Drug & supplement interaction

Psilocybin + Sodium valproate

Sodium valproate brand name: Epilim.

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

Psilocybin has a moderate interaction with Sodium valproate. Theoretically, combining psilocybin with serotonergic drugs might cause additive serotonergic effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Psilocybin and Sodium valproate

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

Moderate

SEROTONERGIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Sodium valproate

Sodium valproate falls under SEROTONERGIC DRUGS — the group Psilocybin interacts with.

Theoretically, combining psilocybin with serotonergic drugs might cause additive serotonergic effects.
Psilocybin has serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor agonist activity. Theoretically, combining serotonergic drugs with psilocybin might increase the risk of serotonergic side effects, including serotonin syndrome. However, this interaction has not been reported 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 idea behind this pairing. Psilocybin turns into psilocin in your body, which switches on certain serotonin receptors in the brain. The concern is that taking it alongside any drug that also nudges serotonin could, in theory, stack those effects and raise the small risk of something called serotonin syndrome (agitation, fast heartbeat, sweating, tremor, or confusion).

Now, sodium valproate (Epilim) is not really a classic serotonin drug, and it isn't a prodrug that psilocybin would activate. So this is a theoretical, category-level caution based on pharmacology, not something actually reported in people. Still, both can affect the brain, and psilocybin itself is unpredictable and not approved for home use. Please don't change your valproate, and talk with your doctor or pharmacist first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Rosenbaum D, Weissman C, Anderson T, et al. Microdosing psychedelics: Demographics, practices, and psychiatric comorbidities. J Psychopharmacol 2020;34(6):612-622. PubMed
  2. Higgins GA, Carroll NK, Brown M, et al. Low Doses of Psilocybin and Ketamine Enhance Motivation and Attention in Poor Performing Rats: Evidence for an Antidepressant Property. Front Pharmacol 2021;12:640241. PubMed
  3. Hesselgrave N, Troppoli TA, Wulff AB, Cole AB, Thompson SM. Harnessing psilocybin: antidepressant-like behavioral and synaptic actions of psilocybin are independent of 5-HT2R activation in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021;118(17):e2022489118. PubMed
  4. Winter JC, Rice KC, Amorosi DJ, Rabin RA. Psilocybin-induced stimulus control in the rat. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2007;87(4):472-80. PubMed
  5. Kometer M, Schmidt A, Bachmann R, Studerus E, Seifritz E, Vollenweider FX. Psilocybin biases facial recognition, goal-directed behavior, and mood state toward positive relative to negative emotions through different serotonergic subreceptors. Biol Psychia 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

Psilocybin Also Interacts With Other Medications

Psilocybin has 292 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Sodium valproate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 292 No known interaction 2,538 (incl. Sodium valproate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Psilocybin

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sodium valproate

This page covers Psilocybin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sodium valproate page lists 173 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: 9 major · 147 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sodium valproate page

“Sodium valproate (Epilim) controls seizures and stabilizes mood, and the supplement list on this page warrants genuine care rather than a quick skim. Nine of the 173 ingredients on file carry a major rating, and most of the danger follows two patterns.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sodium valproate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Psilocybin and Sodium valproate 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 Psilocybin
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sodium valproate
Top half

#1,349 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 Psilocybin

What is Psilocybin?

  • Depression
  • Anxiety (including in serious illness)
  • Substance use disorders
  • Post-traumatic stress
  • Spiritual or psychological exploration

Psilocybin is a powerful psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms and is being studied for hard-to-treat depression, anxiety, and addiction, but it is still investigational and not an approved supplement. It is illegal in most places, can cause intense and unpredictable mental effects, and should never be used outside of a supervised clinical setting.

Read the full Psilocybin monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Psilocybin

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

0Major
292Moderate
0Minor
2,537No known interaction
292 Moderate 2,537 No interaction
Moderate

292 interactions

Showing 60 of 292 moderate interactions — see all 292 on the Psilocybin page.

No interaction 2,537 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,537 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Psilocybin list.

See the full Psilocybin interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sodium valproate, 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
Psilocybin monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Sodium valproate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Sodium valproate, 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 Psilocybin and Sodium valproate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Psilocybin with Sodium valproate?
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 Psilocybin and Sodium valproate 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 Sodium valproate and Psilocybin?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.