Drug & supplement interaction

Griffonia Simplicifolia + Sumatriptan

Sumatriptan brand name: Tosymra.

No Known Interaction

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026

The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Griffonia Simplicifolia and Sumatriptan 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 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 Sumatriptan

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 Sumatriptan 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 Sumatriptan and Griffonia Simplicifolia? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›

How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Sumatriptan

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Sumatriptan is filed under 4 classifications — including qt interval-prolonging drugs, serotonergic drugs, serotonergic 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 Sumatriptan’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 — Sumatriptan isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 317 No known interaction 2,513 (incl. Sumatriptan)

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 Sumatriptan 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. One of them is 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

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
Sumatriptan

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sumatriptan. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Dizziness 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

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

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
Sumatriptan

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sumatriptan. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Headache Additional detail

Griffonia Simplicifolia

“Orally, limited clinical research suggests that Griffonia simplicifolia is generally well tolerated. Most adverse effects appear to be associated with 5-HTP, the main constituent in Griffonia simplicifolia.

Most Common Adverse Effects:

Orally: Abdominal pain, anxiety, diarrhea, drowsiness, fatigue, headache.”

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

Sumatriptan

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

Reported for Griffonia Simplicifolia but not commonly for Sumatriptan: stomach pain, severe muscle breakdown, bloating or gas and drowsiness.

Effects for Sumatriptan come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Griffonia Simplicifolia come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Overlapping uses

What Sumatriptan Is Prescribed For, and What Griffonia Simplicifolia Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Sumatriptan is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Griffonia Simplicifolia is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Sumatriptan is prescribed for: Sumatriptan is used to stop a migraine headache once it starts — with or without aura (the visual or sensory warning signs some people get before a migraine). It is available as tablets, nasal sprays, nasal capsules, and subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injections for this purpose. Sumatriptan subcutaneous injections (brands: Imitrex injection, Sumatriptan Injection, Sumatriptan Succinate Injection) are also approved to treat acute cluster headaches in adults. Sumatriptan is not used to prevent migraines or cluster headaches — it only treats attacks once they begin.

Griffonia Simplicifolia has been studied for:

Headache studied, not established Griffonia Simplicifolia has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

Griffonia Simplicifolia for headache

Although there has been interest in using oral Griffonia simplicifolia seed for headache, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of Griffonia simplicifolia for this purpose.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Sumatriptan on your own; if you are taking Griffonia Simplicifolia for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Griffonia Simplicifolia or Sumatriptan

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

This page covers Griffonia Simplicifolia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sumatriptan page lists 50 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 31 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sumatriptan page

“The supplement risk that matters most with sumatriptan (Tosymra) is serotonin overload. This migraine drug works through serotonin receptors, and 20 of the 50 interacting ingredients on file, 5-HTP among them, can push serotonin activity higher still, raising the risk of serotonin syndrome (agitation, racing heart, fever).”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sumatriptan 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 Sumatriptan, 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 Sumatriptan 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

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

29 days ago today

Medication Sumatriptan

Top 5%

#37 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 Sumatriptan 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 Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS.

Supplement

About Griffonia Simplicifolia

What is 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 Sumatriptan

What Is Sumatriptan Used For?

Brand name: Tosymra

Sumatriptan is used to stop a migraine headache once it starts — with or without aura (the visual or sensory warning signs some people get before a migraine). It is available as tablets, nasal sprays, nasal capsules, and subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injections for this purpose.

Sumatriptan subcutaneous injections (brands: Imitrex injection, Sumatriptan Injection, Sumatriptan Succinate Injection) are also approved to treat acute cluster headaches in adults. Sumatriptan is not used to prevent migraines or cluster headaches — it only treats attacks once they begin.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Sumatriptan

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (46,096 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Headache 3,911 reports

Nausea 3,510 reports

Migraine 3,445 reports

Fatigue 2,617 reports

Dizziness 2,121 reports

See full Sumatriptan drug information

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

317 Moderate 2,512 No 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

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,512 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Griffonia Simplicifolia list.

See the full Griffonia Simplicifolia interactions page

See every supplement checked against Sumatriptan, ranked by severity

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.

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
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Impurities confirmed in dietary supplement 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan. FDA Talk Paper, August 31, 1998; T98-48.
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
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.
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.
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.
Singhal AB, Caviness VS, Begleiter AF, et al. Cerebral vasoconstriction and stroke after use of serotonergic drugs. Neurology 2002;58:130-3. PubMed
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.
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
den Boer JA, Westenberg HG. Behavioral, neuroendocrine, and biochemical effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan administration in panic disorder. Psychiatry Res 1990;31:267-78. PubMed
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
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
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
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
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.
Wyatt, R. J., Vaughan, T., Galanter, M., Kaplan, J., and Green, R. Behavioral changes of chronic schizophrenic patients given L-5- hydroxytryptophan. Science 9-22-1972;177(54):1124-1126. PubMed
van Hiele LJ. l-5-Hydroxytryptophan in depression: the first substitution therapy in psychiatry? The treatment of 99 out-patients with 'therapy-resistant' depressions. Neuropsychobiology 1980;6:230-40. PubMed
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
Trouillas P, Serratrice G, Laplane D, et al. Levorotatory form of 5-hydroxytryptophan in Friedreich's ataxia. Results of a double-blind drug-placebo cooperative study. Arch Neurol 1995;52:456-60. PubMed
Pardo JV. Mania following addition of hydroxytryptophan to monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2012;34(1):102.e13-4. PubMed
Lemaire PA, Adosraku RK. An HPLC method for the direct assay of the serotonin precursor, 5-hydroxytrophan, in seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia. Phytochem Anal 2002;13(6):333-7.
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.

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 Sumatriptan Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Griffonia Simplicifolia with Sumatriptan?

We do not list a known interaction between Griffonia Simplicifolia and Sumatriptan. 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 Sumatriptan have any of the same side effects?

Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 3 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.

Are Griffonia Simplicifolia and Sumatriptan used for the same thing?

They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Griffonia Simplicifolia in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Sumatriptan is being adjusted to a target.

How was the Griffonia Simplicifolia and Sumatriptan combination checked?

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Sumatriptan is filed under 4 classifications, and Griffonia Simplicifolia has documented interactions with 8 drug classes — none of Sumatriptan'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 — Sumatriptan 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 Sumatriptan interact with any supplements?

Yes. Sumatriptan has documented interactions with 50 supplements in our database — Griffonia Simplicifolia is not one of them. The Sumatriptan interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Griffonia Simplicifolia monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Sumatriptan drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Sumatriptan supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Sumatriptan, 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 References The 22 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Sumatriptan and Griffonia Simplicifolia?

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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.