Drug & supplement interaction

Dodder + Asenapine

Asenapine brand names: Saphris, Secuado.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Dodder and Asenapine 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.

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Interaction report

Dodder and Asenapine

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 Asenapine and Dodder 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Dodder at all — not against Asenapine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Dodder safety at a glance

Dodder overall Use caution Human safety data are limited, so use cautiously and under guidance from a healthcare professional.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is no reliable safety data, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Asenapine and Dodder? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Dodder Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Asenapine. It is the side-effect record for Dodder on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Dodder, this list is the first place to look.

  • Reduced appetite / Stomach upset Additional detail

    “Orally, a combination of whey and dodder seed extract has been reported to cause anorexia, mild dyspepsia, and feelings of stomach heaviness. It is not known if these symptoms are related to whey, dodder, or the combination. Intestinal colic and diarrhea have been reported as possible symptoms of dodder overdose. Traditional sources suggest a maximum daily dose of 8 grams of dodder aerial parts.”

    Dodder · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    2 sources cited
    1. 99156. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed
    2. 99157. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med
  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    “Orally, dodder is generally well tolerated. High doses may cause intestinal colic and diarrhea (18,99156).”

    Dodder · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    2 sources cited
    1. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    2. 99156. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Dodder — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Asenapine’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Asenapine column appears here.

Overlapping uses

What Asenapine Is Prescribed For, and What Dodder Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Asenapine is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Dodder is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Asenapine is prescribed for: Asenapine sublingual tablets (brands: Asenapine, Saphris) are used to treat schizophrenia in adults and bipolar I disorder in adults and children ages 10–17. For bipolar I disorder, this includes treating acute manic or mixed episodes on its own, using it alongside lithium or valproate in adults, and long-term maintenance treatment in adults. Secuado, the transdermal (skin patch) form of asenapine, is approved specifically for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults only.

Dodder has been studied for:

  • Depression studied, not established Dodder has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Dodder for depression

    A small clinical study shows that taking dodder aerial part powder 2 grams daily in combination with conventional antidepressant medications for 8 weeks improves overall symptoms of depression by 71% to 76% compared to 41% to 45% in patients using conventional medications alone.

    1 source cited
    1. 99157. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Asenapine on your own; if you are taking Dodder for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Asenapine

This page covers Dodder only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Asenapine page lists 122 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 9 major · 78 moderate · 35 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Asenapine page

“The heart rhythm risk is the one to understand first. Asenapine (Saphris, Secuado), an antipsychotic for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can affect the QT interval, the electrical reset between heartbeats, and 13 ingredients on this list can prolong it too, including everyday grapefruit.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Asenapine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Dodder, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dodder. Even though Dodder itself has no known interaction with Asenapine, 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 Dodder and Asenapine 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 Dodder
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Asenapine
Steady interest

#1,709 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 Dodder reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Dodder and Asenapine records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Dodder

What is Dodder?

Dodder
  • Sexual health and impotence
  • Energy and fatigue
  • Kidney and reproductive support (in traditional medicine)
  • Eye health and vision
  • Liver support

Dodder (Cuscuta) is a parasitic plant whose seeds are used in traditional Chinese and Middle Eastern medicine, mainly for sexual, kidney, and energy-related complaints. Human evidence for any of these uses is very limited, and safety has not been well studied, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Cuscuta chinensis · Convolvulaceae · Seeds (and sometimes the whole vine) · Dried seeds, powders, capsules, tinctures, teas, and ingredients in traditional Chinese herbal formulas

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

Dodder: dosing

There is no well-established, standardized dose of dodder for any health condition. Traditional formulas vary widely, and the strength of commercial products differs from brand to brand.If you choose to use a dodder product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Dodder monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Asenapine

What Is Asenapine Used For?

Brand names: Saphris, Secuado

Asenapine sublingual tablets (brands: Asenapine, Saphris) are used to treat schizophrenia in adults and bipolar I disorder in adults and children ages 10–17. For bipolar I disorder, this includes treating acute manic or mixed episodes on its own, using it alongside lithium or valproate in adults, and long-term maintenance treatment in adults.

Secuado, the transdermal (skin patch) form of asenapine, is approved specifically for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults only.

See full Asenapine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dodder

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Dodder References

The 3 references that drive our Dodder 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. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  2. Mehrbani M, Choopani R, Fekri A, Mehrabani M, Mosaddegh M, Mehrabani M. The efficacy of whey associated with dodder seed extract on moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharm PubMed
  3. Firoozabadi A, Zarshenas MM, Salehi A, Jahanbin S, Mohagheghzadeh A. Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in major depression: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med

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 Dodder and Asenapine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Dodder with Asenapine?
We do not list a known interaction between Dodder and Asenapine. 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.
Are Dodder and Asenapine used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Dodder in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Asenapine is being adjusted to a target.
Does Asenapine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Asenapine has documented interactions with 122 supplements in our database — Dodder is not one of them. The Asenapine 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 Asenapine and Dodder?

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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.