Drug & supplement interaction

Capsicum + Tasimelteon

Tasimelteon brand names: Hetlioz, Hetlioz Lq.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Capsicum and Tasimelteon in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Tasimelteon states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Capsicum and Tasimelteon

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Tasimelteon and Capsicum in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Capsicum safety at a glance

Capsicum overall Use caution Generally considered safe as food and in approved topical products, but it commonly causes burning and irritation.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used topically and appropriately. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used topically and appropriately. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Tasimelteon and Capsicum? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Tasimelteon

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Tasimelteon is filed under 5 classifications — including cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates, cns depressants. Capsicum has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and aspirin (moderate) — and none of Tasimelteon’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Capsicum Does Interact With Other Medications

Capsicum has 215 moderate, 24 minor known drug interactions in our database — Tasimelteon isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Capsicum

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Capsicum and Tasimelteon May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Capsicum

    “Orally, capsicum can cause upper abdominal discomfort, including irritation, fullness, dyspepsia, gas, bloating, nausea, epigastric pain and burning, anal burning, diarrhea, mild constipation, and belching.”

    Capsicum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cancer.

    6 sources cited
    1. 12403. Schmulson MJ, Valdovinos MA, Milke P. Chili pepper and rectal hyperalgesia in irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol 2003;98:1214-5. PubMed
    2. 12410. Bortolotti M, Coccia G, Grossi G, Miglioli M. The treatment of functional dyspepsia with red pepper. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002;16:1075-82. PubMed
    3. 40338. Rodriguez-Stanley, S., Collings, K. L., Robinson, M., Owen, W., and Miner, P. B., Jr. The effects of capsaicin on reflux, gastric emptying and dyspepsia. Aliment.Pharmacol.Ther. 2000;14(1):129-134. PubMed
    4. 40427. Fett, D. D. Botanical briefs: Capsicum peppers. Cutis 2003;72(1):21-23.
    5. 40456. Petruzzi, M., Lauritano, D., De Benedittis, M., Baldoni, M., and Serpico, R. Systemic capsaicin for burning mouth syndrome: short-term results of a pilot study. J.Oral Pathol.Med. 2004;33(2):111-114. PubMed
    6. 40503. Milke, P., Diaz, A., Valdovinos, M. A., and Moran, S. Gastroesophageal reflux in healthy subjects induced by two different species of chilli (Capsicum annum). Dig.Dis. 2006;24(1-2):184-188.

    Tasimelteon

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Tasimelteon. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Headache reported in 6.7% of FDA reports for Tasimelteon Additional detail

    Capsicum

    “Orally, capsicum can cause sweating and flushing of the head and neck, lacrimation, headache, faintness, and rhinorrhea. Topically, applying capsaicin can cause headache. Injection of capsaicin into the intermetatarsal space has also been associated with headache.”

    Capsicum · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    6 sources cited
    1. 7005. Locock RA. Capsicum. Can Pharm J 1985;118:517-9.
    2. 12410. Bortolotti M, Coccia G, Grossi G, Miglioli M. The treatment of functional dyspepsia with red pepper. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002;16:1075-82. PubMed
    3. 105196. Joseph MSc A, John PhD F, Thomas MSc JV, Sivadasan SDP, Maliakel PhD B, Mohan PhD R, I M K. Influence of a novel food-grade formulation of red chili extract (Capsicum annum) on overweight subjects: Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. J D
    4. 105203. Umigai N, Kozai Y, Saito T, Takara T. Effects of paprika carotenoid supplementation on bone turnover in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparison study. Food Nutr Res. 2020;64. PubMed
    5. 96450. Van Nooten F, Treur M, Pantiri K, Stoker M, Charokopou M. Capsaicin 8% patch versus oral neuropathic pain medications for the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a systematic literature review and network meta-analysis. Clin Ther. 2017 Ap PubMed
    6. 105202. Predel HG, Ebel-Bitoun C, Peil B, Weiser TW, Lange R. Efficacy and safety of diclofenac?+?capsaicin gel in patients with acute back/neck pain: A multicenter randomized controlled study. Pain Ther. 2020;9(1):279-296. PubMed

    Tasimelteon

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Tasimelteon, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Capsicum but not commonly for Tasimelteon: a heart attack, stomach upset, shortness of breath and raised blood pressure.

Effects for Tasimelteon come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Capsicum come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 5,765 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Tasimelteon that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Capsicum in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Safe

When used topically and appropriately.

Pregnancy Possibly Safe

When used orally and appropriately, short-term. Capsicum 5 mg daily has been used for up to 28 days during the latter half of the second trimester and the third trimester.

Lactation Likely Safe

When used topically and appropriately.

Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. Dermatitis can sometimes occur in infants when foods heavily spiced with capsicum peppers are ingested during lactation. Also, observational research suggests that intake of raw capsicum peppers during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of sensitization to inhalant allergens in children by the age of 2 years.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Tasimelteon Products Have a Food Rule — Capsicum Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Tasimelteon says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Capsicum included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Tasimelteon on its own and move Capsicum to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Tasimelteon products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Indicated Population Dosage Form Body Weight Recommended Dosage Non-24 ( 2.2 ) Adults Capsules Not applicable 20 mg one hour prior to bedtime Nighttime sleep disturbances in SMS ( 2.3 ) Patients 16 years of age and older Capsules Not applicable 20 mg one hour prior to bedtime Pediatric Patients 3 to 15 years of age Oral Suspension ≤ 28 kg 0.7 mg/kg one hour before bedti

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Tasimelteon — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tasimelteon

This page covers Capsicum only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tasimelteon page lists 218 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 Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 9 major · 166 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tasimelteon page

“Tasimelteon (Hetlioz) resets the body clock in people with non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, and the sleep aids they often reach for, melatonin and kava among them, sit on an interaction list that deserves real respect. Nine of the 218 ingredients on file rate major, mostly in two directions: sedatives like kava stack drowsiness onto a…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tasimelteon interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 4,130 real supplement products containing Capsicum, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Capsicum. Even though Capsicum itself has no known interaction with Tasimelteon, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Capsicum and Tasimelteon 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 Capsicum
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tasimelteon
Steady interest

#2,281 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Capsicum reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Capsicum and Tasimelteon records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Capsicum

What is Capsicum?

