Drug & supplement interaction

Eurycoma Longifolia + Desipramine

Desipramine brand names: Norpramin, Desipramine, Pertofrane.

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

Desipramine falls into 2 drug categories that Eurycoma Longifolia can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Theoretically, Eurycoma longifolia might increase levels CYP1A2 substrates.

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

Eurycoma Longifolia and Desipramine

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Desipramine

Desipramine falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Eurycoma Longifolia interacts with.

Theoretically, Eurycoma longifolia might increase levels CYP1A2 substrates.
In vitro research suggests that methanolic Eurycoma longifolia root extract weakly inhibits CYP1A2 enzymes. This effect has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor 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 gist for desipramine (Norpramin): your liver uses an enzyme called CYP1A2 as one of the ways it helps clear this medicine. In test-tube studies, tongkat ali appears to weakly block that enzyme. If that were to happen in your body, slightly more desipramine could hang around, which could nudge up familiar side effects like dry mouth, constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, or a faster heartbeat.

The honest truth is this is only a theory based on lab data, and it has never been shown to happen in real people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Desipramine is not a prodrug, so the direction here is more drug, not less. Still, since this antidepressant needs careful dosing, just give your pharmacist or doctor a heads-up before adding the supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Han YM, Kim IS, Rehman SU, Choe K, Yoo HH. In vitro evaluation of the effects of Eurycoma longifolia extract on CYP-mediated drug metabolism. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:631329.
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Desipramine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, Eurycoma longifolia might increase levels of CYP2C19 substrates.
In vitro research suggests that methanolic Eurycoma longifolia root extract weakly inhibits CYP2C19 enzymes. This effect has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor 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 gist with tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) and desipramine. In a lab dish, the herb appears to weakly slow down an enzyme called CYP2C19, which is one of the pathways your body uses to clear desipramine. If that enzyme is even a little blocked, the theory is that desipramine could build up slightly, which might bump up its usual side effects like dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness, dizziness on standing, or a faster heartbeat.

I'll be honest though: this is purely theoretical. It hasn't been seen in real people, and desipramine actually leans more on a different enzyme (CYP2D6) for its breakdown, so any real-world effect is likely small. Still, if you notice new side effects after starting the herb, loop in your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Han YM, Kim IS, Rehman SU, Choe K, Yoo HH. In vitro evaluation of the effects of Eurycoma longifolia extract on CYP-mediated drug metabolism. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:631329.

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

Eurycoma Longifolia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Eurycoma Longifolia has 3 moderate, 244 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Desipramine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 3 Minor 244 No known interaction 2,583 (incl. Desipramine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Eurycoma Longifolia

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Eurycoma Longifolia or Desipramine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Eurycoma Longifolia or Desipramine, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Desipramine

This page covers Eurycoma Longifolia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Desipramine page lists 253 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: 16 major · 198 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Desipramine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,122 real supplement products containing Eurycoma Longifolia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Eurycoma Longifolia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Desipramine too, on top of Eurycoma Longifolia — 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 Eurycoma Longifolia and Desipramine 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 Eurycoma Longifolia
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Desipramine
Top half

#1,067 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 Eurycoma Longifolia

What is Eurycoma Longifolia?

Eurycoma Longifolia
  • Low testosterone or low libido in men
  • Male fertility support
  • Athletic performance and muscle strength
  • Energy and fatigue
  • Stress and mood
  • General male enhancement

Eurycoma longifolia (tongkat ali) is a Southeast Asian herb most popular for supporting testosterone, libido, and male fertility, with some small human studies suggesting possible benefits. However, the overall evidence is still limited and product quality varies widely, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Read the full Eurycoma Longifolia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Desipramine

What Is Desipramine Used For?

Brand names: Norpramin, Desipramine, Pertofrane

Desipramine hydrochloride tablets — sold under brand names including Norpramin, Desipramine HCL, and Desipramine Hydrochloride — are approved to treat depression. All of these products share the same FDA-approved indication.

Desipramine tablets are not approved for use in children. This medication is not recommended in that age group, and the tablet form is intended for adults and, in some cases, adolescents under close medical supervision.

See full Desipramine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Eurycoma Longifolia

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

0Major
3Moderate
244Minor
2,582No known interaction
3 Moderate 244 Minor 2,582 No interaction
Moderate

3 interactions

Minor

244 interactions

Showing 60 of 244 minor interactions — see all 244 on the Eurycoma Longifolia page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Eurycoma Longifolia 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 Eurycoma Longifolia list.

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

Can you take Eurycoma Longifolia with Desipramine?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Eurycoma Longifolia and Desipramine?
Desipramine belongs to more than one drug category, and Eurycoma Longifolia 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 Eurycoma Longifolia and Desipramine interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Desipramine and Eurycoma Longifolia?

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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.