Drug & supplement interaction

Catuaba + Escitalopram

Escitalopram brand name: Lexapro.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Catuaba and Escitalopram 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.

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Interaction report

Catuaba and Escitalopram

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 Escitalopram and Catuaba 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Catuaba at all — not against Escitalopram, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Catuaba safety at a glance

Catuaba overall Not established Human safety data are very limited, so its long-term safety is not well established.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data exist for nursing, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Escitalopram and Catuaba? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Escitalopram’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Catuaba. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Escitalopram’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 7 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Mania or an unusually elevated mood Worth acting on
  • Serotonin syndrome Worth acting on
  • Thoughts of self-harm Worth acting on
  • Low sodium Worth acting on
  • Seizures Worth acting on
  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on
  • A change in sex drive
  • Erection problems
  • A stuffy or runny nose

Showing the 10 most notable of 24 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Escitalopram. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 139,512 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Escitalopram that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Catuaba’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Catuaba side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Catuaba has no side effects.

From our Q&A

Questions About Catuaba or Escitalopram

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

This page covers Catuaba only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Escitalopram page lists 55 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Lithium (major), 5-htp (moderate), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate) and Ayahuasca (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 38 moderate · 15 minor.

Open the Escitalopram interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 242 real supplement products containing Catuaba, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Catuaba. Even though Catuaba itself has no known interaction with Escitalopram, 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 Catuaba and Escitalopram 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 Catuaba
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Escitalopram
Top 1%

#13 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.
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Catuaba and Escitalopram records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 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 Catuaba

What is Catuaba?

  • Low libido or sexual performance
  • Erectile difficulties
  • General energy and fatigue
  • Mood support
  • Aphrodisiac (traditional tonic)

Catuaba is a Brazilian herbal bark long used as a traditional aphrodisiac and energy tonic, but there is very little reliable human research to show it works for any health condition. Quality and contents of products vary widely, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Bark (and sometimes stems) · Capsules, tea, liquid extracts and tinctures, powders, and as part of multi-herb blends

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

Catuaba: dosing

There is no established, standardized dose for catuaba. Because the species and strength of products vary, there is no reliable "correct" amount that research supports.If you choose to use catuaba, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the recommended amount. Starting low is sensible. A pharmacist can help you review the specific product you are considering and check whether it is a good fit for you.

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

Read the full Catuaba monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Escitalopram

What Is Escitalopram Used For?

Brand name: Lexapro

Escitalopram treats major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and in adolescents 12 years of age and older. It also treats generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults.

Lexapro (escitalopram) tablets are additionally approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder in pediatric patients 7 years of age and older. Escitalopram Capsules are indicated for MDD and GAD in adults younger than 65 years of age, and for MDD in pediatric patients 12 years and older — the capsule form is not indicated for patients 65 and older.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Escitalopram

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (139,512 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 9,542 reports
Nausea 9,514 reports
Headache 7,397 reports
Diarrhea 7,045 reports
Anxiety 6,668 reports
See full Escitalopram drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Catuaba

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

We checked Catuaba against Escitalopram in the Natural Medicines interaction database and found no documented interaction on file. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus, and supplement label details from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

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 Catuaba and Escitalopram Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Catuaba with Escitalopram?
We do not list a known interaction between Catuaba and Escitalopram. 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.
Does Escitalopram interact with any supplements?
Yes. Escitalopram has documented interactions with 55 supplements in our database — Catuaba is not one of them. The Escitalopram 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 Escitalopram and Catuaba?

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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.