Drug & supplement interaction

Schisandra + Brivaracetam

Brivaracetam brand name: Briviact.

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

Schisandra has a moderate interaction with Brivaracetam. Theoretically, schisandra might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C19 substrates.

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

Schisandra and Brivaracetam

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Brivaracetam

Brivaracetam falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES — the group Schisandra interacts with.

Theoretically, schisandra might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C19 substrates.
In vitro research shows that schisandra inhibits CYP2C19, and animal research shows that schisandra increases the concentration of voriconazole, a CYP2C19 substrate. Theoretically, schisandra may also inhibit the metabolism of other CYP2C19 substrates. This effect has not been reported in humans.
Severity Moderate 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 situation with Briviact and schisandra. Your body uses an enzyme called CYP2C19 to help break down brivaracetam. Lab studies suggest schisandra can slow that same enzyme down. If that happened in real life, brivaracetam might clear out of your body a little more slowly and build up, which could mean stronger effects and more side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, or feeling unsteady.

I want to be honest about how soft this evidence is. It comes from test-tube and animal research, not from people, so we really don't know if it matters in everyday use. Brivaracetam isn't a prodrug, so the concern would be more drug, not less. Still, because seizure medicine is something you don't want to wobble, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before adding schisandra.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Yuan F, Liang X, Chen X, Qin X, Tan C, Wang L. CYP2C19 is involved in the effect of Wuzhi tablet (Schisandra sphenanthera extract) and its constituents on the pharmacokinetics of intravenous voriconazole. Pharmazie. 2020;75(11):559-564. DOI

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

Schisandra Also Interacts With Other Medications

Schisandra has 802 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Brivaracetam one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 802 No known interaction 2,028 (incl. Brivaracetam)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Schisandra

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Schisandra or Brivaracetam

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

This page covers Schisandra only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Brivaracetam page lists 50 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), Artichoke (moderate), Bacopa (moderate) and Baikal Skullcap (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 36 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Brivaracetam page

“Brivaracetam (Briviact) controls seizures, and anything that shifts its blood level risks that control, so I read this list with genuine vigilance. Only one of the 50 ingredients is rated major: activated charcoal, which can bind the drug in the gut and cut how much reaches the bloodstream, the wrong direction for seizure protection.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Brivaracetam interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,577 real supplement products containing Schisandra, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Schisandra. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Brivaracetam too, on top of Schisandra — 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 Schisandra and Brivaracetam 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 Schisandra
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Brivaracetam
Top 25%

#600 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 Schisandra

What is Schisandra?

Schisandra
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Stress and adaptogen support
  • Liver health
  • Mental focus and performance
  • Menopause symptoms
  • Respiratory complaints

Schisandra is a traditional Chinese medicine berry used as an adaptogen for stress, fatigue, and liver support. Human evidence is limited and most claims are not well proven, but it appears reasonably well tolerated by most healthy adults when used short term. Pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid it, and anyone with a health condition should check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Schisandra monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Brivaracetam

What Is Brivaracetam Used For?

Brand name: Briviact

Brivaracetam — available as tablets, oral solution, and injection under the brand name Briviact, as well as generic forms — is indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures (seizures that begin in one part of the brain) in patients 1 month of age and older. It can be used alone (monotherapy) or alongside other seizure medicines (adjunctive therapy).

Briviact injection is specifically intended for intravenous use when a patient is temporarily unable to take medicine by mouth — it is not meant for long-term IV use. The oral tablet and oral solution forms are used for ongoing treatment.

See full Brivaracetam drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Schisandra

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

0Major
802Moderate
0Minor
2,027No known interaction
802 Moderate 2,027 No interaction
Moderate

802 interactions

Showing 60 of 802 moderate interactions — see all 802 on the Schisandra page.

No interaction 2,027 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,027 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Schisandra list.

See the full Schisandra interactions page
See every supplement checked against Brivaracetam, 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
Schisandra monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Brivaracetam supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Brivaracetam, ranked by severity Brivaracetam 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 Schisandra and Brivaracetam Together: Common Questions

Can you take Schisandra with Brivaracetam?
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 Schisandra and Brivaracetam 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 Brivaracetam and Schisandra?

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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.