Drug & supplement interaction

Toothed Clubmoss + Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline brand name: Elavil.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Toothed Clubmoss has a moderate interaction with Amitriptyline. In animal models, toothed clubmoss and huperzine A, an active constituent of toothed clubmoss, reversed cognitive deficits induced by scopolamine.

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

Toothed Clubmoss and Amitriptyline

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

Moderate

ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline falls under ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS — the group Toothed Clubmoss interacts with.

In animal models, toothed clubmoss and huperzine A, an active constituent of toothed clubmoss, reversed cognitive deficits induced by scopolamine. Theoretically, concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs and toothed clubmoss might decrease the effectiveness of toothed clubmoss or the anticholinergic drug.
Some anticholinergic drugs include atropine, benztropine (Cogentin), biperiden (Akineton), procyclidine (Kemadrin), and trihexyphenidyl (Artane).
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 simple version: amitriptyline (Elavil) has anticholinergic activity, meaning it blocks acetylcholine, the same brain chemical that toothed clubmoss (through huperzine A) tries to boost. So the two work in opposite directions and may partly cancel each other out. Huperzine A might not help your memory as well, and your amitriptyline might lose a little of its punch too.

Honestly, this is mostly theory drawn from animal studies, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. What matters more is keeping an eye on amitriptyline's usual effects, like dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness, or feeling foggy. Before adding clubmoss, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

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

Toothed Clubmoss Also Interacts With Other Medications

Toothed Clubmoss has 218 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Amitriptyline 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 Toothed Clubmoss

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Toothed Clubmoss or Amitriptyline

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

This page covers Toothed Clubmoss only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Amitriptyline page lists 296 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), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major) and Beer (major).

By severity: 17 major · 228 moderate · 51 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Amitriptyline page

“Amitriptyline (Elavil), an older antidepressant now often prescribed for nerve pain, migraines, and sleep, is one of the drugs I genuinely want patients to be careful with, and 17 of the 296 supplement and herbal ingredients on this list carry a major rating. Most of the serious ones deepen the drowsiness amitriptyline already causes,…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Amitriptyline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 101 real supplement products containing Toothed Clubmoss, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Toothed Clubmoss. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Amitriptyline too, on top of Toothed Clubmoss — 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 Toothed Clubmoss and Amitriptyline 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 Toothed Clubmoss
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Amitriptyline
Top 5%

#45 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 Toothed Clubmoss

What is Toothed Clubmoss?

Toothed Clubmoss
  • Memory and cognitive support
  • Alzheimer's disease and dementia
  • General brain or 'nootropic' support
  • Inflammation and pain (traditional use)
  • Age-related memory loss

Toothed Clubmoss is a moss-like plant best known as the natural source of huperzine A, a compound studied mainly for memory and Alzheimer's disease. Some early research is promising, but the evidence is limited and the supplement is not well standardized or regulated, so quality between products varies. Because it can affect the nervous system, talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Toothed Clubmoss monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Amitriptyline

What Is Amitriptyline Used For?

Brand name: Elavil

Amitriptyline HCL and Amitriptyline Hydrochloride tablets are used to relieve symptoms of depression. Depression that originates from within the body (called endogenous depression) tends to respond better than other types of depression.

See full Amitriptyline drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Toothed Clubmoss

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

0Major
218Moderate
0Minor
2,611No known interaction
Moderate

218 interactions

Showing 60 of 218 moderate interactions — see all 218 on the Toothed Clubmoss page.

No interaction 2,611 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 Toothed Clubmoss and Amitriptyline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Toothed Clubmoss with Amitriptyline?
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 Toothed Clubmoss and Amitriptyline 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 Amitriptyline and Toothed Clubmoss?

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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.