Drug & supplement interaction

Dodder + Esketamine

Esketamine brand name: Spravato.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Dodder and Esketamine 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 Esketamine

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 Esketamine 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 Esketamine, 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 Esketamine 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 Esketamine. 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 Esketamine’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Esketamine column appears here.

Overlapping uses

What Esketamine 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. Esketamine 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.

Esketamine is prescribed for: Spravato nasal spray is approved for two uses in adults. First, it treats treatment-resistant depression (TRD) — depression that has not responded to other antidepressants — either on its own or alongside an oral antidepressant. Second, it treats depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have acute suicidal ideation or behavior, always used together with an oral antidepressant in this case. Important limits: Spravato has not been shown to prevent suicide or reduce suicidal thoughts or behavior on its own.

Read the rest of what Esketamine is prescribed for

It is not a replacement for hospitalization if that is clinically needed, and it is not approved as an anesthetic.

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 Esketamine 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 Esketamine

This page covers Dodder only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Esketamine page lists 11 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Scopolia (major), Cowhage (moderate), Dhea (moderate), Griffonia Simplicifolia (moderate) and Indian Snakeroot (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 6 moderate · 4 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Esketamine page

“Esketamine (Spravato) is the nasal spray for depression that hasn't responded to standard treatment, and its supplement list deserves genuine respect. Scopolia carries the only major rating and is the entry to understand before any other; pairing it with the medication can raise the risk of anticholinergic effects, meaning dry mouth, b…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Esketamine 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 Esketamine, 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 Esketamine 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Esketamine
Steady interest

#2,708 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 Esketamine 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 Esketamine Nasal Spray

What Is Esketamine Nasal Spray Used For?

Brand name: Spravato

Spravato nasal spray is approved for two uses in adults. First, it treats treatment-resistant depression (TRD) — depression that has not responded to other antidepressants — either on its own or alongside an oral antidepressant. Second, it treats depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have acute suicidal ideation or behavior, always used together with an oral antidepressant in this case.

Important limits: Spravato has not been shown to prevent suicide or reduce suicidal thoughts or behavior on its own. It is not a replacement for hospitalization if that is clinically needed, and it is not approved as an anesthetic.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Esketamine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (17,728 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dissociation 3,733 reports
Sedation 2,706 reports
Suicidal ideation 1,351 reports
Nausea 957 reports
Depression 873 reports
See full Esketamine Nasal Spray 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
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dodder list.

See the full Dodder interactions page
See every supplement checked against Esketamine, ranked by severity
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 Esketamine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Dodder with Esketamine?
We do not list a known interaction between Dodder and Esketamine. 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 Esketamine 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 Esketamine is being adjusted to a target.
Does Esketamine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Esketamine has documented interactions with 11 supplements in our database — Dodder is not one of them. The Esketamine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Dodder monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Esketamine Nasal Spray drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Esketamine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Esketamine, 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 References The 3 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Esketamine 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.