Drug & supplement interaction

Ceylon Leadwort + Escitalopram

Escitalopram brand name: Lexapro.

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

Ceylon Leadwort has a moderate interaction with Escitalopram. Plumbagin, a constituent of Ceylon leadwort, has been shown to inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) in vitro.

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

Ceylon Leadwort and Escitalopram

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Escitalopram

Escitalopram falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Ceylon Leadwort interacts with.

Plumbagin, a constituent of Ceylon leadwort, has been shown to inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) in vitro. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans. Theoretically, Ceylon leadwort might increase the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4. Some drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 include lovastatin (Mevacor), clarithromycin (Biaxin), indinavir (Crixivan), sildenafil (Viagra), triazolam (Halcion), and numerous others.
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 situation with Lexapro (escitalopram) and Ceylon Leadwort. The plant's main compound, plumbagin, has been shown to slow down an enzyme called CYP3A4 in test-tube studies. Your body uses CYP3A4 (along with another enzyme) to help clear escitalopram. So the theory is that if that enzyme is blocked, escitalopram could build up a bit more than usual, which might mean stronger effects like nausea, drowsiness, trouble sleeping, or jitteriness.

But keep this in perspective. This concern comes only from lab research, not from real people, so we honestly don't know if it matters in everyday use. Escitalopram is also cleared by more than one pathway, which softens the impact. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but please check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing the two.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Chen A, Zhou X, Tang S, Liu M, Wang X. Evaluation of the inhibition potential of plumbagin against cytochrome P450 using LC-MS/MS and cocktail approach. Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 22;6:28482. 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

Ceylon Leadwort Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ceylon Leadwort has 1,098 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Escitalopram one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,098 No known interaction 1,732 (incl. Escitalopram)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ceylon Leadwort

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Ceylon Leadwort 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 Ceylon Leadwort 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 Ceylon Leadwort only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Escitalopram page lists 169 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Lithium (major), St. John's Wort (major) and 5-htp (moderate).

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

Open the Escitalopram interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 96 real supplement products containing Ceylon Leadwort, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ceylon Leadwort. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Escitalopram too, on top of Ceylon Leadwort — 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 Ceylon Leadwort 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 Ceylon Leadwort
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Escitalopram
Top 1%

#16 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 Ceylon Leadwort

What is Ceylon Leadwort?

  • Digestive complaints and poor appetite
  • Skin conditions and wounds (applied to the skin)
  • Joint pain and swelling
  • Traditional 'metabolism-boosting' tonics
  • Antimicrobial folk remedy

Ceylon Leadwort (Plumbago zeylanica) is a plant long used in Ayurvedic and other traditional medicine systems, mainly for digestion, skin problems, and pain. Solid human studies are lacking, and the plant contains plumbagin, a compound that can irritate skin and tissues and may be unsafe in larger amounts. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it in pregnancy.

Read the full Ceylon Leadwort monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Escitalopram

What Is Escitalopram Used For?

Brand name: Lexapro

Escitalopram treats major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and in teens 12 and older. It also treats generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which means excessive, hard-to-control worry, in adults.

Some details depend on the product. Lexapro tablets are also labeled for GAD in children 7 and older. Escitalopram capsules are labeled for MDD and GAD in adults younger than 65. The capsules are also labeled for MDD in teens 12 and older.

See full Escitalopram drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ceylon Leadwort

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

0Major
1,098Moderate
0Minor
1,731No known interaction
1,098 Moderate 1,731 No interaction
Moderate

1,098 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,098 moderate interactions — see all 1,098 on the Ceylon Leadwort page.

No interaction 1,731 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,731 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Ceylon Leadwort list.

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

Can you take Ceylon Leadwort with Escitalopram?
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 Ceylon Leadwort and Escitalopram 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 Escitalopram and Ceylon Leadwort?

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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.