Drug & supplement interaction

Selenium + Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital

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

Selenium has a moderate interaction with Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital. Theoretically, selenium might prolong the sedating effects of barbiturates.

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

Selenium and Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital

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

Moderate

BARBITURATES

Why this applies to Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital

Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital falls under BARBITURATES — the group Selenium interacts with.

Theoretically, selenium might prolong the sedating effects of barbiturates.
Laboratory research suggests that selenium can inhibit the hepatic metabolism of barbiturates. Selenium seems to prolong the sedative effect of pentobarbital in animal models.
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

The medicine you're asking about (Bellergal-S) contains phenobarbital, which is a barbiturate sedative. There's a theory here worth knowing about: in lab and animal studies, selenium appeared to slow down how the liver breaks barbiturates down. If that happened in people, phenobarbital could hang around a bit longer and its calming effects might be stronger or last longer, meaning more drowsiness, grogginess, dizziness, or feeling foggy.

I want to be honest, though, this is only seen in test-tube and animal research, not in real patients, so it's far from proven. Normal dietary selenium is very unlikely to matter. If you're taking concentrated selenium supplements alongside this medication, just 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. Debski B, Milner JA. Dietary selenium supplementation prolongs pentobarbital induced hypnosis. J Nutr Biochem 2004;15:548-53. PubMed
  2. Ishikawa M, Sasaki M, Koiwai K, et al. Inhibition of hepatic mixed-function oxidase enzymes in mice by acute and chronic treatment with selenium. J Pharmacobiodyn 1992;15:377-85. 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

Selenium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Selenium has 287 moderate, 33 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 287 Minor 33 No known interaction 2,510 (incl. Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Selenium

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Selenium or Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Selenium or Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital, 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 Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital

This page covers Selenium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital page lists 250 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: 11 major · 200 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital page

“This belladonna, ergotamine, and phenobarbital combination, an older migraine treatment built around a sedating barbiturate, calls for real vigilance where supplements are concerned. The heaviest risk is stacked sedation.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 16,942 real supplement products containing Selenium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Selenium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital too, on top of Selenium — 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 Selenium and Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, 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 Selenium
Top 1%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital
Steady interest

#2,020 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 Selenium

What is Selenium?

  • Thyroid health support
  • Antioxidant support
  • Immune support
  • General nutrient supplementation
  • Reproductive/fertility support

Selenium is an essential trace mineral your body needs in small amounts for thyroid function, antioxidant defense, and immune health. Most people who eat a varied diet get enough, and supplements are mainly useful for those who are deficient. Because too much selenium can be toxic, stick to recommended amounts and check with your pharmacist or doctor before supplementing.

Read the full Selenium monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Selenium

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

0Major
287Moderate
33Minor
2,509No known interaction
287 Moderate 33 Minor 2,509 No interaction
Moderate

287 interactions

Showing 60 of 287 moderate interactions — see all 287 on the Selenium page.

Minor

33 interactions

No interaction 2,509 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,509 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Selenium list.

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

Can you take Selenium with Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, 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.
How serious is the Selenium and Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, 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

Still Have a Question About Belladonna, Ergotamine Tartrate, Phenobarbital and Selenium?

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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.