Drug & supplement interaction

Cnidium + Aripiprazole

Aripiprazole brand names: Abilify, Abilify Mycite, Abilify Maintena.

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

Cnidium has a moderate interaction with Aripiprazole. In laboratory research, cnidium has been shown to have sedative and hypnotic effects, possibly related to constituent coumarins.

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

Cnidium and Aripiprazole

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Aripiprazole

Aripiprazole falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Cnidium interacts with.

In laboratory research, cnidium has been shown to have sedative and hypnotic effects, possibly related to constituent coumarins. Theoretically, cnidium may potentiate the effects of barbiturates, other sedatives, and anxiolytics.
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 simple version: in lab and animal studies, cnidium (mostly its coumarin compound called osthole) has shown calming, sleep-promoting effects. Abilify can already cause some drowsiness on its own, so the concern is that pairing the two might add up and leave you feeling more sedated, tired, dizzy, or foggy than usual.

I want to be honest about how strong this evidence is. It's theoretical, based on test-tube and animal research, not on people taking these two together. So I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but I also wouldn't ignore it. If you ever feel unusually drowsy or unsteady, that's worth noting. Before you start cnidium alongside your Abilify, please run it past your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Sun Y, Yang AWH, Lenon GB. Phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicology of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(3):1006. 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

Cnidium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cnidium has 350 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Aripiprazole one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 350 No known interaction 2,480 (incl. Aripiprazole)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cnidium

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Cnidium or Aripiprazole

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

This page covers Cnidium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aripiprazole page lists 250 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), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 17 major · 194 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aripiprazole page

“Aripiprazole (Abilify) is an antipsychotic prescribed for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and as an add-on for depression, and this is one of the lists I want readers to treat with real care. The biggest cluster changes how the body handles the drug itself: grapefruit can raise aripiprazole levels, while St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aripiprazole interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 175 real supplement products containing Cnidium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cnidium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aripiprazole too, on top of Cnidium — 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 Cnidium and Aripiprazole 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 Cnidium
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Aripiprazole
Top 25%

#377 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 Cnidium

What is Cnidium?

Cnidium
  • Skin conditions and itching
  • Erectile dysfunction and low libido
  • Eczema and dermatitis
  • Antifungal or antimicrobial washes
  • Athletic performance
  • General antioxidant support

Cnidium is the dried fruit of an Asian plant long used in traditional Chinese medicine, mostly for skin problems and sexual health. Modern human evidence for these uses is very limited, with most research coming from laboratory and animal studies. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Cnidium monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Aripiprazole

What Is Aripiprazole Used For?

Brand names: Abilify, Abilify Mycite, Abilify Maintena

Aripiprazole is used for several mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. Which ones depend on the product and form.

Oral products (tablets, orally disintegrating tablets and oral solution) are used for schizophrenia, manic and mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder, add-on treatment of major depressive disorder, irritability with autistic disorder, and Tourette's disorder. Opipza dissolving oral film is approved for schizophrenia (ages 13 and older), add-on treatment of major depressive disorder in adults, and irritability with autistic disorder and Tourette's disorder (ages 6 and older). Long-acting injections (Abilify Asimtufii, Abilify Maintena, Aristada, Aristada Initio) are for adults. Abilify Asimtufii and Abilify Maintena treat schizophrenia and are used as maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder. Aristada treats schizophrenia, and Aristada Initio is used with oral aripiprazole to start Aristada.

See full Aripiprazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cnidium

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

0Major
350Moderate
0Minor
2,479No known interaction
350 Moderate 2,479 No interaction
Moderate

350 interactions

Showing 60 of 350 moderate interactions — see all 350 on the Cnidium page.

No interaction 2,479 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,479 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cnidium list.

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

Can you take Cnidium with Aripiprazole?
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 Cnidium and Aripiprazole 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 Aripiprazole and Cnidium?

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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.