Drug & supplement interaction

Cannabidiol (cbd) + Encainide

Encainide brand name: Enkaid.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Cannabidiol (cbd) has a moderate interaction with Encainide. Theoretically, cannabidiol might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.

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

Cannabidiol (cbd) and Encainide

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Encainide

Encainide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES — the group Cannabidiol (cbd) interacts with.

Theoretically, cannabidiol might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.
In vitro research shows that cannabidiol inhibits CYP2D6. Theoretically, concomitant use of cannabidiol with CYP2D6 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects from these substrates. However, a clinical crossover trial in healthy adults shows that cannabidiol does not inhibit dextromethorphan, a substrate of CYP2D6.
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 encainide: your liver uses an enzyme called CYP2D6 to clear it from your body. In lab (test tube) studies, CBD appears to slow that same enzyme down. If that happened in real life, encainide could build up to higher levels than expected, and since it's an antiarrhythmic that works on your heart rhythm, more drug can mean more chance of side effects like dizziness, a slow or irregular heartbeat, or even new rhythm problems.

That said, this is theoretical. A human study using another CYP2D6 drug showed CBD didn't actually block it. So I wouldn't panic, but because heart-rhythm medicines leave little room for error, please run your CBD plans by your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Yamaori S, Okamoto Y, Yamamoto I, Watanabe K. Cannabidiol, a major phytocannabinoid, as a potent atypical inhibitor for CYP2D6. Drug Metab Dispos 2011;39(11):2049-56. PubMed
  2. Nasrin S, Watson CJW, Perez-Paramo YX, Lazarus P. Cannabinoid Metabolites as Inhibitors of Major Hepatic CYP450 Enzymes, with Implications for Cannabis-Drug Interactions. Drug Metab Dispos 2021;49(12):1070-1080. PubMed
  3. Bansal S, Zamarripa CA, Spindle TR, et al. Evaluation of Cytochrome P450-Mediated Cannabinoid-Drug Interactions in Healthy Adult Participants. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2023.

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

Cannabidiol (cbd) Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cannabidiol (cbd) has 1,050 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Encainide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cannabidiol (cbd)

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Cannabidiol (cbd). Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Encainide

This page covers Cannabidiol (cbd) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Encainide page lists 77 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate) and Ayahuasca (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 56 moderate · 20 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Encainide page

“Encainide (Enkaid) treats serious irregular heartbeats, and with a rhythm drug even modest shifts in its blood level matter, so I would treat this page with genuine care before adding a supplement. Most entries share one mechanism, slowing CYP2D6, the liver enzyme that clears encainide, which risks letting the drug climb higher than in…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Encainide interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Cannabidiol (cbd) and Encainide 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 Cannabidiol (cbd)
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Encainide
Top 25%

#542 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 Cannabidiol (cbd)

What is Cannabidiol (cbd)?

  • Anxiety and stress
  • Sleep problems
  • Chronic pain
  • Certain seizure disorders
  • Inflammation

CBD is a compound from the cannabis (hemp) plant that does not cause a 'high.' It has strong evidence only for certain rare seizure disorders (as a prescription drug), while most other popular uses are still backed by limited or early research. Product quality varies a lot, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take other medicines.

Read the full Cannabidiol (cbd) monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cannabidiol (cbd)

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

0Major
1,050Moderate
0Minor
1,779No known interaction
Moderate

1,050 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,050 moderate interactions — see all 1,050 on the Cannabidiol (cbd) page.

No interaction 1,779 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Cannabidiol (cbd) and Encainide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cannabidiol (cbd) with Encainide?
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 Cannabidiol (cbd) and Encainide 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

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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.