Drug & supplement interaction

Griffonia Simplicifolia + Cysteamine Hydrochloride

Cysteamine Hydrochloride brand name: Cystaran.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Cysteamine Hydrochloride and Griffonia Simplicifolia in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Griffonia Simplicifolia safety at a glance

Griffonia Simplici... overall Use caution May be tolerated by some adults, but quality evidence is limited and side effects can occur.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety data, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Cysteamine Hydrochloride and Griffonia Simplicifolia? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Cysteamine Hydrochloride

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Cysteamine Hydrochloride is filed under a single classification — topical drugs. Griffonia Simplicifolia has documented interactions with 8 drug classes — the most serious being antidepressant drugs (moderate), carbidopa (lodosyn) (moderate) and cns depressants (moderate) — and none of Cysteamine Hydrochloride’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Griffonia Simplicifolia Does Interact With Other Medications

Griffonia Simplicifolia has 317 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Cysteamine Hydrochloride isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Griffonia Simplicifolia

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 2 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Seizures Worth acting on Additional detail

    Griffonia Simplicifolia

    “Rhabdomyolysis was noted in one patient with progressive myoclonus epilepsy who was treated with 5-HTP. 5-HTP is a constituent of Griffonia simplicifolia seed.”

    Griffonia Simplicifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in epilepsy.

    1 source cited
    1. 30162. Pranzatelli, M. R., Tate, E., Huang, Y., Haas, R. H., Bodensteiner, J., Ashwal, S., and Franz, D. Neuropharmacology of progressive myoclonus epilepsy: response to 5- hydroxy-L-tryptophan. Epilepsia 1995;36(8):783-791. PubMed

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Hives Worth acting on Additional detail

    Griffonia Simplicifolia

    “Urticaria and skin reactions have been reported with oral 5-HTP use. 5-HTP is a constituent of Griffonia simplicifolia seed.”

    Griffonia Simplicifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in urticaria.

    1 source cited
    1. 2204. Ribeiro CA. L-5-Hydroxytryptophan in the prophylaxis of chronic tension-type headache: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Headache 2000;40:451-6.

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Drowsiness / Tiredness Additional detail

    Griffonia Simplicifolia

    “Side effects of 5-HTP reported in some clinical trials include drowsiness, dizziness, insomnia, fatigue, and headache. 5-HTP is a constituent of Griffonia simplicifolia seed.”

    Griffonia Simplicifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    2 sources cited
    1. 30112. Jangid P, Malik P, Singh P, Sharma M, Gulia AK. Comparative study of efficacy of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and fluoxetine in patients presenting with first depressive episode. Asian J Psychiatr 2013;6:29-34. PubMed
    2. 30076. Iovieno, N., Dalton, E. D., Fava, M., and Mischoulon, D. Second-tier natural antidepressants: review and critique. J Affect.Disord. 2011;130(3):343-357. PubMed

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Reduced appetite / Vomiting / Nausea reported in 4.2% of FDA reports for Cysteamine Hydrochloride Additional detail

    Griffonia Simplicifolia

    “Sporadic diarrhea and stomach ache have been reported rarely in children taking a combination of Griffonia simplicifolia seed extract and magnesium. Gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal or epigastric pain, heartburn, diarrhea, flatulence, anorexia, and taste alteration are frequently associated with 5-HTP, a major constituent of Griffonia simplicifolia, at any dose.”

