Drug & supplement interaction

Sceletium + Lemborexant

Lemborexant brand name: Dayvigo.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Sceletium has a moderate interaction with Lemborexant. Theoretically, concomitant use of sceletium and CNS depressants might result in additive sedative effects.

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

Sceletium and Lemborexant

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Lemborexant

Lemborexant falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Sceletium interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of sceletium and CNS depressants might result in additive sedative effects.
Some evidence suggests that sceletium has sedative properties.
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

Lemborexant (Dayvigo) already works by quieting brain activity to help you fall and stay asleep. Sceletium, or kanna, seems to have some calming, sedative qualities of its own. Put the two together and you may simply feel more of that effect than you bargained for.

In plain terms, this could mean stronger next-morning grogginess, dizziness, trouble concentrating, or feeling unsteady on your feet (a fall risk, especially if you get up at night). I want to be honest about the evidence here: this concern is theoretical, based on how each one behaves, not on solid studies of the pair. Still, before combining them, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor so they can weigh in on your situation.

References
  1. Smith MT, Crouch NR, Gericke N, Hirst M. Psychoactive constituents of the genus Sceletium N.E.Br. and other Mesembryanthemaceae: a review. J Ethnopharmacol 1996;50:119-30. 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

Sceletium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Sceletium has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Lemborexant one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Sceletium

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Lemborexant

This page covers Sceletium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lemborexant page lists 195 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: 9 major · 147 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lemborexant page

“Lemborexant (Dayvigo) works by quieting the brain's wake signals, so the biggest risks on this list come from anything else that sedates you. Alcohol sits at the top; a drink layered over a dose can deepen drowsiness into real impairment, and a few entries carry the added danger of slowed breathing.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lemborexant interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 132 real supplement products containing Sceletium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sceletium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lemborexant too, on top of Sceletium — 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 Sceletium and Lemborexant 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 Sceletium
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lemborexant
Top 10%

#229 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 Sceletium

What is Sceletium?

  • Anxiety and stress
  • Low mood
  • Mental focus and cognition
  • Relaxation
  • Traditional use as a mood lifter

Sceletium (often sold as 'kanna') is a South African plant traditionally used to ease stress and lift mood. Early human studies are small and short, so its benefits are not well proven. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Sceletium monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lemborexant

What Is Lemborexant Used For?

Brand name: Dayvigo

Dayvigo (lemborexant) is used to treat insomnia in adults. It helps people who have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both.

It is not approved for use in children. Only the oral tablet form is available under the brand name Dayvigo.

See full Lemborexant drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sceletium

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

0Major
247Moderate
0Minor
2,582No known interaction
Moderate

247 interactions

Showing 60 of 247 moderate interactions — see all 247 on the Sceletium page.

No interaction 2,582 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 Sceletium and Lemborexant Together: Common Questions

Can you take Sceletium with Lemborexant?
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 Sceletium and Lemborexant 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 Lemborexant and Sceletium?

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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.