Drug & supplement interaction

Hops + Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride

Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride brand name: Bunavail.

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

Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride falls into 2 drug categories that Hops can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concomitant use of hops with sedative drugs might cause additive sedation.

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

Hops and Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Hops interacts with whole categories of medication. Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Hops 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 Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride

Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Hops interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of hops with sedative drugs might cause additive sedation.
Some animal research shows that hops has 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

Here's the simple version: Bunavail (buprenorphine with naloxone) already works in the brain and can make you feel drowsy or relaxed. Hops are mostly used as a mild sleep aid, and some animal studies hint they may have a calming, sedative effect of their own. Put the two together and you could feel sleepier than expected.

This concern is theoretical, based on how each one works rather than on strong human studies, so I don't want to alarm you. Still, since buprenorphine already carries a sedation risk, it's worth watching for extra drowsiness, dizziness, slowed thinking, or feeling foggy, especially when driving. Please check with your pharmacist or prescriber before adding a hops supplement so you can do it safely.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Schiller, H., Forster, A., Vonhoff, C., Hegger, M., Biller, A., and Winterhoff, H. Sedating effects of Humulus lupulus L. extracts. Phytomedicine. 2006;13(8):535-541. PubMed
  2. Lee KM, Jung JS, Song DK, and et al. Effects of Humulus lupulus extract on the central nervous system in mice. Planta Med 1993;59(Suppl):A691.
  3. Assessment report on Humulus lupulus L., flos. European Medicines Agency, 2014. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-humulus-lupulus-l-flos_en.pdf. Accessed September 29, 2021.
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, hops extract might alter metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates; however, this effect may not be clinically significant.
Animal research suggests that specific constituents of hops, called lupulones, can induce hepatic CYP3A4 enzyme activity. However, a pharmacokinetic study in healthy postmenopausal patients with normal metabolism shows that taking a standardized extract of spent hops containing prenylated phenols, as 59.5 mg twice daily for 2 weeks, decreases the concentration of alprazolam, a CYP3A4 probe substrate, by 7.6%. This reduction is unlikely to be clinically relevant.
Severity Minor 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 for Bunavail (buprenorphine with naloxone). The buprenorphine part is partly handled by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. Some lab and animal studies hint that hops might nudge this enzyme to work a little faster, which could in theory lower buprenorphine levels slightly. In real life, though, this looks very weak. A human study using a standardized hops extract changed levels of a similar CYP3A4 medicine by under 8 percent, which isn't enough to matter for most people.

So practically speaking, I wouldn't expect hops to weaken your treatment or trigger withdrawal. One thing worth noting: hops can cause drowsiness, and buprenorphine can too, so the combo might leave you more sedated. If you take hops regularly, just give your pharmacist or prescriber a heads-up.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Mannering, G. J., Shoeman, J. A., and Deloria, L. B. Identification of the antibiotic hops component, colupulone, as an inducer of hepatic cytochrome P-4503A in the mouse. Drug Metab Dispos 1992;20(2):142-147. DOI
  2. van Breemen RB, Chen L, Tonsing-Carter A, et al. Pharmacokinetic Interactions of a Hop Dietary Supplement with Drug Metabolism in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women. J Agric Food Chem. 2020;68(18):5212-5220. 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

Hops Also Interacts With Other Medications

Hops has 288 moderate, 576 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 288 Minor 576 No known interaction 1,966 (incl. Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Hops

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride

This page covers Hops only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride page lists 199 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 Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 9 major · 151 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride page

“Anyone taking buprenorphine with naloxone (Bunavail) for opioid dependence should give this list genuine weight. Nine of its 199 documented supplement interactions carry a major rating, and the most dangerous pattern is added sedation.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,325 real supplement products containing Hops, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Hops. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride too, on top of Hops — 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 Hops and Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone 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 Hops
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride
Top 25%

#619 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 Hops

What is Hops?

Hops
  • Sleep problems and insomnia
  • Anxiety and restlessness
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Mild digestive complaints
  • Flavoring in beer and food

Hops are most often used for sleep and mild anxiety, frequently combined with valerian, but the human evidence is limited and not very strong. They are generally well tolerated when used short-term, though they may cause drowsiness, and should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding because their safety is unknown.

Read the full Hops monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Hops

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

0Major
288Moderate
576Minor
1,965No known interaction
288 Moderate 576 Minor 1,965 No interaction
Moderate

288 interactions

Showing 60 of 288 moderate interactions — see all 288 on the Hops page.

Minor

576 interactions

Showing 60 of 576 minor interactions — see all 576 on the Hops page.

No interaction 1,965 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,965 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Hops list.

See the full Hops interactions page
See every supplement checked against Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride, 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
Hops monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride, 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 Hops and Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride Together: Common Questions

Can you take Hops with Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride?
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 Hops and Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride?
Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride belongs to more than one drug category, and Hops 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 Hops and Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride 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 Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, Naloxone Hydrochloride and Hops?

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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.