    Griffonia Simplicifolia · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 102150. Esposito M, Precenzano F, Sorrentino M, Avolio D, Carotenuto M. A medical food formulation of Griffonia simplicifolia/magnesium for childhood periodic syndrome therapy: an open-label study on motion sickness. J Med Food 2015;18(8):916-20.
    2. 2203. Poldinger W, Calanchini B, Schwarz W. A functional-dimensional approach to depression: serotonin deficiency as a target syndrome in a comparison of 5-hydroxytryptophan and fluvoxamine. Psychopathology 1991;24:53-81.
    3. 2204. Ribeiro CA. L-5-Hydroxytryptophan in the prophylaxis of chronic tension-type headache: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Headache 2000;40:451-6.
    4. 30112. Jangid P, Malik P, Singh P, Sharma M, Gulia AK. Comparative study of efficacy of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and fluoxetine in patients presenting with first depressive episode. Asian J Psychiatr 2013;6:29-34. PubMed
    5. 30114. Ceci F, Cangiano C, Cairella M, et al. The effects of oral 5-hydroxytryptophan administration on feeding behavior in obese adult female subjects. J Neural Transm 1989;76:109-17. PubMed
    6. 30125. Angst J, Woggon B, Schoepf J. The treatment of depression with L-5-hydroxytryptophan versus imipramine. Results of two open and one double-blind study. Arch Psychiatr Nervenkr 1977;224:175-86. DOI

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Stomach pain Additional detail

    Griffonia Simplicifolia

    Recorded for Griffonia Simplicifolia in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Drowsiness / Tiredness above.

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    Griffonia Simplicifolia

    Recorded for Griffonia Simplicifolia in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Drowsiness / Tiredness above.

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Diarrhea Additional detail

    Griffonia Simplicifolia

    Recorded for Griffonia Simplicifolia in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Drowsiness / Tiredness above.

    Cysteamine Hydrochloride

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cysteamine Hydrochloride. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Showing the 10 most notable of 11 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Griffonia Simplicifolia but not commonly for Cysteamine Hydrochloride: severe muscle breakdown, bloating or gas, heartburn and mania or an unusually elevated mood.

Effects for Cysteamine Hydrochloride come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Griffonia Simplicifolia come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 659 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Cysteamine Hydrochloride that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Cysteamine Hydrochloride Products Have a Food Rule — Griffonia Simplicifolia Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Cysteamine Hydrochloride says to take it with food. If you take Griffonia Simplicifolia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Cysteamine Hydrochloride with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Cysteamine Hydrochloride products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

If unable to take PROCYSBI without eating, take with food but limit the amount of food to approximately 4 ounces (½ cup) 1 hour before through 1 hour after administration.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Cysteamine Hydrochloride — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cysteamine Hydrochloride

This page covers Griffonia Simplicifolia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cysteamine Hydrochloride page lists 3 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) (moderate), Turpentine Oil (moderate) and Alchemilla (minor).

By severity: 2 moderate · 1 minor.

Open the Cysteamine Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 3 real supplement products containing Griffonia Simplicifolia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Griffonia Simplicifolia. Even though Griffonia Simplicifolia itself has no known interaction with Cysteamine Hydrochloride, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride 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 Griffonia Simplicifolia
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cysteamine Hydrochloride
Steady interest

#1,948 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Griffonia Simplicifolia reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Griffonia Simplicifolia

What is Griffonia Simplicifolia?

Griffonia Simplicifolia
  • Low mood
  • Sleep problems
  • Anxiety
  • Appetite control
  • Headaches

Griffonia simplicifolia is a West African shrub whose seeds are a natural source of 5-HTP, a building block of the brain chemical serotonin. Some people use it for mood, sleep, and appetite, but high-quality human evidence is limited, and it should not replace prescribed treatment. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take medicines that affect serotonin.

Griffonia simplicifolia · Fabaceae · Seeds · Capsules, tablets, powder, standardized 5-HTP extracts

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Griffonia Simplicifolia is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Griffonia Simplicifolia record says about it on its own.

Griffonia Simplicifolia: dosing

There is no official, well-established dose for Griffonia simplicifolia. Products are usually standardized to a certain amount of 5-HTP, and the strength can differ a lot from one brand to another.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Griffonia Simplicifolia monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Griffonia Simplicifolia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cysteamine Hydrochloride

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cysteamine Hydrochloride

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (659 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Eye irritation 178 reports
Eye pain 83 reports
Ocular hyperaemia 65 reports
Photophobia 42 reports
Vomiting 28 reports
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Griffonia Simplicifolia

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

0Major
317Moderate
0Minor
2,512No known interaction
Moderate

317 interactions

Showing 60 of 317 moderate interactions — see all 317 on the Griffonia Simplicifolia page.

