Drug & supplement interaction

Sweet Violet + Citalopram

Citalopram brand name: Celexa.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Sweet Violet and Citalopram in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Sweet Violet and Citalopram

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Citalopram and Sweet Violet in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Sweet Violet at all — not against Citalopram, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Sweet Violet safety at a glance

Sweet Violet overall Use caution Generally regarded as gentle in small culinary or tea amounts, but human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information is available, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough information to know if it is safe while breastfeeding, so avoid it.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Citalopram and Sweet Violet? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Citalopram’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Sweet Violet. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Citalopram’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 8 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Mania or an unusually elevated mood Worth acting on
  • Serotonin syndrome Worth acting on
  • Thoughts of self-harm Worth acting on
  • Low sodium Worth acting on
  • An irregular heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Seizures Worth acting on
  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on
  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on
  • Erection problems
  • Tiredness mentioned in 6.6% of FDA reports for Citalopram

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Citalopram. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 106,559 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Citalopram that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Sweet Violet’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Sweet Violet side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Sweet Violet has no side effects.

Overlapping uses

What Citalopram Is Prescribed For, and What Sweet Violet Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Citalopram is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Sweet Violet is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Citalopram is prescribed for: Citalopram — available as tablets (including brand Celexa), oral solution, and capsules — is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. This includes depression that causes persistent low mood, loss of interest in everyday activities, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Citalopram capsules are specifically indicated for adults with MDD but are not intended for starting or stopping treatment — another citalopram product must be used for dose titration. All forms are indicated for adults only; citalopram tablets are not approved for use in children.

Sweet Violet has been studied for:

  • Depression studied, not established Sweet Violet has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Sweet Violet for depression

    A small study in patients aged 16 to 50 years with mild to moderate depression and insomnia who are taking sertraline shows that taking an extract of sweet violet aerial parts syrup every 12 hours for 4 weeks improves Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores by 10 points, compared with 3 points in those receiving placebo.

    1 source cited
    1. 106575. Shayesteh M, Vaez-Mahdavi MR, Shams J, et al. Effects of Viola odorata as an Add-On Therapy on Insomnia in Patients with Obsession or Depression: A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med 2020;26(5):398-408.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Citalopram on your own; if you are taking Sweet Violet for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Sweet Violet or Citalopram

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

This page covers Sweet Violet only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Citalopram page lists 191 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Lithium (major), St. John's Wort (major) and 5-htp (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 144 moderate · 43 minor.

Open the Citalopram interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 14 real supplement products containing Sweet Violet, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sweet Violet. Even though Sweet Violet itself has no known interaction with Citalopram, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Sweet Violet and Citalopram 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 Sweet Violet
Steady interest

#1,420 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Citalopram
Top 5%

#51 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Sweet Violet reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Sweet Violet and Citalopram records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Sweet Violet

What is Sweet Violet?

  • Cough and sore throat
  • Bronchitis and chest congestion
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Skin irritation
  • Mild constipation
  • Headache

Sweet Violet is a traditional herb used mainly as a soothing remedy for coughs, sore throats, and minor respiratory complaints. Modern scientific evidence supporting these uses is very limited, so it should not replace proven treatments. It is generally considered gentle in food-like amounts, but talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or giving it to a child.

Viola odorata · Violaceae · Flowers, leaves, and roots; sometimes the whole plant · Tea (infusion), syrup, dried herb, tincture, and topical preparations

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Sweet Violet is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Sweet Violet record says about it on its own.

Sweet Violet: dosing

There is no standardized or officially established dose for Sweet Violet. Traditional use most often involves a tea made from the dried flowers or leaves, or a syrup for cough, but exact amounts vary widely between products and recipes.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Sweet Violet monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Sweet Violet monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Citalopram

What Is Citalopram Used For?

Brand name: Celexa

Citalopram — available as tablets (including brand Celexa), oral solution, and capsules — is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. This includes depression that causes persistent low mood, loss of interest in everyday activities, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.

Citalopram capsules are specifically indicated for adults with MDD but are not intended for starting or stopping treatment — another citalopram product must be used for dose titration. All forms are indicated for adults only; citalopram tablets are not approved for use in children.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Citalopram

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (106,559 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 6,992 reports
Nausea 6,019 reports
Headache 5,146 reports
Toxicity to various agents 5,100 reports
Diarrhea 4,832 reports
See full Citalopram drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sweet Violet

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Sweet Violet list.

See the full Sweet Violet interactions page
See every supplement checked against Citalopram, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Sweet Violet References

The 8 references that drive our Sweet Violet monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Beiraghdar F, Einollahi B, Ghadyani A, et al. A two-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Viola odorata, Echium amoenum and Physalis alkekengi mixture in symptomatic benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) men. Pharm Biol 2017;55(1):1800-5.
  2. Qasemzadeh MJ, Sharifi H, Hamedanian M, et al. The effect of Viola odorata flower syrup on the cough of children with asthma: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med 2015;20(4):287-91. doi: 10.1177/21565872155848 PubMed
  3. Feyzabadi Z, Rezaeitalab F, Badiee S, et al. Efficacy of Violet oil, a traditional Iranian formula, in patients with chronic insomnia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Ethnopharmacol 2018;214:22-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.11.036. PubMed
  4. Shayesteh M, Vaez-Mahdavi MR, Shams J, et al. Effects of Viola odorata as an Add-On Therapy on Insomnia in Patients with Obsession or Depression: A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med 2020;26(5):398-408.
  5. Taherzadeh Z, Khaluyan H, Iranshahy M, Rezaeitalab F, Eshaghi Ghalibaf MH, Javadi B. Evaluation of sedative effects of an intranasal dosage form containing saffron, lettuce seeds and sweet violet in primary chronic insomnia: A randomized, double-dummy, do
  6. Tafazoli V, Shahriari M, Heydari M, Nikbakht HA, Zarshenaas MM, Nimrouzi M. The Effect of Viola Odorata L. Oil for Fever in Children: A Randomized Triple-blinded Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial. Curr Drug Discov Technol 2020;17(5):696-703. PubMed
  7. Yazdi N, Kardooni M, Namjuyan F, Vardanjani HM, Tafazoli V, Jaladat AM. Efficacy of Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) flower oil on the symptoms of adults with allergic rhinitis: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Med PubMed
  8. Saffar Shahroodi A, Nejabat M, Nimrouzi M, Aghaei H, Salehi A, Rezaei Mokarram A. Effects of intranasal administration of violet oil in dry eye disease. Clin Exp Optom 2019;102(6):576-582. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Sweet Violet and Citalopram Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Sweet Violet with Citalopram?
We do not list a known interaction between Sweet Violet and Citalopram. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Are Sweet Violet and Citalopram used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Sweet Violet in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Citalopram is being adjusted to a target.
Does Citalopram interact with any supplements?
Yes. Citalopram has documented interactions with 191 supplements in our database — Sweet Violet is not one of them. The Citalopram interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Sweet Violet monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Citalopram drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Citalopram supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Citalopram, 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 References The 8 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Citalopram and Sweet Violet?

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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.