Drug & supplement interaction

Iboga + Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen

Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen brand name: Apadaz.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen falls into 2 drug categories that Iboga can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking iboga with serotonergic drugs might increase levels of serotonin, resulting in additive effects with serotonergic drugs.

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

Iboga and Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

SEROTONERGIC DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen

Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen falls under SEROTONERGIC DRUGS — the group Iboga interacts with.

Theoretically, taking iboga with serotonergic drugs might increase levels of serotonin, resulting in additive effects with serotonergic drugs.
Ibogaine, a constituent in iboga, has serotonergic effects. Theoretically, combining serotonergic drugs with iboga might increase the risk of serotonergic side effects, including serotonin syndrome and cerebral vasoconstrictive disorders. Monitor patients for signs of serotonin syndrome and other serotonergic side effects if using iboga with serotonergic drugs.
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 basic idea with Apadaz (benzhydrocodone plus acetaminophen) and Iboga. Benzhydrocodone is a prodrug that your body converts into hydrocodone, an opioid painkiller. Hydrocodone gently nudges up serotonin in the brain, and ibogaine (the active part of Iboga) does the same thing. Stacking the two could theoretically push serotonin too high.

If that happens, you might see signs of serotonin syndrome: agitation, shivering, sweating, a racing heart, muscle twitching, or confusion. I want to be honest though, this concern is theoretical, based on how these substances work rather than real reports. Iboga also carries serious heart rhythm risks of its own, and it's illegal here. Please talk with your doctor or pharmacist before mixing anything.

References
  1. Glick SD, Maisonneuve IS. Mechanisms of antiaddictive actions of ibogaine. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1998;844:214-26.
  2. Singhal AB, Caviness VS, Begleiter AF, et al. Cerebral vasoconstriction and stroke after use of serotonergic drugs. Neurology 2002;58:130-3. PubMed
  3. Litjens RP, Brunt TM. How toxic is ibogaine? Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2016;54(4):297-302. PubMed
Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

2 of 2

Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen also falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, iboga might decrease the effectiveness of anticholinergic drugs.
In vitro research shows that iboga can inhibit acetylcholinesterase and might increase acetylcholine levels. However, the constituent ibogaine does not appear to have this effect.
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

Let me be upfront: this particular interaction on file is mostly theoretical and comes from lab-dish research only, not real people. It suggests that Iboga might raise acetylcholine levels by blocking an enzyme, which could in theory work against drugs with anticholinergic properties. Honestly, this one is a weak fit for Apadaz (benzhydrocodone and acetaminophen), since this medicine is a prodrug opioid plus a pain reliever, not a classic anticholinergic.

My bigger concern is the obvious one. Iboga (ibogaine) is risky, can disturb heart rhythm, and acts on the brain and nervous system. Combining it with an opioid raises real worries about deep drowsiness, slowed breathing, and dangerous heart effects. Please do not mix these without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first.

References
  1. Alper K, Reith ME, Sershen H. Ibogaine and the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012;139(3):879-82. 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

Iboga Also Interacts With Other Medications

Iboga has 1 major, 500 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Iboga

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen

This page covers Iboga only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen page lists 299 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), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major).

By severity: 14 major · 239 moderate · 46 minor.

Open the Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Iboga and Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen 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 Iboga
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen
Top half

#1,254 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 Iboga

What is Iboga?

Iboga
  • Drug and alcohol addiction
  • Opioid withdrawal
  • Spiritual and ceremonial rituals
  • Fatigue and stimulant effects
  • Mood and emotional issues

Iboga is a Central African shrub whose root bark contains ibogaine, a powerful hallucinogenic compound studied mainly for addiction. It carries serious safety risks, including dangerous heart rhythm changes and deaths, and ibogaine is illegal in the United States and many other countries. We do not recommend its use outside of tightly controlled research settings.

Read the full Iboga monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Benzhydrocodone and Acetaminophen

What Is Benzhydrocodone and Acetaminophen Used For?

Brand name: Apadaz

Apadaz is indicated for the short-term management of acute pain — specifically pain severe enough to require an opioid analgesic and for which other treatments are inadequate. It is approved for use for no more than 14 days.

Apadaz is reserved for patients who have not been able to tolerate non-opioid pain relievers, or for whom those options have not provided adequate pain relief. It should not be used long-term unless pain remains severe and alternative treatments continue to be insufficient.

See full Benzhydrocodone and Acetaminophen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Iboga

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

1Major
500Moderate
0Minor
2,328No known interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

500 interactions

Showing 60 of 500 moderate interactions — see all 500 on the Iboga page.

No interaction 2,328 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Iboga and Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen Together: Common Questions

Can you take Iboga with Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen?
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 Iboga and Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen?
Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen belongs to more than one drug category, and Iboga 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 Iboga and Benzhydrocodone, Acetaminophen 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

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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.