Drug & supplement interaction

Chicory + Buspirone

Buspirone brand name: BuSpar.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Chicory and Buspirone 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 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

Chicory and Buspirone

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 Buspirone and Chicory 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.

Chicory safety at a glance

Chicory overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in food amounts, but may cause gas and can trigger allergies in sensitive people.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally in excessive amounts. Chicory may induce menstruation or miscarriage. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Use caution There is not enough reliable safety information, so it is best to avoid medicinal amounts while breastfeeding.

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 Buspirone and Chicory? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Buspirone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Buspirone is filed under 5 classifications — including serotonergic drugs, serotonergic drugs, cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates. Chicory has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate) — and none of Buspirone’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

Chicory Does Interact With Other Medications

Chicory has 86 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Buspirone 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 Chicory

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Chicory and Buspirone 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. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Shortness of breath / A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Chicory

    “Occupational exposure to chicory may cause asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis. Dyspnea and anaphylaxis have also been reported in a patient with regular occupational exposure to chicory. This patient also experienced contact dermatitis and generalized pruritus.”

    Chicory · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in asthma.

    3 sources cited
    1. 41617. Nemery, B. and Demedts, M. Occupational asthma in a chicory grower. Lancet 3-25-1989;1(8639):672-673. PubMed
    2. 93648. Pirson F, Detry B, Pilette C. Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma caused by chicory and oral allergy syndrome associated with bet v 1-related protein. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2009;19(4):306-10.
    3. 93649. Willi R, Pfab F, Huss-Marp J, et al. Contact anaphylaxis and protein contact dermatitis in a cook handling chicory leaves. Contact Dermatitis 2009;60(4):226-7. PubMed

    “Occupational exposure to chicory may cause allergic reactions. Dyspnea and anaphylaxis have also been reported in a patient with regular occupational exposure to chicory. This patient also experienced contact dermatitis and generalized pruritus.”

    Chicory · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 93649. Willi R, Pfab F, Huss-Marp J, et al. Contact anaphylaxis and protein contact dermatitis in a cook handling chicory leaves. Contact Dermatitis 2009;60(4):226-7. PubMed

    Buspirone

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

  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Chicory

    “Occupational exposure to chicory may cause skin rash, contact dermatitis, or generalized pruritus. The sesquiterpene lactones of the plant may be the allergens. Chicory may cause an allergic reaction in individuals sensitive to the Asterceae/Compositae family. Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many other herbs.”

    Chicory · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 41609. Friis, B., Hjorth, N., Vail, J. T., Jr., and Mitchell, J. C. Occupational contact dermatitis from Cichorium (chicory, endive) and Lactuca (lettuce). Contact Dermatitis 1975;1(5):311-313.
    2. 93649. Willi R, Pfab F, Huss-Marp J, et al. Contact anaphylaxis and protein contact dermatitis in a cook handling chicory leaves. Contact Dermatitis 2009;60(4):226-7. PubMed
    3. 25416. Cadot, P., Kochuyt, A. M., van Ree, R., and Ceuppens, J. L. Oral allergy syndrome to chicory associated with birch pollen allergy. Int.Arch.Allergy Immunol. 2003;131(1):19-24. PubMed

    Buspirone

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

  • Bloating or gas Additional detail

    Chicory

    “Orally, fructo-oligosaccharides, such as those extracted from chicory, can cause flatulence, belching, abdominal pains, intestinal sounds and bloating, which occur commonly, but are mild at doses of 10 grams daily.”

    Chicory · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in flatulence.

    5 sources cited
    1. 740. Stone-Dorshow T, Levitt MD. Gaseous response to ingestion of a poorly absorbed fructo-oligosaccharide sweetener. Am J Clin Nutr 1987;46:61-5. PubMed
    2. 745. Briet F, et al. Symptomatic response to varying levels of fructo-oligosaccharides consumed occasionally or regularly. Eur J Clin Nutr 1995;49:501-7.
    3. 750. Bouhnik Y, Vahedi K, Achour L, et al. Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharide administration dose-dependently increases fecal bifidobacteria in healthy humans. J Nutr 1999;129:113-6. PubMed
    4. 8509. Cummings JH, Macfarlane GT, Englyst HN. Prebiotic digestion and fermentation. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:415S-420S. PubMed
    5. 93716. Bonnema AL, Kolberg LW, Thomas W, Slavin JL. Gastrointestinal tolerance of chicory inulin products. J Am Diet Assoc 2010;110(6):865-8. PubMed

    Buspirone

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

  • Itching / A skin rash Additional detail

    Chicory

    Recorded for Chicory in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Shortness of breath / A severe allergic reaction above.

    Buspirone

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

Reported for Chicory but not commonly for Buspirone: stomach pain and wheezing.

Effects for Buspirone come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Chicory come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Chicory in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally in excessive amounts. Chicory may induce menstruation or miscarriage.

