Drug & supplement interaction

Galphimia Glauca + Phenobarbital, Phenytoin

Phenobarbital, Phenytoin brand name: Dilantin with PB.

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

Galphimia Glauca has a moderate interaction with Phenobarbital, Phenytoin. Theoretically, taking Galphimia glauca with CNS depressants may increase the risk of sedation.

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

Galphimia Glauca and Phenobarbital, Phenytoin

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Phenobarbital, Phenytoin

Phenobarbital, Phenytoin falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Galphimia Glauca interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Galphimia glauca with CNS depressants may increase the risk of sedation.
Galphimia glauca extract seems to 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

This combination pairs a calming herb with two seizure medicines, and the concern here is overlapping drowsiness. Phenobarbital is a barbiturate that already slows down the brain, so adding Galphimia glauca, which animal studies suggest has sedative effects, could pile on more sleepiness, foggy thinking, or unsteadiness. Phenytoin (Dilantin) is less sedating on its own, but it can still cause grogginess and dizziness, so the same caution applies.

Keep in mind this warning is theoretical, based on how the herb behaves in lab and animal work, not on real cases in people taking these drugs. Still, since both meds affect the brain, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them, and watch for extra drowsiness.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Herrera-Arellano, A., Jimenez-Ferrer, E., Zamilpa, A., et al. Efficacy and tolerability of a standardized herbal product from Galphimia glauca on generalized anxiety disorder. A randomized, double-blind clinical trial controlled with lorazepam. Planta Med
  2. Herrera-Arellano A, Jiménez-Ferrer JE, Zamilpa A, García-Alonso G, Herrera-Alvarez S, Tortoriello J. Therapeutic effectiveness of Galphimia glauca vs. lorazepam in generalized anxiety disorder. A controlled 15-week clinical trial. Planta Med. 2012;78(14): PubMed

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

Galphimia Glauca Also Interacts With Other Medications

Galphimia Glauca has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Phenobarbital, Phenytoin 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. Phenobarbital, Phenytoin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Galphimia Glauca

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Phenobarbital, Phenytoin

This page covers Galphimia Glauca only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenobarbital, Phenytoin page lists 229 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 Kava (major).

By severity: 9 major · 192 moderate · 28 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenobarbital, Phenytoin page

“If your seizure medicine is the phenobarbital and phenytoin combination (Dilantin with PB), read this list carefully before you add any supplement. Nine of the 229 entries rate major, and most of the risk runs through two channels.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenobarbital, Phenytoin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Galphimia Glauca and Phenobarbital, Phenytoin 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 Galphimia Glauca
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Phenobarbital, Phenytoin
Top 25%

#488 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 Galphimia Glauca

What is Galphimia Glauca?

Galphimia Glauca
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Insomnia
  • Allergic rhinitis and hay fever
  • Respiratory complaints
  • Traditionally used as an anticonvulsant

Galphimia glauca is a shrub from Mexico and Central America that has been studied mainly for anxiety, with some small clinical trials suggesting possible benefit. Overall the evidence is still limited and its long-term safety is not well established, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Galphimia Glauca monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Galphimia Glauca

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Galphimia Glauca — 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 Galphimia Glauca page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Galphimia Glauca 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 Galphimia Glauca list.

See the full Galphimia Glauca interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenobarbital, Phenytoin, 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
Galphimia Glauca monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Phenobarbital, Phenytoin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Phenobarbital, Phenytoin, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Galphimia Glauca and Phenobarbital, Phenytoin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Galphimia Glauca with Phenobarbital, Phenytoin?
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 Galphimia Glauca and Phenobarbital, Phenytoin 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 Phenobarbital, Phenytoin and Galphimia Glauca?

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.