Drug & supplement interaction

Flaxseed Oil + Reserpine

Reserpine brand names: Serpasil, Sandril.

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

Flaxseed Oil has a moderate interaction with Reserpine. Theoretically, combining flaxseed oil with other antihypertensive drugs might have additive effects and increase the risk of hypotension.

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

Flaxseed Oil and Reserpine

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Reserpine

Reserpine falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Flaxseed Oil interacts with.

Theoretically, combining flaxseed oil with other antihypertensive drugs might have additive effects and increase the risk of hypotension.
Some clinical evidence suggests that long-term consumption of flaxseed oil can modestly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, while other clinical research shows no effect.
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: reserpine already lowers your blood pressure by calming the nervous system and relaxing your blood vessels. Flaxseed oil might, over time, nudge blood pressure down a little on its own. Put the two together and the concern is an additive drop, meaning your numbers could fall a bit more than expected.

I want to be honest that this is a theoretical interaction based on how these work, not strong proof. The blood pressure studies on flaxseed oil are mixed, with some showing a modest dip and others showing nothing. Still, if you notice dizziness, lightheadedness when standing, or unusual tiredness, take note of those. There's no need to panic or stop anything. Just check in with your pharmacist or doctor before adding flaxseed oil, and keep an eye on your readings at home.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Paschos GK, Magkos F, Panagiotakos DB, et al. Dietary supplementation with flaxseed oil lowers blood pressure in dyslipidaemic patients. Eur J Clin Nutr 2007;61:1201-6. PubMed
  2. Ursoniu S, Sahebkar A, Andrica F, Serban C, Banach M; Lipid and Blood Pressure Meta-analysis Collaboration Group. Effects of flaxseed supplements on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trial. Clin Nutr. 2016 Jun;3 PubMed
  3. Morshedzadeh N, Shahrokh S, Aghdaei HA, et al. Effects of flaxseed and flaxseed oil supplement on serum levels of inflammatory markers, metabolic parameters and severity of disease in patients with ulcerative colitis. Complement Ther Med. 2019;46:36-43. PubMed
  4. Saleh-Ghadimi S, Kheirouri S, Golmohammadi A, Moludi J, Jafari-Vayghan H, Alizadeh M. Effect of flaxseed oil supplementation on anthropometric and metabolic indices in patients with coronary artery disease: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial. J PubMed
  5. Li L, Li H, Gao Y, Vafaei S, Zhang X, Yang M. Effect of flaxseed supplementation on blood pressure: a systematic review, and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Food Funct 2023;14(2):675-690. PubMed
  6. Mahmudiono T, Jasim SA, Karim YS, et al. The effect of flaxseed oil consumption on blood pressure among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Phytother Res 2022;36(10):

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

Flaxseed Oil Also Interacts With Other Medications

Flaxseed Oil has 292 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Reserpine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 292 No known interaction 2,538 (incl. Reserpine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Flaxseed Oil

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Reserpine

This page covers Flaxseed Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Reserpine page lists 138 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Tyramine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 113 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Reserpine page

“Reserpine (Serpasil, Sandril) lowers blood pressure, and the 138 supplements and herbs listed here merit real vigilance, four of them rated major. Most pull in one of two directions: many common supplements lower pressure on their own and can add to reserpine's effect, dropping it too far, while a smaller group raises pressure and work…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Reserpine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,329 real supplement products containing Flaxseed Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Flaxseed Oil. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Reserpine too, on top of Flaxseed Oil — 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 Flaxseed Oil and Reserpine 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 Flaxseed Oil
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Reserpine
Steady interest

#1,718 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 Flaxseed Oil

What is Flaxseed Oil?

  • Source of omega-3 (ALA) fatty acids
  • Heart and cholesterol health
  • Dry skin and inflammation
  • Constipation
  • General wellness

Flaxseed oil is a plant-based source of the omega-3 fatty acid ALA, which the body can partly convert to the omega-3s found in fish oil. It may help support heart health and provide healthy fats, but evidence for most specific health claims is limited or mixed. It is generally well tolerated, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you are pregnant or have a bleeding risk.

Read the full Flaxseed Oil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Reserpine

What Is Reserpine Used For?

Brand names: Serpasil, Sandril

  • Reserpine is used to treat high blood pressure. It also is used to treat severe agitation in patients with mental disorders. Reserpine is in a class of medications called rauwolfia alkaloids. It works by slowing the activity of the nervous system, causing the heartbeat to slow and the blood vessels to relax.

  • High blood pressure is a common condition and when not treated, can cause damage to the brain, heart, blood vessels, kidneys and other parts of the body. Damage to these organs may cause heart disease, a heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, loss of vision, and other problems. In addition to taking medication, making lifestyle changes will also help to control your blood pressure. These changes include eating a diet that is low in fat and salt, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising at least 30 minutes most days, not smoking, and using alcohol in moderation.

See full Reserpine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Flaxseed Oil

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

0Major
292Moderate
0Minor
2,537No known interaction
292 Moderate 2,537 No interaction
Moderate

292 interactions

Showing 60 of 292 moderate interactions — see all 292 on the Flaxseed Oil page.

No interaction 2,537 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,537 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Flaxseed Oil list.

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

Can you take Flaxseed Oil with Reserpine?
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 Flaxseed Oil and Reserpine 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 Reserpine and Flaxseed Oil?

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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.