No interaction 2,512 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Griffonia Simplicifolia References

The 22 references that drive our Griffonia Simplicifolia monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Cangiano C, Ceci F, Cancino A, et al. Eating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects treated with 5-hydroxytryptophan. Am J Clin Nutr 1992;56:863-7. PubMed
  2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Impurities confirmed in dietary supplement 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan. FDA Talk Paper, August 31, 1998; T98-48.
  3. Sternberg EM, Van Woert MH, Young SN, et al. Development of a scleroderma-like illness during therapy with L-5-hydroxytryptophan and carbidopa. N Engl J Med 1980;303:782-7. PubMed
  4. Poldinger W, Calanchini B, Schwarz W. A functional-dimensional approach to depression: serotonin deficiency as a target syndrome in a comparison of 5-hydroxytryptophan and fluvoxamine. Psychopathology 1991;24:53-81.
  5. Ribeiro CA. L-5-Hydroxytryptophan in the prophylaxis of chronic tension-type headache: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Headache 2000;40:451-6.
  6. U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements. Information Paper on L-Tryptophan and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, February 2001.
  7. Singhal AB, Caviness VS, Begleiter AF, et al. Cerebral vasoconstriction and stroke after use of serotonergic drugs. Neurology 2002;58:130-3. PubMed
  8. Johnson KL, Klarskov K, Benson LM, et al. Presence of peak X and related compounds: the reported contaminant in case related 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan associated with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. J Rheumatol 1999;26:2714-7.
  9. Iovieno, N., Dalton, E. D., Fava, M., and Mischoulon, D. Second-tier natural antidepressants: review and critique. J Affect.Disord. 2011;130(3):343-357. PubMed
  10. den Boer JA, Westenberg HG. Behavioral, neuroendocrine, and biochemical effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan administration in panic disorder. Psychiatry Res 1990;31:267-78. PubMed
  11. Jangid P, Malik P, Singh P, Sharma M, Gulia AK. Comparative study of efficacy of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and fluoxetine in patients presenting with first depressive episode. Asian J Psychiatr 2013;6:29-34. PubMed
  12. Ceci F, Cangiano C, Cairella M, et al. The effects of oral 5-hydroxytryptophan administration on feeding behavior in obese adult female subjects. J Neural Transm 1989;76:109-17. PubMed
  13. Angst J, Woggon B, Schoepf J. The treatment of depression with L-5-hydroxytryptophan versus imipramine. Results of two open and one double-blind study. Arch Psychiatr Nervenkr 1977;224:175-86. DOI
  14. Titus F, Dávalos A, Alom J, Codina A. 5-Hydroxytryptophan versus methysergide in the prophylaxis of migraine. Randomized clinical trial. Eur Neurol 1986;25:327-9. PubMed
  15. De Benedittis G, Massei R. Serotonin precursors in chronic primary headache. A double-blind cross-over study with L-5-hydroxytryptophan vs. placebo. J Neurosurg Sci 1985;29:239-48.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Griffonia Simplicifolia with Cysteamine Hydrochloride?
We do not list a known interaction between Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Cysteamine Hydrochloride says to take it with food. If you take Griffonia Simplicifolia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Cysteamine Hydrochloride with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Cysteamine Hydrochloride products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Griffonia Simplicifolia and Cysteamine Hydrochloride combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Cysteamine Hydrochloride is filed under 1 classification, and Griffonia Simplicifolia has documented interactions with 8 drug classes — none of Cysteamine Hydrochloride's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Griffonia Simplicifolia interact with any other medications?
Yes. Griffonia Simplicifolia has 317 documented drug interactions in our database — Cysteamine Hydrochloride is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Cysteamine Hydrochloride interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cysteamine Hydrochloride has documented interactions with 3 supplements in our database — Griffonia Simplicifolia is not one of them. The Cysteamine Hydrochloride interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

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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.