Drug & supplement interaction

Rauvolfia Vomitoria + Olanzapine

Olanzapine brand name: Zyprexa.

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

Olanzapine falls into 2 drug categories that Rauvolfia Vomitoria can interact with; the most serious is rated major. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of adverse effects.

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

Rauvolfia Vomitoria and Olanzapine

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Major

ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Olanzapine

Olanzapine falls under ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUGS — the group Rauvolfia Vomitoria interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of adverse effects.
Concomitant use of neuroleptics with Rauvolfia vomitoria may potentiate the effects of these drugs and the rauwolfia alkaloids.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing with pairing Rauvolfia vomitoria and olanzapine (Zyprexa): both can dial down activity in the brain and nervous system. Olanzapine already blocks dopamine and other messengers, while the reserpine in this plant drains those same messengers from nerve cells. Stack them and you may amplify each other's effects, so you could feel extra drowsy or sedated, dizzy or lightheaded when you stand up (from lower blood pressure), and possibly more prone to movement-related side effects.

I'll be honest, this warning is theoretical, based on how the two work rather than lots of real-world reports. But because the overlap is real and this plant is potent, I'd treat it seriously. Please loop in your doctor or pharmacist before combining them rather than experimenting on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Olanzapine also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, Rauvolfia vomitoria might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2D6 substrates.
Rauvolfia vomitoria contains small amounts of the drug yohimbine. In vitro research shows that yohimbine inhibits CYP2D6 enzyme activity.
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 gist for olanzapine (Zyprexa). Your body partly relies on a liver enzyme called CYP2D6 to help clear olanzapine out. Rauvolfia vomitoria contains a small amount of yohimbine, and in lab (test tube) studies yohimbine can slow that enzyme down. If that happens in real life, olanzapine could linger a bit longer and its effects might feel stronger.

In plain terms, you might notice more of olanzapine's usual side effects, like drowsiness, dizziness, weight gain, or feeling foggy. I'll be honest though: this is only a theoretical concern based on lab data, not on real patients, so it may not amount to much. Even so, Rauvolfia is a potent plant on its own. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing the two.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. VandenBrink, B. M., Foti, R. S., Rock, D. A., Wienkers, L. C., and Wahlstrom, J. L. Prediction of CYP2D6 drug interactions from in vitro data: evidence for substrate-dependent inhibition. Drug Metab Dispos. 2012;40(1):47-53. 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

Rauvolfia Vomitoria Also Interacts With Other Medications

Rauvolfia Vomitoria has 229 major, 523 moderate, 87 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Olanzapine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 229 Moderate 523 Minor 87 No known interaction 1,991 (incl. Olanzapine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Rauvolfia Vomitoria

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Rauvolfia Vomitoria or Olanzapine

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

This page covers Rauvolfia Vomitoria only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Olanzapine page lists 160 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Indian Snakeroot (major), Lithium (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate) and 5-htp (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 118 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Olanzapine page

“Olanzapine (Zyprexa) is an antipsychotic prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and adding supplements to it warrants genuine care. Four of the 160 ingredients on file rate major, and those four deserve your attention before anything else: lithium supplements raise the risk of serotonin syndrome, activated charcoal can trap…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Olanzapine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 17 real supplement products containing Rauvolfia Vomitoria, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Rauvolfia Vomitoria. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Olanzapine too, on top of Rauvolfia Vomitoria — 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 Rauvolfia Vomitoria and Olanzapine 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 Rauvolfia Vomitoria
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Olanzapine
Top 25%

#325 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 Rauvolfia Vomitoria

What is Rauvolfia Vomitoria?

  • High blood pressure
  • Anxiety and agitation
  • Sleep problems
  • Mental health symptoms (traditional use)
  • Fever and general ailments

Rauvolfia vomitoria is an African shrub whose root contains powerful alkaloids, including reserpine, that have historically been used for high blood pressure and agitation. Because these compounds can strongly affect blood pressure, mood, and the nervous system, the plant can cause serious side effects and is not a casual supplement. Always talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using it.

Read the full Rauvolfia Vomitoria monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Olanzapine

What Is Olanzapine Used For?

Brand name: Zyprexa

Olanzapine treats schizophrenia and the manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder in both adults and adolescents (ages 13–17). It can also be used alongside valproate or lithium to treat manic or mixed episodes in adults. When combined with fluoxetine, olanzapine tablets and orally disintegrating tablets are used to treat depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder and treatment-resistant depression in adults.

Olanzapine intramuscular injection (short-acting) is used by healthcare providers to quickly calm acute agitation in adults with schizophrenia or bipolar I mania. Zyprexa Relprevv — a separate, long-acting intramuscular formulation available only through a restricted program — is indicated specifically for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults.

See full Olanzapine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Rauvolfia Vomitoria

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

229Major
523Moderate
87Minor
1,990No known interaction
229 Major 523 Moderate 87 Minor 1,990 No interaction
Major

229 interactions

Showing 60 of 229 major interactions — see all 229 on the Rauvolfia Vomitoria page.

Moderate

523 interactions

Showing 60 of 523 moderate interactions — see all 523 on the Rauvolfia Vomitoria page.

Minor

87 interactions

Showing 60 of 87 minor interactions — see all 87 on the Rauvolfia Vomitoria page.

No interaction 1,990 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,990 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Rauvolfia Vomitoria list.

See the full Rauvolfia Vomitoria interactions page
See every supplement checked against Olanzapine, 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
Rauvolfia Vomitoria monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Olanzapine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Olanzapine, ranked by severity Olanzapine drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Rauvolfia Vomitoria and Olanzapine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Rauvolfia Vomitoria with Olanzapine?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Rauvolfia Vomitoria and Olanzapine?
Olanzapine belongs to more than one drug category, and Rauvolfia Vomitoria 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 Rauvolfia Vomitoria and Olanzapine interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Olanzapine and Rauvolfia Vomitoria?

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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.