Drug & supplement interaction

Bay Leaf + Secobarbital Sodium

Secobarbital Sodium brand name: Seconal.

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

Bay Leaf has a moderate interaction with Secobarbital Sodium. Theoretically, taking bay leaf in large amounts may enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of sedatives.

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

Bay Leaf and Secobarbital Sodium

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Secobarbital Sodium

Secobarbital Sodium falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Bay Leaf interacts with.

Theoretically, taking bay leaf in large amounts may enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of sedatives.
Bay leaf contains methyl eugenol. Animal research shows that methyl eugenol has sedative properties. Avoid concomitant use.
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 basic idea with Secobarbital (Seconal) and bay leaf. Secobarbital already slows down brain activity to help you sleep. Bay leaf contains a compound called methyl eugenol that, in animal studies, showed some calming, sedative-like effects. So the worry is that stacking the two together could add up and deepen the drowsiness.

If that happened, you might feel more groggy, dizzy, or unsteady than expected, with slower breathing and a harder time waking up. That said, this is a theoretical concern based on lab and animal data, not proven in people. The pinch of bay leaf in soup is very unlikely to matter. Concentrated bay leaf supplements or essential oils are the real question, so check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

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

Bay Leaf Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bay Leaf has 334 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Secobarbital Sodium one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 334 No known interaction 2,496 (incl. Secobarbital Sodium)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bay Leaf

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Secobarbital Sodium

This page covers Bay Leaf only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Secobarbital Sodium page lists 111 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 · 86 moderate · 18 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Secobarbital Sodium page

“Secobarbital (Seconal) is an old and unusually powerful barbiturate sleep medication, and the risk across most of this page points the same way, toward deeper sedation. Seventy-eight of the interacting supplements add their own drowsiness on top of secobarbital's, with alcohol (beer and wine) and kava at the top, combinations that can…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Secobarbital Sodium interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bay Leaf and Secobarbital Sodium 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 Bay Leaf
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Secobarbital Sodium
Top half

#857 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 Bay Leaf

What is Bay Leaf?

Bay Leaf
  • Cooking and flavoring
  • Digestive upset
  • Blood sugar support
  • Colds and congestion
  • Joint and muscle discomfort

Bay leaf is a common culinary herb that is safe in the small amounts used in cooking. Some people take it for digestion, blood sugar, or colds, but strong human evidence for these uses is lacking. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements or essential oils.

Read the full Bay Leaf monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Secobarbital

What Is Secobarbital Used For?

Brand name: Seconal

  • Secobarbital is used on a short-term basis to treat insomnia (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep). It is also used to relieve anxiety before surgery. Secobarbital is in a class of medications called barbiturates. It works by slowing activity in the brain.

See full Secobarbital drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bay Leaf

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

0Major
334Moderate
0Minor
2,495No known interaction
334 Moderate 2,495 No interaction
Moderate

334 interactions

Showing 60 of 334 moderate interactions — see all 334 on the Bay Leaf page.

No interaction 2,495 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,495 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bay Leaf list.

See the full Bay Leaf interactions page
See every supplement checked against Secobarbital Sodium, 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
Bay Leaf monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Secobarbital Sodium supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Secobarbital Sodium, ranked by severity Secobarbital 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 Bay Leaf and Secobarbital Sodium Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bay Leaf with Secobarbital Sodium?
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 Bay Leaf and Secobarbital Sodium 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 Secobarbital Sodium and Bay Leaf?

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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.