Drug & supplement interaction

Goldenseal + Desipramine

Desipramine brand names: Norpramin, Desipramine, Pertofrane.

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

Desipramine falls into 2 drug categories that Goldenseal can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, goldenseal might increase the sedative effects of CNS depressants.

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

Goldenseal and Desipramine

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Desipramine

Desipramine falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Goldenseal interacts with.

Theoretically, goldenseal might increase the sedative effects of CNS depressants.
Goldenseal contains berberine. Animal research shows that berberine can have sedative effects. However, this effect 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 with goldenseal and desipramine (Norpramin). Desipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant that can already make some people drowsy, especially when you're first starting it. Goldenseal contains berberine, and in animal studies that compound showed some sedating, calming effects. The thought is that stacking the two together might add up to extra sleepiness.

I want to be honest about the strength of this: it's theoretical. This added drowsiness has not actually been reported in people, so it may never bother you at all. Still, if you notice you feel more groggy, foggy, or tired than usual, that's worth mentioning. Please loop in your pharmacist or doctor before starting goldenseal so they can check it against your full regimen.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Janbaz KH, Gilani AH. Studies on preventive and curative effects of berberine on chemical-induced hepatotoxicity in rodents. Fitoterapia 2000;71:25-33.. PubMed
  2. Shanbhag, S. M., Kulkarni, H. J., and Gaitonde, B. B. Pharmacological actions of berberine on the central nervous system. Jpn.J Pharmacol 1970;20(4):482-487. PubMed
  3. Peng, W. H., Hsieh, M. T., and Wu, C. R. Effect of long-term administration of berberine on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats. Jpn J Pharmacol 1997;74(3):261-266. DOI
  4. Sabir M and Bhide NK. Study of some pharmacological actions of berberine. Ind J Physiol & Pharmac 1971;15(3):111-132.
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Desipramine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES.

Goldenseal might increase serum levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.
Clinical and in vitro research shows that goldenseal can significantly inhibit CYP2D6 enzymes, potentially increasing levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the short version: your body uses an enzyme called CYP2D6 to clear desipramine out of your system. Goldenseal can slow that enzyme down. With the cleanup crew working slower, desipramine can build up higher than expected in your blood.

Desipramine isn't a prodrug, so more of it means a stronger effect and more side effects. Think dry mouth, constipation, blurry vision, dizziness when standing, drowsiness, and a faster or irregular heartbeat. Tricyclics like this one are sensitive to blood-level changes, so even a modest bump can matter. The human evidence here is moderate, not rock-solid, but it's worth taking seriously. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining the two rather than changing anything yourself.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Gurley BJ, Gardner SF, Hubbard MA, et al. In vivo effects of goldenseal, kava kava, black cohosh, and valerian on human cytochrome P450 1A2, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A4/5 phenotypes. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2005;77:415-26. PubMed
  2. Gurley BJ, Swain A, Hubbard MA, et al. Clinical assessement of CYP2D6-mediated herb-drug interactions in humans: Effects of milk-thistle, black cohosh, goldenseal, kava kava, St. John's wort, and Echinacea. Mol Nutr Food Res 2008;52:755-63.
  3. Sevior, D. K., Hokkanen, J., Tolonen, A., Abass, K., Tursas, L., Pelkonen, O., and Ahokas, J. T. Rapid screening of commercially available herbal products for the inhibition of major human hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes using the N-in-one cocktail. Xeno 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

Goldenseal Also Interacts With Other Medications

Goldenseal has 1,235 moderate, 1 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 1,235 Minor 1 No known interaction 1,594 (incl. Desipramine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Goldenseal

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Goldenseal 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 Goldenseal 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 Goldenseal 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 Goldenseal as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,726 real supplement products containing Goldenseal, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Goldenseal. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Desipramine too, on top of Goldenseal — 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 Goldenseal 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 Goldenseal
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Desipramine
Top half

#941 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 Goldenseal

What is Goldenseal?

Goldenseal
  • Digestive upset and diarrhea
  • Colds and respiratory infections
  • Sore throat and mouth sores
  • Skin and eye irritation (topical/traditional)
  • Antimicrobial support

Goldenseal is a popular North American herb that contains berberine, a compound studied for antimicrobial effects. However, strong human evidence for its many traditional uses is largely lacking, and it should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Goldenseal monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Desipramine

What Is Desipramine Used For?

Brand names: Norpramin, Desipramine, Pertofrane

Desipramine hydrochloride tablets — sold under the brand names Norpramin, Desipramine HCL, and Desipramine Hydrochloride — are FDA-approved for the treatment of depression in adults. Norpramin tablets and the generic formulations share this same approved indication.

Desipramine tablets are not approved for use in children. Adolescents and elderly patients may be prescribed it in certain circumstances, but at lower doses and under close supervision.

See full Desipramine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Goldenseal

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

0Major
1,235Moderate
1Minor
1,593No known interaction
1,235 Moderate 1 Minor 1,593 No interaction
Moderate

1,235 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,235 moderate interactions — see all 1,235 on the Goldenseal page.

Minor

1 interaction

No interaction 1,593 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,593 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Goldenseal list.

See the full Goldenseal 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
Goldenseal 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 Goldenseal and Desipramine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Goldenseal with Desipramine?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Goldenseal and Desipramine?
Desipramine belongs to more than one drug category, and Goldenseal 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 Goldenseal and Desipramine 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 Desipramine and Goldenseal?

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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.