Drug & supplement interaction

Elecampane + Zonisamide

Zonisamide brand names: Zonegran, Zonisade.

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

Elecampane has a moderate interaction with Zonisamide. Theoretically, elecampane may cause additive sedative effects when taken with CNS depressants.

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

Elecampane and Zonisamide

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Zonisamide

Zonisamide falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Elecampane interacts with.

Theoretically, elecampane may cause additive sedative effects when taken with CNS depressants.
Elecampane might have 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: elecampane may have mild calming or sedating effects of its own. Zonisamide already tends to make people feel drowsy, foggy, or tired, especially when you first start it. Put the two together and those effects could stack up, leaving you sleepier or more sluggish than usual. This isn't about elecampane changing how your body processes zonisamide. It's just two things that can both slow you down at the same time.

I'll be honest, this concern is theoretical, based on how elecampane is thought to act rather than on solid human studies. Still, since drowsiness with a seizure medicine matters, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them, and please don't change your zonisamide on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.

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

Elecampane Also Interacts With Other Medications

Elecampane has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Zonisamide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 247 No known interaction 2,583 (incl. Zonisamide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Elecampane

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Zonisamide

This page covers Elecampane only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Zonisamide page lists 206 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 Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 9 major · 157 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Zonisamide page

“Zonisamide (Zonegran, Zonisade) keeps seizures under control, which means anything that shifts its blood level or stacks extra sedation on top deserves real respect, and nine of the 206 supplement ingredients on file rate major. Two big themes run through nearly everything here.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Zonisamide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 332 real supplement products containing Elecampane, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Elecampane. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Zonisamide too, on top of Elecampane — 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 Elecampane and Zonisamide 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 Elecampane
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Zonisamide
Top 25%

#635 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 Elecampane

What is Elecampane?

Elecampane
  • Cough and bronchitis
  • Asthma symptoms
  • Loosening mucus (expectorant)
  • Digestive upset
  • Intestinal worms (traditional)

Elecampane is a traditional herb used mainly for coughs and other respiratory complaints, and as a bitter for digestion. Modern human evidence is very limited, so it should be seen as a folk remedy rather than a proven treatment. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Elecampane monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Zonisamide

What Is Zonisamide Used For?

Brand names: Zonegran, Zonisade

Zonisamide is used as add-on therapy — meaning it is combined with other seizure medications, not used alone — to treat partial seizures (seizures that start in one part of the brain) in adults with epilepsy. Zonegran (capsule) and generic zonisamide capsules are approved for adults with epilepsy.

Zonisade (oral suspension) is approved as add-on therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults and in patients 16 years of age and older.

See full Zonisamide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Elecampane

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

0Major
247Moderate
0Minor
2,582No known interaction
247 Moderate 2,582 No interaction
Moderate

247 interactions

Showing 60 of 247 moderate interactions — see all 247 on the Elecampane page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,582 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Elecampane list.

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

Can you take Elecampane with Zonisamide?
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 Elecampane and Zonisamide 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 Zonisamide and Elecampane?

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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.