Drug & supplement interaction

Poria Mushroom + Chlordiazepoxide

Chlordiazepoxide brand name: Librium.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Chlordiazepoxide falls into 2 drug categories that Poria Mushroom can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking poria mushroom extract may enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of sedatives.

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

Poria Mushroom and Chlordiazepoxide

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Poria Mushroom interacts with whole categories of medication. Chlordiazepoxide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Poria Mushroom 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 Chlordiazepoxide

Chlordiazepoxide falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Poria Mushroom interacts with.

Theoretically, taking poria mushroom extract may enhance the therapeutic and adverse effects of sedatives.
Animal research shows that poria mushroom extract has sedative properties. This interaction has not been shown in humans.
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: Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) is a benzodiazepine that calms your brain down, which is why it can make you feel drowsy or relaxed. Poria mushroom has shown its own mild calming, sedative-like effects in animal studies. So the worry is that stacking the two could add up, possibly leaving you more sleepy, foggy, dizzy, or unsteady on your feet than the Librium alone would.

I want to be honest about how soft this evidence is. This is a theoretical concern based on animal research and how these things work, not something proven in people. Still, since extra sedation can affect your balance and alertness, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them. Please don't change your Librium on your own.

References
  1. Kim H, Park I, Park K, Park S, Kim YI, Park BG. The positive effects of Poria cocos extract on quality of sleep in insomnia rat models. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022;19(11):6629. PubMed
Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

2 of 2

Chlordiazepoxide also falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, poria mushroom might decrease the clinical effects of anticholinergic drugs.
In animal research, poria mushroom essential oil reduces acetylcholinesterase activity. This interaction has not been shown in humans.
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 honest picture: the interaction we have on file is for poria mushroom and anticholinergic medications, where poria might gently push against (reduce) anticholinergic activity. Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) is a benzodiazepine, not really an anticholinergic drug, so this particular concern doesn't line up cleanly with how Librium works. On top of that, the evidence is purely theoretical and comes from animal studies, not people.

What I'd actually keep an eye on is overlap in calming effects. Poria is traditionally used as a mild relaxing and diuretic herb, and Librium already causes drowsiness, dizziness, and grogginess. Combining them could leave you feeling more sedated. Nothing alarming here, but loop in your pharmacist or doctor before pairing them.

References
  1. Lv Q, Di X, Bian B, Li K, Guo J. Neuroprotective effects of Poria cocos (Agaricomycetes) essential oil on Aß1-40-induced learning and memory deficit in rats. Int J Med Mushrooms 2022;24(10):73-82.

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

Poria Mushroom Also Interacts With Other Medications

Poria Mushroom has 416 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Chlordiazepoxide 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 Poria Mushroom

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Poria Mushroom or Chlordiazepoxide

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

This page covers Poria Mushroom only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Chlordiazepoxide page lists 188 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: 10 major · 142 moderate · 36 minor.

Open the Chlordiazepoxide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,303 real supplement products containing Poria Mushroom, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Poria Mushroom. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Chlordiazepoxide too, on top of Poria Mushroom — 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 Poria Mushroom and Chlordiazepoxide 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 Poria Mushroom
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Chlordiazepoxide
Steady interest

#2,356 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 Poria Mushroom

What is Poria Mushroom?

  • Fluid retention and swelling
  • Digestive complaints
  • Sleep and calming support
  • General wellness and immune support
  • Urinary support

Poria mushroom (Fu Ling) is a fungus long used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, mainly as a mild diuretic and digestive and calming aid. Modern scientific evidence in humans is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven. It is generally considered well tolerated, but talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data.

Read the full Poria Mushroom monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Chlordiazepoxide

What Is Chlordiazepoxide Used For?

Brand name: Librium

Chlordiazepoxide capsules are used to manage anxiety disorders or provide short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. They are also used to ease withdrawal symptoms in people going through acute alcohol withdrawal, and to reduce anxiety and apprehension before surgery.

Chlordiazepoxide is not intended for the everyday stress and tension of normal life. Its effectiveness beyond 4 months of use has not been well studied, so your doctor should regularly check whether it is still the right choice for you.

See full Chlordiazepoxide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Poria Mushroom

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

0Major
416Moderate
0Minor
2,413No known interaction
Moderate

416 interactions

Showing 60 of 416 moderate interactions — see all 416 on the Poria Mushroom page.

No interaction 2,413 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 Poria Mushroom and Chlordiazepoxide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Poria Mushroom with Chlordiazepoxide?
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 Poria Mushroom and Chlordiazepoxide?
Chlordiazepoxide belongs to more than one drug category, and Poria Mushroom 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 Poria Mushroom and Chlordiazepoxide 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.