderately and non-competitively inhibit CYP2C19 enzymes. It is not known whether this is clinically significant.
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.
Lofepramine is a tricyclic antidepressant, and your liver uses several enzymes (including CYP2C19) to help break it down and clear it from your body. The thinking here is that bacopa may gently slow that one enzyme, so in theory a bit more lofepramine could hang around. If that happened, you might notice the usual tricyclic side effects a little more, things like a dry mouth, drowsiness, constipation, blurry vision, or feeling lightheaded when you stand up.
I want to be honest about the strength of this though. It comes only from lab studies, not from real patients, so we genuinely don't know if it matters in everyday life. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since lofepramine is a serious medication, just give your pharmacist or prescriber a quick heads-up before adding bacopa.
- Ramasamy S, Kiew LV, Chung LY. Inhibition of human cytochrome P450 enzymes by Bacopa monnieri standardized extract and constituents. Molecules 2014;19(2):2588-601. PubMed
ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS
3 of 3Lofepramine also falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS.
Bacopa seems to inhibit acetylcholinesterase and might increase acetylcholine levels, which could counteract the effects of anticholinergic drugs. Similarly, anticholinergic drugs might counteract the cholinergic effects of bacopa.
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.
Here's the gist for these two together. Lofepramine is an older tricyclic antidepressant, and part of how it works comes from its anticholinergic activity (it dampens a brain messenger called acetylcholine). Bacopa appears to do the opposite in lab studies, gently raising acetylcholine levels. So in theory, the two could pull against each other, slightly blunting the antidepressant's effect and possibly making bacopa less effective too.
Keep this in perspective. This is a theoretical concern based on how each one works, not something proven in real patients, so it's not a reason to panic. Lofepramine is generally less sedating than other tricyclics, but watch for any change in mood control or unusual side effects. Before combining them, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor.
- Morgan A, Stevens J. Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16:753-9.
What These Ratings Mean
Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.
Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.
Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.
Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.
- 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.
- 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.
Bacopa Also Interacts With Other Medications
Bacopa has 916 moderate, 13 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Lofepramine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Bacopa
We haven’t checked that one against Bacopa yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Bacopa. Pick one to open its full report.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Lofepramine
This page covers Bacopa only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lofepramine page lists 244 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: 15 major · 190 moderate · 39 minor.
Taking Bacopa as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 1,420 real supplement products containing Bacopa, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bacopa. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lofepramine too, on top of Bacopa — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Bacopa and Lofepramine 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.
#140 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#1,999 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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.
About Bacopa
What is Bacopa?
- Memory and cognitive support
- Anxiety and stress
- ADHD symptoms
- Age-related memory decline
- General brain health
Bacopa is an Ayurvedic herb most often used for memory and thinking. Some small studies suggest it may modestly help memory when taken regularly for several weeks, but the evidence is limited and quality varies. It is generally well tolerated but can cause stomach upset, and it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data.
Other Drugs & Bacopa
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Bacopa — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
916 interactions
- Diclofenac Sodium ›
- Diltiazem ›
- Theophylline ›
- Nifedipine ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Diphenhydramine ›
- Hydrocortisone ›
- Naproxen ›
- Erythromycin ›
- Estradiol ›
- Propranolol ›
- Lidocaine ›
- Norethindrone ›
- Testosterone ›
- Verapamil ›
- Levonorgestrel ›
- Prednisone ›
- Quinidine ›
- Cyclosporine ›
- Dexamethasone ›
- Glyburide ›
- Glycopyrrolate ›
- Triazolam ›
- Zopiclone ›
- Colchicine ›
- Fentanyl ›
- Flurbiprofen ›
- Oxybutynin ›
- Phenytoin ›
- Prednisolone ›
- Tacrolimus ›
- Temazepam ›
- Budesonide ›
- Carbamazepine ›
- Clindamycin ›
- Dextromethorphan ›
- Diclofenac Potassium ›
- Doxorubicin ›
- Fluticasone ›
- Formoterol ›
- Indomethacin ›
- Ipratropium ›
- Miconazole ›
- Procainamide ›
- Trimipramine ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Buprenorphine ›
- Conjugated Estrogens ›
- Diazepam ›
- Dimenhydrinate ›
- Everolimus ›
- Ivabradine ›
- Medroxyprogesterone ›
- Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ›
- Meloxicam ›
- Nortriptyline ›
- Pilocarpine ›
- Procyclidine ›
- Rifampin ›
- Testosterone Undecanoate ›
Showing 60 of 916 moderate interactions — see all 916 on the Bacopa page.
13 interactions
No interaction 1,900 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Bacopa against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Methylphenidate ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Aspirin ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Docusate ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Bupropion ›
- Metformin ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Bisoprolol ›
- Cyclopentolate ›
- Candesartan Cilexetil ›
- Mannitol ›
- Cephalexin ›
- Roxithromycin ›
- Pegunigalsidase Alfa-iwxj ›
- Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Doxylamine ›
- Daptomycin ›
- Hexobarbitone ›
- Dexmethylphenidate ›
- Levetiracetam ›
- Mitomycin ›
- Minoxidil ›
- Cefaclor ›
- Factor 7a ›
- Carbidopa, Levodopa ›
- Ezetimibe ›
- Levodopa ›
- Vancomycin ›
- Phenylephrine ›
- Spironolactone ›
- Venlafaxine ›
- Dirithromycin ›
- Lenvatinib ›
- Hethylphenidate Hcl ›
- Phentermine, Topiramate ›
- Azelaic Acid ›
- Bentoquatam ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,900 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bacopa list.
Sources & How We Checked
Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.
- Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — Evidence-graded clinical reference for vitamins, herbs and supplements — the basis for our interaction data.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine — NIH consumer drug information, used for the medication overviews.
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) — Official supplement product labels.
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
Lofepramine Is Linked to Lower Levels of 3 Nutrients
Natural Medicines records Lofepramine as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Bacopa — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Lofepramine nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Bacopa and Lofepramine Together: Common Questions
Can you take Bacopa with Lofepramine?
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Bacopa and Lofepramine?
How serious is the Bacopa and Lofepramine interaction?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
Still Have a Question About Lofepramine and Bacopa?
Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.
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.