Drug & supplement interaction

Bitter Almond + Brexanolone

Brexanolone brand name: Zulresso.

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

Bitter Almond has a moderate interaction with Brexanolone. Theoretically, bitter almond oil may have additive effects with other CNS depressants.

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

Bitter Almond and Brexanolone

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Brexanolone

Brexanolone falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Bitter Almond interacts with.

Theoretically, bitter almond oil may have additive effects with other CNS depressants.
Bitter almond and its oil contain amygdalin, which is hydrolyzed to toxic hydrocyanic acid. This can cause CNS depression and respiratory failure.
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 gist for Brexanolone (Zulresso): this medication is given as a slow IV drip in a monitored setting, and one of its known effects is making you very sleepy or even briefly causing you to lose consciousness. Bitter almond contains amygdalin, which the body turns into cyanide, and in larger amounts that can slow down the brain too. Stacking two things that calm the nervous system could, in theory, add up to deeper drowsiness or slowed breathing.

This concern is theoretical and based on how the two work, not on real cases. Still, since bitter almond is genuinely toxic and best avoided altogether, please mention any supplement use to your care team before your infusion.

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.
  2. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

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

Bitter Almond Also Interacts With Other Medications

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

Moderate 247 No known interaction 2,583 (incl. Brexanolone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bitter Almond

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Brexanolone

This page covers Bitter Almond only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Brexanolone page lists 79 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major), Kava (major) and L-tryptophan (major).

By severity: 6 major · 67 moderate · 6 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Brexanolone page

“Brexanolone (Zulresso) is an IV infusion for postpartum depression, and it already carries a boxed warning for excessive sedation and sudden loss of consciousness during treatment. That built-in risk is exactly what most of these 79 supplements press on, so treat this list with genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Brexanolone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2 real supplement products containing Bitter Almond, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bitter Almond. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Brexanolone too, on top of Bitter Almond — 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 Bitter Almond and Brexanolone 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 Bitter Almond
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Brexanolone
Steady interest

#1,432 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 Bitter Almond

What is Bitter Almond?

Bitter Almond
  • Cough suppressant
  • Muscle spasms (antispasmodic)
  • Itching and skin conditions
  • Flavoring agent
  • Sedative or 'narcotic' effects

Bitter almond is a variety of almond that contains amygdalin, a compound the body converts into cyanide, making it potentially poisonous. Because of this serious toxicity risk, bitter almond should not be eaten or used internally, and there is no reliable proof it treats any health condition. If you want almond's nutrition, choose ordinary sweet almonds instead.

Read the full Bitter Almond monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Brexanolone Injection

What Is Brexanolone Injection Used For?

Brand name: Zulresso

  • Brexanolone injection is used for the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD) in adults. Brexanolone injection is in a class of medications called neurosteroid antidepressants. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.

See full Brexanolone Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bitter Almond

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Bitter Almond — 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
247 Moderate 2,582 No interaction
Moderate

247 interactions

Showing 60 of 247 moderate interactions — see all 247 on the Bitter Almond page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,582 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bitter Almond list.

See the full Bitter Almond interactions page
See every supplement checked against Brexanolone, 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
Bitter Almond monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Brexanolone supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Brexanolone, ranked by severity Brexanolone Injection 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 Bitter Almond and Brexanolone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bitter Almond with Brexanolone?
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 Bitter Almond and Brexanolone 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 Brexanolone and Bitter Almond?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.