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Chicory or Buspirone

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

This page covers Chicory only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Buspirone page lists 155 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: 4 major · 108 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Buspirone page

“I counsel genuine caution when supplements meet buspirone (BuSpar), the anxiety medication, because four of its 155 documented interactions are rated major. The bulk of the list, 121 ingredients, changes how your liver clears buspirone through the CYP3A4 enzyme, pushing its level up toward dizziness and drowsiness or down until the anx…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Buspirone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 458 real supplement products containing Chicory, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chicory. Even though Chicory itself has no known interaction with Buspirone, 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 Chicory and Buspirone 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 Chicory
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Buspirone
Top 5%

#54 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 Chicory reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Chicory and Buspirone 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 Chicory

What is Chicory?

Chicory
  • Constipation and digestive health
  • Source of prebiotic fiber (inulin)
  • Coffee substitute
  • Liver and gallbladder support
  • Appetite and blood sugar (traditional)

Chicory is best known as a caffeine-free coffee substitute and as a source of inulin, a soluble prebiotic fiber that may support digestion and regularity. Strong human evidence for most other traditional uses (like liver, gallbladder, or skin conditions) is limited. It is generally well tolerated, but the inulin can cause gas and bloating, and people allergic to ragweed or related plants should be cautious.

Cichorium intybus · Asteraceae · Root and leaves (the root is the most common medicinal part) · Roasted root (coffee substitute), inulin fiber powder, capsules, tea, liquid extract

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

Chicory: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for chicory. The right amount depends on the form—roasted root for coffee, inulin fiber powder, capsules, or tea—and on the product's concentration.For inulin fiber, it is generally wise to start with a small amount and increase slowly to reduce gas and bloating, and to drink plenty of water.

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

Read the full Chicory monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Buspirone

What Is Buspirone Used For?

Brand name: BuSpar

Buspirone tablets and capsules are used to manage anxiety disorders or to relieve anxiety symptoms in the short term. Its effectiveness has been shown in clinical trials focused on Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — a condition marked by persistent, hard-to-control worry along with physical symptoms like muscle tension, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and sleep problems.

Buspirone has also been shown to relieve anxiety in people who have mild depressive symptoms alongside their anxiety. Everyday stress and tension, on their own, generally do not require treatment with a medicine like buspirone.

See full Buspirone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chicory

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

0Major
86Moderate
0Minor
2,743No known interaction
Moderate

86 interactions

Showing 60 of 86 moderate interactions — see all 86 on the Chicory page.

No interaction 2,743 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Chicory References

The 13 references that drive our Chicory 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. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  2. Stone-Dorshow T, Levitt MD. Gaseous response to ingestion of a poorly absorbed fructo-oligosaccharide sweetener. Am J Clin Nutr 1987;46:61-5. PubMed
  3. Briet F, et al. Symptomatic response to varying levels of fructo-oligosaccharides consumed occasionally or regularly. Eur J Clin Nutr 1995;49:501-7.
  4. Bouhnik Y, Vahedi K, Achour L, et al. Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharide administration dose-dependently increases fecal bifidobacteria in healthy humans. J Nutr 1999;129:113-6. PubMed
  5. Cummings JH, Macfarlane GT, Englyst HN. Prebiotic digestion and fermentation. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:415S-420S. PubMed
  6. Cadot, P., Kochuyt, A. M., van Ree, R., and Ceuppens, J. L. Oral allergy syndrome to chicory associated with birch pollen allergy. Int.Arch.Allergy Immunol. 2003;131(1):19-24. PubMed
  7. Friis, B., Hjorth, N., Vail, J. T., Jr., and Mitchell, J. C. Occupational contact dermatitis from Cichorium (chicory, endive) and Lactuca (lettuce). Contact Dermatitis 1975;1(5):311-313.
  8. Nemery, B. and Demedts, M. Occupational asthma in a chicory grower. Lancet 3-25-1989;1(8639):672-673. PubMed
  9. Pirson F, Detry B, Pilette C. Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma caused by chicory and oral allergy syndrome associated with bet v 1-related protein. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2009;19(4):306-10.
  10. Willi R, Pfab F, Huss-Marp J, et al. Contact anaphylaxis and protein contact dermatitis in a cook handling chicory leaves. Contact Dermatitis 2009;60(4):226-7. PubMed
  11. Street RA, Sidana J, Prinsloo G. Cichorium intybus: traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2013;2013:579319.
  12. Bonnema AL, Kolberg LW, Thomas W, Slavin JL. Gastrointestinal tolerance of chicory inulin products. J Am Diet Assoc 2010;110(6):865-8. PubMed
  13. Devi Kt R, Sivalingam N. Cichorium intybus attenuates Streptozotocin-induced pancreatic ß-cell damage by inhibiting NF-?B activation and oxidative stress. J Appl Biomed 2020;18(2-3):70-9. 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 Chicory and Buspirone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Chicory with Buspirone?
We do not list a known interaction between Chicory and Buspirone. 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 Chicory and Buspirone have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 6 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.
How was the Chicory and Buspirone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Buspirone is filed under 5 classifications, and Chicory has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Buspirone'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 Chicory interact with any other medications?
Yes. Chicory has 86 documented drug interactions in our database — Buspirone 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 Buspirone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Buspirone has documented interactions with 155 supplements in our database — Chicory is not one of them. The Buspirone 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 Buspirone and Chicory?

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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.