Drug & supplement interaction

Tree Turmeric + Lamotrigine

Lamotrigine brand name: Lamictal.

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

Tree Turmeric has a moderate interaction with Lamotrigine. Theoretically, use of tree turmeric along with CNS depressants might increase the risk of additive therapeutic and adverse effects.

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

Tree Turmeric and Lamotrigine

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Lamotrigine

Lamotrigine falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Tree Turmeric interacts with.

Theoretically, use of tree turmeric along with CNS depressants might increase the risk of additive therapeutic and adverse effects.
Animal research suggests that berberine, a constituent of tree turmeric, can have sedative effects.
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 gist for lamotrigine (Lamictal): the concern isn't that tree turmeric changes how your body breaks the drug down. Instead, it's about overlapping sedation. Lamotrigine can already cause drowsiness, dizziness, or trouble with coordination in some people. Animal studies hint that berberine, the active part of tree turmeric, may have a mild calming or sleepy effect of its own. Stacked together, you could in theory feel a little more tired or unsteady than usual.

I'll be honest with you, this is a theoretical flag based only on lab and animal data, so it's far from a guarantee in people. Still, if you do try tree turmeric, pay attention to how alert you feel and loop in your pharmacist or doctor first before adding it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Janbaz KH, Gilani AH. Studies on preventive and curative effects of berberine on chemical-induced hepatotoxicity in rodents. Fitoterapia 2000;71:25-33.. PubMed
  2. Shanbhag, S. M., Kulkarni, H. J., and Gaitonde, B. B. Pharmacological actions of berberine on the central nervous system. Jpn.J Pharmacol 1970;20(4):482-487. PubMed
  3. Peng, W. H., Hsieh, M. T., and Wu, C. R. Effect of long-term administration of berberine on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats. Jpn J Pharmacol 1997;74(3):261-266. DOI
  4. Sabir M and Bhide NK. Study of some pharmacological actions of berberine. Ind J Physiol & Pharmac 1971;15(3):111-132.

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

Tree Turmeric Also Interacts With Other Medications

Tree Turmeric has 2 major, 1,157 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Lamotrigine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 2 Moderate 1,157 No known interaction 1,671 (incl. Lamotrigine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Tree Turmeric

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Tree Turmeric or Lamotrigine

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

This page covers Tree Turmeric only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lamotrigine page lists 116 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 Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 92 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lamotrigine page

“Alcohol, ordinary beer or wine, sits at the top of the interaction list for lamotrigine (Lamictal), with well-documented added sedation, and it sets the tone for a list I would treat with real care. Of the 116 supplements and herbs on file, 78 have sedative effects of their own, so the biggest theme by far is stacked drowsiness and slo…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lamotrigine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 51 real supplement products containing Tree Turmeric, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Tree Turmeric. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lamotrigine too, on top of Tree Turmeric — 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 Tree Turmeric and Lamotrigine 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 Tree Turmeric
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Lamotrigine
Top 5%

#53 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 Tree Turmeric

What is Tree Turmeric?

  • Blood sugar support
  • High cholesterol
  • Digestive complaints
  • Skin and eye conditions
  • Antimicrobial uses
  • Liver support

Tree turmeric (Berberis aristata) is a shrub used in traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine, valued mainly for its berberine content. Early research suggests possible benefits for blood sugar and cholesterol, but high-quality human evidence is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Tree Turmeric monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lamotrigine

What Is Lamotrigine Used For?

Brand name: Lamictal

Lamotrigine is used to treat several types of seizures in adults and children aged 2 and older — including partial-onset seizures, generalized tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures, and seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. In older teens and adults, it can also be used alone (monotherapy) after transitioning off another seizure medicine.

For adults with bipolar I disorder, lamotrigine is used as a maintenance treatment — meaning it helps delay the return of mood episodes like depression, mania, or mixed states. It is not approved to treat an active manic or mixed episode that's happening right now.

See full Lamotrigine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Tree Turmeric

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

2Major
1,157Moderate
0Minor
1,670No known interaction
2 Major 1,157 Moderate 1,670 No interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

1,157 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,157 moderate interactions — see all 1,157 on the Tree Turmeric page.

No interaction 1,670 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,670 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Tree Turmeric list.

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

Can you take Tree Turmeric with Lamotrigine?
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 Tree Turmeric and Lamotrigine 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 Lamotrigine and Tree Turmeric?

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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.