Drug & supplement interaction

Calamus + Morphine Sulfate

Morphine Sulfate brand names: MS Contin, Kadian, Avinza, Morphabond, Arymo ER.

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

Morphine Sulfate falls into 2 drug categories that Calamus can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concurrent use of CNS depressants and calamus might have an additive effect and increase the risk of sedative effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Calamus and Morphine Sulfate

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Calamus interacts with whole categories of medication. Morphine Sulfate falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Calamus in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Morphine Sulfate

Morphine Sulfate falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Calamus interacts with.

Theoretically, concurrent use of CNS depressants and calamus might have an additive effect and increase the risk of sedative effects.
Animal research shows that calamus is a CNS depressant and increases gamma-aminobutyric acid levels.
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 short version: morphine already slows down your brain and nervous system, which is how it eases pain but also why it can make you drowsy, foggy, or short of breath. In animal studies, calamus seems to act as a mild sedative too, partly by raising a calming brain chemical called GABA. Stack the two together and the worry is that those calming effects pile up, leaving you more sleepy, dizzy, or slowed down in your breathing than you'd expect from morphine alone.

I want to be honest about the evidence here: this is mostly theory and animal data, not proven cases in people. Still, since calamus also carries its own safety concerns (it's actually FDA-banned in foods), I'd play it safe and check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. Koo, B. S., Park, K. S., Ha, J. H., Park, J. H., Lim, J. C., and Lee, D. U. Inhibitory effects of the fragrance inhalation of essential oil from Acorus gramineus on central nervous system. Biol Pharm.Bull. 2003;26(7):978-982. PubMed
  3. Panchal, G. M., Venkatakrishna-Bhatt, H., Doctor, R. B., and Vajpayee, S. Pharmacology of Acorus calamus L. Indian J Exp.Biol 1989;27(6):561-567.
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Morphine Sulfate also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, taking calamus with drugs metabolized by CYP2D6 might increase drug levels and potentially increase the risk of adverse effects.
In vitro research shows that calamus extract inhibits CYP2D6 enzyme.
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 idea behind this one. Lab studies suggest calamus may block an enzyme called CYP2D6, which is one of the pathways your body uses to handle morphine. If that pathway slows down, morphine could build up a bit more than expected, which in theory means stronger effects and a higher chance of side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, nausea, and most importantly slowed breathing.

I'll be honest with you though: this is only based on test-tube research, not real people, so we don't truly know how much it matters in everyday life. Morphine actually leans on several routes for clearance, not just CYP2D6. The bigger concern with calamus is its own safety, since the FDA banned it from food over a toxic compound called beta-asarone. I'd skip it and check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Pandit S, Mukherjee PK, Ponnusankar S, Venkatesh M, Srikanth N. Metabolism mediated interaction of a-asarone and Acorus calamus with CYP3A4 and CYP2D6. Fitoterapia 2011;82(3):369-74.

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

Calamus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Calamus has 1,097 moderate, 19 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Morphine Sulfate one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,097 Minor 19 No known interaction 1,714 (incl. Morphine Sulfate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Calamus

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Calamus or Morphine Sulfate

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

This page covers Calamus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Morphine Sulfate page lists 172 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: 8 major · 138 moderate · 26 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Morphine Sulfate page

“With morphine sulfate (MS Contin, Kadian, Avinza), an opioid powerful enough to slow breathing on its own, this list warrants genuine respect. Of the 172 supplements and foods on file, 8 carry a major rating, and most of those pile extra sedation onto a drug that already sedates.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Morphine Sulfate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 71 real supplement products containing Calamus, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Calamus. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Morphine Sulfate too, on top of Calamus — 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 Calamus and Morphine Sulfate 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 Calamus
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Morphine Sulfate
Steady interest

#1,602 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 Calamus

What is Calamus?

Calamus
  • Digestive upset and gas
  • Loss of appetite
  • Memory and focus (traditional)
  • Coughs and colds
  • Calming or sedative effect (traditional)

Calamus is a swamp plant with a long history in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, mostly for digestive and nervous-system complaints. However, it contains beta-asarone, a compound linked to cancer and other toxic effects in animal studies, which is why the U.S. FDA banned it from foods. Because of these safety concerns and a lack of solid human evidence, it is generally best avoided.

Read the full Calamus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Morphine

What Is Morphine Used For?

Brand names: MS Contin, Kadian, Avinza, Morphabond, Arymo ER

Morphine is used to manage acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) pain that is severe enough to need an opioid and that hasn't been adequately treated by other options. The higher-concentration liquid form is reserved for adults who are already opioid-tolerant — meaning their body is used to opioid medications.

Because of real risks of addiction, misuse, and overdose, morphine is only prescribed when other pain treatments have not worked or are not expected to work. It is not intended for long-term use unless the pain continues to be severe and no alternatives are suitable.

See full Morphine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Calamus

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

0Major
1,097Moderate
19Minor
1,713No known interaction
1,097 Moderate 19 Minor 1,713 No interaction
Moderate

1,097 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,097 moderate interactions — see all 1,097 on the Calamus page.

Minor

19 interactions

No interaction 1,713 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,713 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Calamus list.

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

Can you take Calamus with Morphine Sulfate?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Calamus and Morphine Sulfate?
Morphine Sulfate belongs to more than one drug category, and Calamus interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Calamus and Morphine Sulfate 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 Morphine Sulfate and Calamus?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.