Drug & supplement interaction

Rhodiola + Lofepramine

Lofepramine brand names: Feprapax, Lomont, Gamanil, Tymelyt.

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

Lofepramine falls into 3 drug categories that Rhodiola can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Theoretically, rhodiola might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Rhodiola and Lofepramine

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Rhodiola interacts with whole categories of medication. Lofepramine falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Rhodiola in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Lofepramine

Lofepramine falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Rhodiola interacts with.

Theoretically, rhodiola might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.
In vitro research shows that rhodiola inhibits CYP1A2. This effect is highly variable and appears to be dependent on the rhodiola product studied. However, a clinical study in healthy young males found that taking rhodiola extract 290 mg daily for 14 days does not inhibit the metabolism of caffeine, a CYP1A2 substrate.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 one: Lofepramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, is partly broken down by a liver enzyme called CYP1A2. In lab (test tube) studies, Rhodiola can slow that enzyme down. If that happened in real life, your body might clear Lofepramine a little more slowly, letting levels creep up. That could mean more of the usual tricyclic side effects, things like drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, or a faster heartbeat.

The reassuring part: this is mostly theoretical. The effect varied a lot between products, and a human study found Rhodiola didn't actually slow the breakdown of caffeine (another CYP1A2 drug). So a real-world problem seems unlikely. Still, it's worth a quick mention to your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Thu OK, Nilsen OG, Hellum B. In vitro inhibition of cytochrome P-450 activities and quantification of constituents in a selection of commercial Rhodiola rosea products. Pharm Bio. 2016 Dec;54(12):3249-3256.
  2. Thu OK, Spigset O, Nilsen OG, Hellum B. Effect of commercial Rhodiola rosea on CYP enzyme activity in humans. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2016 Mar;72(3):295-300. PubMed
Minor

CNS DEPRESSANTS

2 of 3

Lofepramine also falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS.

Theoretically, rhodiola might increase the risk of adverse effects when taken with CNS depressants.
A review of adverse event reports in Poland identified cases of excessive sedation, myoclonus, hypotension, and hallucinations when rhodiola was taken with haloperidol, diazepam, or alprazolam.
Severity Minor 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 with Lofepramine, which is a tricyclic antidepressant. On its own it can already cause drowsiness, a dry mouth, dizziness when you stand up, and a slightly woozy or foggy feeling, especially when you first start it. The thought here is that adding Rhodiola might pile a little more of that sedating, calming effect on top, so you could feel sleepier, lightheaded, or more groggy than usual.

I want to be honest that this is a minor, mostly theoretical concern. It comes from a few scattered reports where rhodiola was taken with other sedating medicines, not specifically with lofepramine, so the evidence is thin. It's not dangerous for most people, but since Rhodiola's benefits aren't well proven, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Woron J, Siwek M. Unwanted effects of psychotropic drug interactions with medicinal products and diet supplements containing plant extracts. Psychiatr Pol 2018;52(6):983-96. PubMed
Minor

ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS

3 of 3

Lofepramine also falls under ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS.

Theoretically, rhodiola might increase the risk of adverse effects when taken with antidepressants.
A review of adverse event reports in Poland identified cases of tachyarrhythmias, myalgia, arthralgia, gum pain, restless leg syndrome, swallowing disorders, and changes in consciousness when rhodiola was taken in combination with paroxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, sertraline, trazodone, and/or duloxetine.
Severity Minor 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

Lofepramine is a tricyclic antidepressant that raises serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain. Rhodiola is thought to nudge those same brain chemicals a little, so the worry here is simply overlap, two things gently pushing in the same direction at once. This isn't about Rhodiola blocking or speeding up how your body clears the drug.

To be honest, the evidence is weak and mostly anecdotal. A handful of reports (with other antidepressants, not Lofepramine itself) mentioned things like a racing heart, muscle or joint aches, and feeling off mentally. With Lofepramine, the practical concern would be added serotonin-type effects or extra strain on your heart rhythm. The risk is rated minor, but please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Woron J, Siwek M. Unwanted effects of psychotropic drug interactions with medicinal products and diet supplements containing plant extracts. Psychiatr Pol 2018;52(6):983-96. 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

Rhodiola Also Interacts With Other Medications

Rhodiola has 624 moderate, 646 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Lofepramine one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 624 Minor 646 No known interaction 1,560 (incl. Lofepramine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Rhodiola

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Rhodiola or Lofepramine

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

This page covers Rhodiola only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lofepramine page lists 244 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), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 15 major · 190 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Lofepramine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,713 real supplement products containing Rhodiola, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Rhodiola. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lofepramine too, on top of Rhodiola — 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 Rhodiola and Lofepramine 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 Rhodiola
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lofepramine
Steady interest

#1,972 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 Rhodiola

What is Rhodiola?

Rhodiola
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Stress and coping (adaptogen)
  • Mental performance and focus
  • Mild depression
  • Physical and exercise performance

Rhodiola is an herb traditionally used to fight fatigue and help the body cope with stress. Some small studies suggest it may modestly reduce fatigue and improve mood, but the evidence is limited and not strong. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Rhodiola monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Rhodiola

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

0Major
624Moderate
646Minor
1,559No known interaction
624 Moderate 646 Minor 1,559 No interaction
Moderate

624 interactions

Showing 60 of 624 moderate interactions — see all 624 on the Rhodiola page.

Minor

646 interactions

Showing 60 of 646 minor interactions — see all 646 on the Rhodiola page.

No interaction 1,559 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,559 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Rhodiola list.

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

Can you take Rhodiola with Lofepramine?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Rhodiola and Lofepramine?
Lofepramine belongs to more than one drug category, and Rhodiola 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 Rhodiola and Lofepramine interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Lofepramine and Rhodiola?

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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.