Drug & supplement interaction

Black Seed + Levetiracetam

Levetiracetam brand names: Keppra, Elepsia XR, Spritam.

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

Black Seed has a moderate interaction with Levetiracetam. Theoretically, concomitant use with drugs that have sedative properties may cause additive effects.

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

Black Seed and Levetiracetam

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Levetiracetam

Levetiracetam falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Black Seed interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use with drugs that have sedative properties may cause additive effects.
Animal research suggests that black seed may have CNS depressant effects.
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 simple version: Levetiracetam (Keppra) can already make some people feel drowsy, tired, or a little foggy. Black seed, based mostly on animal and lab studies, may have its own mild calming or sedating effect. Put the two together and the worry is that those effects could stack up, leaving you sleepier or more sluggish than usual.

I want to be honest about the evidence though, this is largely theoretical. We don't have solid human studies proving it happens. Food-amount use of black seed as a spice is unlikely to cause trouble. Concentrated supplement doses are the bigger question mark. If you're considering black seed capsules or oil, check with your pharmacist or doctor first, and watch for extra drowsiness if you do start it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Al Naggar, T. B., Gomez-Serranillos, M. P., Carretero, M. E., and Villar, A. M. Neuropharmacological activity of Nigella sativa L. extracts. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003;88(1):63-68. PubMed

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

Black Seed Also Interacts With Other Medications

Black Seed has 911 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Levetiracetam one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 911 No known interaction 1,919 (incl. Levetiracetam)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Black Seed

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Black Seed or Levetiracetam

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Black Seed or Levetiracetam, 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 Levetiracetam

This page covers Black Seed only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Levetiracetam 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.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Levetiracetam page

“I would read this page carefully rather than casually. Levetiracetam (Keppra, Spritam) controls seizures, and both hazards on this list run through that fact.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Levetiracetam interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 226 real supplement products containing Black Seed, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Black Seed. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Levetiracetam too, on top of Black Seed — 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 Black Seed and Levetiracetam 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 Black Seed
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Levetiracetam
Top 10%

#271 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 Black Seed

What is Black Seed?

Black Seed
  • Respiratory support (asthma, allergies, cough)
  • Digestive upset
  • Immune support
  • Blood sugar and cholesterol support
  • General inflammation

Black seed (Nigella sativa) is a traditional spice and remedy that has been studied for asthma, blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, with early research showing some promise but no firmly proven benefits. It is generally well tolerated in food amounts, but supplement-strength doses are less studied, so talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it—especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or take other medicines.

Read the full Black Seed monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Levetiracetam

What Is Levetiracetam Used For?

Brand names: Keppra, Elepsia XR, Spritam

Levetiracetam is used to treat several types of seizures. It treats partial-onset seizures (seizures that start in one area of the brain) and is used as add-on therapy for myoclonic seizures (sudden, brief muscle jerks) in people with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy aged 12 and older, and for primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal seizures) in people with idiopathic generalized epilepsy aged 6 and older.

Age eligibility varies by product. Keppra oral and Roweepra tablets treat partial-onset seizures in patients as young as 1 month. Spritam and levetiracetam tablets for oral suspension treat partial-onset seizures in patients 4 years and older weighing more than 20 kg. Extended-release products — including Elepsia XR, Keppra XR, and Levetiracetam ER — are approved only for partial-onset seizures in patients 12 years and older. Injectable forms are used intravenously when a patient temporarily cannot take oral medication.

See full Levetiracetam drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Black Seed

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

0Major
911Moderate
0Minor
1,918No known interaction
911 Moderate 1,918 No interaction
Moderate

911 interactions

Showing 60 of 911 moderate interactions — see all 911 on the Black Seed page.

No interaction 1,918 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,918 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Black Seed list.

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

Can you take Black Seed with Levetiracetam?
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 Black Seed and Levetiracetam 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 Levetiracetam and Black Seed?

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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.