Drug & supplement interaction

Cnidium + Cetirizine

Cetirizine brand names: Cetirizine, Zyrtec, Quzyttir.

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

Cnidium has a moderate interaction with Cetirizine. 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 Cetirizine

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Cetirizine

Cetirizine 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 gist for Zyrtec (cetirizine). In test tube and animal studies, cnidium showed mild sedative or sleep-inducing effects, likely from its natural coumarin compounds. Cetirizine, even though it's a 'non-drowsy' antihistamine for many people, can still make some folks feel tired or foggy. The concern is simply that stacking two things that can calm the nervous system might leave you more drowsy than usual.

I want to be honest about the strength here: this is theoretical and based only on lab and animal work, not real people taking the two together, so it may not amount to much. Still, if you try cnidium with cetirizine, notice how you feel before driving or doing anything that needs focus, and check with your pharmacist 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 Cetirizine 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. Cetirizine)
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 Cetirizine

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 Cetirizine, 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 Cetirizine

This page covers Cnidium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cetirizine page lists 100 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 Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 78 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cetirizine page

“Cetirizine (Zyrtec) treats allergies, but even this newer antihistamine can make some people drowsy, and that weak spot is where most of its 100 documented supplement interactions land. Seventy-eight of the ingredients on this page add their own sedative pull on top of the drug's, and 7 of the 100 rate major, so treat this list with re…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cetirizine 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 Cetirizine 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 Cetirizine 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cetirizine
Top half

#875 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 Cetirizine Injection

What Is Cetirizine Injection Used For?

Brand names: Cetirizine, Zyrtec, Quzyttir

Cetirizine Injection (sold as Quzyttir) treats acute urticaria, which means sudden-onset hives. It is for adults and children 6 months of age and older.

Quzyttir is not recommended for children under 6 years old who have kidney or liver problems.

See full Cetirizine Injection 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 Cetirizine, 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 Cetirizine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Cetirizine, ranked by severity Cetirizine Injection 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 Cetirizine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cnidium with Cetirizine?
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 Cetirizine 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 Cetirizine and Cnidium?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.