Drug & supplement interaction

Dhea + Amitriptyline, Perphenazine

Amitriptyline, Perphenazine brand names: Triavil, Etrafon, Etrafon-A, Etrafon-Forte.

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

Amitriptyline, Perphenazine falls into 2 drug categories that Dhea can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, DHEA might increase the risk of psychiatric adverse events when used with antidepressants.

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

Dhea and Amitriptyline, Perphenazine

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Amitriptyline, Perphenazine

Amitriptyline, Perphenazine falls under ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS — the group Dhea interacts with.

Theoretically, DHEA might increase the risk of psychiatric adverse events when used with antidepressants.
In a human case report, the use of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) with DHEA caused a manic episode. Concern for this interaction may be greater in younger individuals with higher baseline DHEA levels.
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

This combo pill pairs amitriptyline (an antidepressant) with perphenazine (an antipsychotic), so the antidepressant piece is what matters here. Because DHEA is a hormone your body turns into testosterone and estrogen, the worry is that it could nudge mood in unexpected ways when added to an antidepressant. There's one human report where DHEA plus an antidepressant seemed to trigger a manic episode (unusually high energy, racing thoughts, little need for sleep, impulsive behavior).

I want to be honest about the evidence: it's mostly theoretical and based on lab work plus that single case, so this isn't a strong, well-proven interaction. Still, it's worth a quick conversation. Don't start or stop anything on your own. Please run DHEA past your pharmacist or doctor first, especially if you're younger or notice mood swings.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Dean CE. Prasterone (DHEA) and mania. Ann Pharmacother 2000;34:1419-22. PubMed
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Amitriptyline, Perphenazine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, DHEA might increase the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
Some preliminary evidence shows that DHEA may inhibit CYP3A4; however, the clinical significance of this potential interaction is not known.
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

Triavil combines amitriptyline (an antidepressant) with perphenazine (an antipsychotic), and both are partly cleared by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. There's some early, limited lab evidence that DHEA may slow that enzyme down. If it did, this medicine could clear a little more slowly and build up, which in theory could amplify its usual effects like drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, dizziness on standing, or a faster heartbeat.

I want to be honest with you though: this is theoretical and based on weak, anecdotal data, so we really don't know if it matters in real life. Neither of these drugs is a prodrug, so the concern is more, not less, effect. Still, before adding DHEA, please check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Frye RF, Kroboth PD, Folan MM, et al. Effect of DHEA on CYP3A-mediated metabolism of triazolam. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2000;67:109 (abstract PI-82).

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

Dhea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dhea has 767 moderate, 8 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Amitriptyline, Perphenazine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 767 Minor 8 No known interaction 2,055 (incl. Amitriptyline, Perphenazine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Dhea

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Amitriptyline, Perphenazine

This page covers Dhea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Amitriptyline, Perphenazine page lists 311 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: 19 major · 235 moderate · 57 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Amitriptyline, Perphenazine page

“Alcohol is the risk I'd flag first for anyone taking amitriptyline with perphenazine (Triavil, Etrafon). Beer and wine both carry major ratings here, and 78 of the 311 ingredients on file deepen the drowsiness this antidepressant and antipsychotic combination already causes, sometimes to the point of slowed breathing.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Amitriptyline, Perphenazine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 945 real supplement products containing Dhea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dhea. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Amitriptyline, Perphenazine too, on top of Dhea — 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 Dhea and Amitriptyline, Perphenazine 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 Dhea
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Amitriptyline, Perphenazine
Top half

#1,211 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 Dhea

What is Dhea?

Dhea
  • Anti-aging and low DHEA levels
  • Mood and depression
  • Vaginal dryness and sexual health
  • Fertility support
  • Muscle mass and athletic performance
  • Adrenal insufficiency

DHEA is a natural hormone that the body makes and that declines with age, and it is sold as a supplement claiming many benefits. The evidence is mixed and limited for most uses, and because it acts as a hormone it can cause real side effects. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.

Read the full Dhea monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dhea

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

0Major
767Moderate
8Minor
2,054No known interaction
767 Moderate 8 Minor 2,054 No interaction
Moderate

767 interactions

Showing 60 of 767 moderate interactions — see all 767 on the Dhea page.

Minor

8 interactions

No interaction 2,054 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,054 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dhea list.

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

Can you take Dhea with Amitriptyline, Perphenazine?
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 Dhea and Amitriptyline, Perphenazine?
Amitriptyline, Perphenazine belongs to more than one drug category, and Dhea 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 Dhea and Amitriptyline, Perphenazine 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 Amitriptyline, Perphenazine and Dhea?

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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.