Drug & supplement interaction

Coriander + Doxepin

Doxepin brand names: Sinequan, Doxepin, Zonalon.

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

Doxepin falls into 2 drug categories that Coriander can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, coriander might cause additive sedative effects when taken with CNS depressants.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Coriander and Doxepin

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Coriander interacts with whole categories of medication. Doxepin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Coriander in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Doxepin

Doxepin falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Coriander interacts with.

Theoretically, coriander might cause additive sedative effects when taken with CNS depressants.
Evidence from animal research suggests that coriander fruit extract has sedative effects.
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: Doxepin already makes you drowsy (that's exactly why the Silenor form is used for sleep), and coriander may have a mild calming effect of its own. Put them together and you could feel a little extra sleepy, foggy, or slow the next morning. Coriander isn't broken down into something stronger here, it's just adding to the same direction Doxepin is already pulling.

But keep this in perspective. This concern comes only from animal studies, so it's theoretical, and the cilantro you sprinkle on tacos or soup is very unlikely to cause any problem. Concentrated coriander extracts or essential oils are where I'd be more cautious. If you plan to use those regularly, run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Emamghoreishi, M., Khasaki, M., and Aazam, M. F. Coriandrum sativum: evaluation of its anxiolytic effect in the elevated plus-maze. J Ethnopharmacol. 1-15-2005;96(3):365-370. PubMed
Moderate

PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS

2 of 2

Doxepin also falls under PHOTOSENSITIZING DRUGS.

Theoretically, coriander might increase the risk of photosensitivity when taken with photosensitizing drugs.
Evidence from in vitro research suggests that coriandrin, a constituent of coriander, has photosensitizing effects.
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 short version: doxepin can already make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, which means you may sunburn faster or break out in a rash after time outdoors. Coriander contains a compound called coriandrin that, in lab studies, also seems to react with light. So the worry is that pairing the two could add up and make your skin a little more prone to burning.

I want to be honest about how thin this evidence is. This is mostly theoretical, based on test-tube research, not real patient reports. Eating cilantro in your food is very unlikely to cause any trouble. The bigger question would be concentrated coriander extracts or essential oils. Either way, just use good sun habits (sunscreen, hat, shade), and check with your pharmacist if you're considering a coriander supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Ashwood-Smith, M. J., Warrington, P. J., Jenkins, M., Ceska, O., and Romaniuk, P. J. Photobiological properties of a novel, naturally occurring furoisocoumarin, coriandrin. Photochem.Photobiol. 1989;50(6):745-751. 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

Coriander Also Interacts With Other Medications

Coriander has 716 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Doxepin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 716 No known interaction 2,114 (incl. Doxepin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Coriander

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Doxepin

This page covers Coriander only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Doxepin page lists 186 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: 15 major · 145 moderate · 26 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Doxepin page

“Doxepin is a sedating tricyclic prescribed for depression, anxiety, and often sleep itself, and the people taking it tend to shop the same shelf where the trouble sits. Of the 186 supplements on file, 78 deepen its drowsiness, with alcohol (beer and wine carry major, well-documented ratings) and kava the clearest examples, and I would…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Doxepin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 934 real supplement products containing Coriander, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Coriander. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Doxepin too, on top of Coriander — 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 Coriander and Doxepin 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 Coriander
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Doxepin
Top half

#1,244 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 Coriander

What is Coriander?

Coriander
  • Digestive upset and gas
  • Appetite stimulation
  • Mild antimicrobial (topical)
  • Diarrhea and IBS symptoms
  • General flavoring and traditional remedy

Coriander (also called cilantro) is a common cooking herb and spice that has long been used in traditional medicine for digestive complaints. As a food it is generally safe for most people, but high-quality human studies supporting its medicinal benefits are limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated extracts or essential oils.

Read the full Coriander monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Doxepin (Insomnia)

What Is Doxepin (Insomnia) Used For?

Brand names: Sinequan, Doxepin, Zonalon

This product is marketed to temporarily relieve occasional trouble sleeping when it's brought on by anxiety, restlessness, stress, or sensitivity to caffeine.

It is a homeopathic remedy — meaning its claims are based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence, and it has not been evaluated by the FDA for effectiveness.

See full Doxepin (Insomnia) drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Coriander

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

0Major
716Moderate
0Minor
2,113No known interaction
716 Moderate 2,113 No interaction
Moderate

716 interactions

Showing 60 of 716 moderate interactions — see all 716 on the Coriander page.

No interaction 2,113 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,113 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Coriander list.

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

Can you take Coriander with Doxepin?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Coriander and Doxepin?
Doxepin belongs to more than one drug category, and Coriander interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Coriander and Doxepin 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 Doxepin and Coriander?

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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.