Drug & supplement interaction

Sage + Atropine, Phenobarbital

Atropine, Phenobarbital brand name: Anthrocol.

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

Atropine, Phenobarbital falls into 2 drug categories that Sage can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking sage might increase the sedative and adverse effects of CNS depressants.

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

Sage and Atropine, Phenobarbital

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Sage interacts with whole categories of medication. Atropine, Phenobarbital falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Sage 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 Atropine, Phenobarbital

Atropine, Phenobarbital falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Sage interacts with.

Theoretically, taking sage might increase the sedative and adverse effects of CNS depressants.
Some constituents of sage have CNS depressant 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

Anthrocol contains phenobarbital, a barbiturate that calms the brain and can make you drowsy, plus atropine, which helps with stomach cramping. The concern here is mostly with the phenobarbital side. Some natural compounds in sage appear to have their own mild calming (sedative) activity, so in theory layering sage on top of phenobarbital could add to that drowsiness. You might feel sleepier, foggier, dizzy, or less steady on your feet.

I'll be honest: this is a theoretical worry based only on lab and animal data, not real patient reports. A little sage in cooking is very unlikely to matter. Concentrated sage extracts or the essential oil are where I'd be more cautious. Before adding a sage supplement, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Perry NS, Bollen C, Perry EK, Ballard C. Salvia for dementia therapy: review of pharmacological activity and pilot tolerability clinical trial. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2003;75:651-9.. PubMed
Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

2 of 2

Atropine, Phenobarbital also falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS.

Theoretically, sage might decrease the clinical effects of anticholinergic drugs.
In vitro evidence suggests that common sage (Salvia officinalis) and Spanish sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia) can inhibit acetylcholinesterase and might increase acetylcholine levels.
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. The atropine part of your medicine works by blocking acetylcholine, a nerve-signaling chemical, which is how it calms cramping, dries up secretions, and slows the gut. Sage seems to do the opposite in lab tests: it may raise acetylcholine by slowing the enzyme that breaks it down. So in theory, concentrated sage could nudge against atropine and make it work a little less well. The phenobarbital part isn't really the concern here.

I want to be honest that this is theoretical and comes only from test-tube studies, not from people. A little sage in cooking or tea is very unlikely to matter. If you're using strong sage extracts or the essential oil regularly, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye on things.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Orhan, I., Kartal, M., Kan, Y., and Sener, B. Activity of essential oils and individual components against acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase. Z.Naturforsch.C. 2008;63(7-8):547-553.
  2. Perry, N. S., Houghton, P. J., Theobald, A., Jenner, P., and Perry, E. K. In-vitro inhibition of human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase by salvia lavandulaefolia essential oil and constituent terpenes. J Pharm Pharmacol 2000;52(7):895-902.
  3. Savelev, S. U., Okello, E. J., and Perry, E. K. Butyryl- and acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitory activities in essential oils of Salvia species and their constituents. Phytother Res 2004;18(4):315-324.
  4. Kennedy, D. O., Pace, S., Haskell, C., Okello, E. J., Milne, A., and Scholey, A. B. Effects of cholinesterase inhibiting sage (Salvia officinalis) on mood, anxiety and performance on a psychological stressor battery. Neuropsychopharmacology 2006;31(4):84 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

Sage Also Interacts With Other Medications

Sage has 1,295 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Atropine, Phenobarbital one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,295 No known interaction 1,535 (incl. Atropine, Phenobarbital)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Sage

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Atropine, Phenobarbital

This page covers Sage only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Atropine, Phenobarbital page lists 165 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 Henbane (major).

By severity: 10 major · 134 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Atropine, Phenobarbital page

“Anthrocol combines phenobarbital, a sedating barbiturate, with atropine, and I would treat its supplement interactions with genuine care rather than a quick skim. Nearly half the entries, alcohol in any form among them, deepen phenobarbital's sedation, at worst to the point of dangerously slowed breathing.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Atropine, Phenobarbital interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 718 real supplement products containing Sage, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sage. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Atropine, Phenobarbital too, on top of Sage — 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 Sage and Atropine, Phenobarbital 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 Sage
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Atropine, Phenobarbital
Top 10%

#276 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 Sage

What is Sage?

Sage
  • Sore throat and mouth irritation
  • Digestive upset
  • Excessive sweating
  • Memory and thinking
  • Menopause symptoms (hot flashes)
  • General antioxidant support

Sage is a common kitchen herb that is generally safe in food amounts and is traditionally used for sore throats, digestion, sweating, and memory. Some early research is encouraging for sore throat and menopausal hot flashes, but most uses are not well proven. Concentrated extracts and the essential oil should be used carefully because high doses contain a compound called thujone, which can be harmful.

Read the full Sage monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sage

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

0Major
1,295Moderate
0Minor
1,534No known interaction
1,295 Moderate 1,534 No interaction
Moderate

1,295 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,295 moderate interactions — see all 1,295 on the Sage page.

No interaction 1,534 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,534 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Sage list.

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

Can you take Sage with Atropine, Phenobarbital?
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 Sage and Atropine, Phenobarbital?
Atropine, Phenobarbital belongs to more than one drug category, and Sage 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 Sage and Atropine, Phenobarbital 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.