  • Nerve pain (neuropathy)
  • Muscle and joint pain (arthritis)
  • Back pain
  • Digestive support
  • Cluster headache (intranasal)

Capsicum (chili pepper) contains capsaicin, which is best known and best studied as a topical treatment for certain types of pain. Topical capsaicin products are supported by reasonable evidence for some nerve and joint pain, but oral supplements are far less proven. Use it carefully, follow product directions, and talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting.

Capsicum annuum · Solanaceae · Fruit (pepper), often as a topical extract · Topical creams, gels, and patches; oral capsules; dried powder (cayenne); tinctures

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Capsicum is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Capsicum record says about it on its own.

Capsicum: dosing

There is no single standard dose of capsicum that fits everyone. Topical products come in different strengths, and high-concentration patches are usually applied by a healthcare professional.

From our Capsicum monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Capsicum monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tasimelteon

What Is Tasimelteon Used For?

Brand names: Hetlioz, Hetlioz Lq

Tasimelteon capsules are approved to treat Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (Non-24) in adults. Non-24 is a condition where the body's internal clock does not align with the normal 24-hour day, causing sleep and wake times to shift continuously.

Hetlioz capsules are also approved to treat nighttime sleep disturbances in Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) in patients 16 years of age and older. Hetlioz LQ oral suspension is approved specifically for nighttime sleep disturbances in SMS in pediatric patients ages 3 to 15 years.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Tasimelteon

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (5,770 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Insomnia 728 reports
Middle insomnia 414 reports
Somnolence 408 reports
Headache 386 reports
Nightmare 268 reports
See full Tasimelteon drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Capsicum

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

0Major
215Moderate
24Minor
2,590No known interaction
Moderate

215 interactions

Showing 60 of 215 moderate interactions — see all 215 on the Capsicum page.

Minor

24 interactions

No interaction 2,590 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Capsicum References

The 89 references that drive our Capsicum monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Covington TR, et al. Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. 11th ed. Washington, DC: American Pharmaceutical Association, 1996.
  2. Cooper RL, Cooper MM. Red pepper-induced dermatitis in breast-fed infants. Dermatol 1996;93:61-2. PubMed
  3. Millqvist E. Cough provocation with capsaicin is an objective way to test sensory hyperreactivity in patients with asthma-like symptoms. Allergy 2000;55:546-50. DOI
  4. Locock RA. Capsicum. Can Pharm J 1985;118:517-9.
  5. Mason L, Moore RA, Derry S, et al. Systematic review of topical capsaicin for the treatment of chronic pain. BMJ 2004;328:991. PubMed
  6. Schmulson MJ, Valdovinos MA, Milke P. Chili pepper and rectal hyperalgesia in irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol 2003;98:1214-5. PubMed
  7. Surh YJ, Lee SS. Capsaicin in hot chili pepper: carcinogen, co-carcinogen or anticarcinogen? Food Chem Toxicol 1996;34:313-6. PubMed
  8. Bouraoui A, Brazier JL, Zouaghi H, Rousseau M. Theophylline pharmacokinetics and metabolism in rabbits following single and repeated administration of Capsicum fruit. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 1995;20:173-8.
  9. Hogaboam CM, Wallace JL. Inhibition of platelet aggregation by capsaicin. An effect unrelated to actions on sensory afferent neurons. Eur J Pharmacol 1991;202:129-31. PubMed
  10. Wang JP, Hsu MF, Teng CM. Antiplatelet effect of capsaicin. Thromb Res 1984;36:497-507. PubMed
  11. Williams SR, Clark RF, Dunford JV. Contact dermatitis associated with capsaicin: Hunan hand syndrome. Ann Emerg Med 1995;25:713-5. PubMed
  12. Zollman TM, Bragg RM, Harrison DA. Clinical effects of oleoresin capsicum (pepper spray) on the human cornea and conjunctiva. Ophthalmology 2000;107:2186-9. PubMed
  13. Bortolotti M, Coccia G, Grossi G, Miglioli M. The treatment of functional dyspepsia with red pepper. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002;16:1075-82. PubMed
  14. Hakas JF Jr. Topical capsaicin induces cough in patient receiving ACE inhibitor. Ann Allergy 1990;65:322-3.
  15. Rapoport AM, Bigal ME, Tepper SJ, Sheftell FD. Intranasal medications for the treatment of migraine and cluster headache. CNS Drugs 2004;18:671-85. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Capsicum and Tasimelteon Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Capsicum with Tasimelteon?
We do not list a known interaction between Capsicum and Tasimelteon. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Capsicum and Tasimelteon have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Capsicum and Tasimelteon at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Tasimelteon says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Tasimelteon on its own and move Capsicum to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Capsicum and Tasimelteon combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Tasimelteon is filed under 5 classifications, and Capsicum has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — none of Tasimelteon's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Capsicum interact with any other medications?
Yes. Capsicum has 239 documented drug interactions in our database — Tasimelteon is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Tasimelteon interact with any supplements?
Yes. Tasimelteon has documented interactions with 218 supplements in our database — Capsicum is not one of them. The Tasimelteon interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Tasimelteon and Capsicum?

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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.