Drug & supplement interaction

Feverfew + Zaleplon

Zaleplon brand names: Sonata, Starnoc.

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

Feverfew has a moderate interaction with Zaleplon. Theoretically, feverfew might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Feverfew and Zaleplon

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Zaleplon

Zaleplon falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Feverfew interacts with.

Theoretically, feverfew might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
Laboratory research shows that feverfew might inhibit CYP3A4. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans.
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 gist: your body relies partly on an enzyme called CYP3A4 to clear zaleplon (Sonata) out of your system. Lab studies hint that feverfew may slow that same enzyme down. If that happened in real life, more zaleplon could linger in your blood, and the sleep-bringing effect could feel stronger than expected. That might mean extra drowsiness, dizziness, grogginess the next morning, or feeling unsteady on your feet if you get up during the night.

I want to be honest about the strength of this, though. So far it's only been seen in test-tube and animal research, not in actual people, so it may not amount to much. Still, since both affect how sleepy you feel, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Unger M, Frank A. Simultaneous determination of the inhibitory potency of herbal extracts on the activity of six major cytochrome P450 enzymes using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and automated online extraction. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2004;1 PubMed
  2. Sil'vestrov VP, Kinitin AV, and Chesnokova, IV. [Immunological and metabolic disorders and the means for their correction in patients with chronic bronchitis]. Ter.Arkh. 1991;63:7-11.

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

Feverfew Also Interacts With Other Medications

Feverfew has 928 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Zaleplon one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 928 No known interaction 1,902 (incl. Zaleplon)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Feverfew

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Feverfew or Zaleplon

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Feverfew or Zaleplon, 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 Zaleplon

This page covers Feverfew only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Zaleplon page lists 195 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 · 147 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Zaleplon interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 520 real supplement products containing Feverfew, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Feverfew. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Zaleplon too, on top of Feverfew — 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 Feverfew and Zaleplon 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 Feverfew
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Zaleplon
Steady interest

#2,219 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 Feverfew

What is Feverfew?

Feverfew
  • Migraine prevention
  • Headache
  • Fever (traditional)
  • Arthritis and joint pain
  • Menstrual discomfort

Feverfew is a daisy-family herb best known for migraine prevention, where some studies suggest it may modestly lower how often migraines occur, though the evidence is mixed. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use in most adults but should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding and by people allergic to ragweed and related plants. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Read the full Feverfew monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Zaleplon

What Is Zaleplon Used For?

Brand names: Sonata, Starnoc

Zaleplon capsules are approved for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Specifically, they help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep (sleep onset). Clinical studies showed this benefit for up to 30 days of use.

Zaleplon has not been shown to increase total sleep time or reduce the number of times you wake up during the night. It is intended for short-term use, and if sleep problems continue beyond 7–10 days, a doctor should evaluate you for an underlying cause.

See full Zaleplon drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Feverfew

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

0Major
928Moderate
0Minor
1,901No known interaction
928 Moderate 1,901 No interaction
Moderate

928 interactions

Showing 60 of 928 moderate interactions — see all 928 on the Feverfew page.

No interaction 1,901 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,901 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Feverfew list.

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

Can you take Feverfew with Zaleplon?
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 Feverfew and Zaleplon 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 Zaleplon and Feverfew?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.