Drug & supplement interaction

K2/spice + Gabapentin

Gabapentin brand names: Neurontin, Gralise.

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

K2/spice has a moderate interaction with Gabapentin. Theoretically, K2/spice might increase or decrease the effectiveness of anticonvulsant drugs.

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

K2/spice and Gabapentin

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ANTICONVULSANTS

Why this applies to Gabapentin

Gabapentin falls under ANTICONVULSANTS — the group K2/spice interacts with.

Theoretically, K2/spice might increase or decrease the effectiveness of anticonvulsant drugs.
Some animal research suggests that certain types of synthetic cannabinoids found in some K2/spice products can potentiate the effects of anticonvulsants. However, seizures have also been reported with inhalation of K2/spice.
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

First things first: K2/Spice isn't a supplement at all. It's plant material sprayed with lab-made cannabinoid chemicals that change from batch to batch, and it has been linked to seizures, dangerous heart rhythms, psychosis, and even deaths. So my honest advice is to steer clear of it entirely, especially if you're taking gabapentin.

Now, about the interaction itself: this is purely theoretical, drawn from how these chemicals behave plus some animal studies. The concern cuts both ways. K2 might add to gabapentin's calming effects (think more drowsiness, dizziness, and trouble thinking clearly), or it could backfire and trigger a seizure, which is exactly what gabapentin is often meant to prevent. Gabapentin isn't a prodrug, so this isn't about your liver activating it. Please talk with your doctor or pharmacist before combining anything with your gabapentin.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Davidson C, Opacka-Juffry J, Arevalo-Martin A, Garcia-Ovejero D, Molina-Holgado E, Molina-Holgado F. Spicing up pharmacology: a review of synthetic cannabinoids from structure to adverse events. Adv Pharmacol 2017;80:135-68. PubMed
  2. Tait RJ, Caldicott D, Mountain D, Hill SL, Lenton S. A systematic review of adverse events arising from the use of synthetic cannabinoids and their associated treatment. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2016;54(1):1-13. 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

K2/spice Also Interacts With Other Medications

K2/spice has 207 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Gabapentin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 207 No known interaction 2,623 (incl. Gabapentin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against K2/spice

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against K2/spice. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About K2/spice or Gabapentin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers K2/spice or Gabapentin, 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 Gabapentin

This page covers K2/spice only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Gabapentin page lists 106 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 Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 82 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Gabapentin page

“Gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise) calms overactive nerves, which means it already slows your nervous system down, and that is exactly what 78 of the 106 supplements on this list also do. So the dominant risk here is sedation stacked on sedation, extra drowsiness at best and dangerously slowed breathing at worst, and with seven entries ra…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Gabapentin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where K2/spice and Gabapentin 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 K2/spice
Steady interest

#1,320 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Gabapentin
Top 5%

#41 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 K2/spice

What is K2/spice?

  • Recreational drug ('legal high')
  • Marijuana substitute
  • Mood or perception changes
  • Sometimes used to avoid drug testing

K2/Spice is NOT a herbal supplement — it is plant material sprayed with man-made synthetic cannabinoid chemicals. It is dangerous, unpredictable, and has caused seizures, heart problems, psychosis, and deaths, so it should not be used.

Read the full K2/spice monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Gabapentin

What Is Gabapentin Used For?

Brand names: Neurontin, Gralise

Gabapentin (brands include Neurontin, Relgaabi, Gabarone, Gralise, and Horizant) is primarily used to manage postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) — the nerve pain that lingers after a shingles outbreak — in adults. Neurontin, Relgaabi, Gabarone, and gabapentin capsules, tablets, and oral solution are also used as add-on therapy for partial onset seizures (a type of epilepsy) in adults and children aged 3 and older.

Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil extended-release tablet) has two specific approvals: treatment of moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome (RLS) in adults, and management of postherpetic neuralgia in adults. Horizant is not recommended for people who need to sleep during the day and stay awake at night. Gralise is approved only for postherpetic neuralgia and cannot be substituted for other gabapentin products due to its different release profile.

See full Gabapentin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & K2/spice

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against K2/spice — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
207Moderate
0Minor
2,622No known interaction
207 Moderate 2,622 No interaction
Moderate

207 interactions

Showing 60 of 207 moderate interactions — see all 207 on the K2/spice page.

No interaction 2,622 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked K2/spice against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,622 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full K2/spice list.

See the full K2/spice interactions page
See every supplement checked against Gabapentin, 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
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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking K2/spice and Gabapentin Together: Common Questions

Can you take K2/spice with Gabapentin?
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.
How serious is the K2/spice and Gabapentin 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 Gabapentin and K2/spice?

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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.