Drug & supplement interaction

Valerian + Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine

Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine brand name: Amesec.

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

Valerian has a moderate interaction with Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine. Valerian can have additive sedative effects when used concomitantly with CNS depressant drugs.

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

Valerian and Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine

Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Valerian interacts with.

Valerian can have additive sedative effects when used concomitantly with CNS depressant drugs.
Theoretically, concomitant use of valerian and drugs with sedative and anesthetic properties may cause additive therapeutic and adverse 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

This combination product (Amesec) contains amobarbital, which is a barbiturate sedative. That is the piece that matters here. Valerian is a calming herb that may gently boost GABA activity in the brain, the same general direction that amobarbital works. Used together, the two can add up, so you might feel more drowsy, foggy, dizzy, or slowed down than you expect.

To be fair, this concern comes from lab and animal data, not strong human studies, so it is more theoretical than proven. Still, since two sedating things are stacking, I would play it safe. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before pairing valerian with this medicine, and avoid driving until you know how the combo affects you.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Houghton PJ. The scientific basis for the reputed activity of Valerian. J Pharm Pharmacol 1999;51:505-12. PubMed
  2. Yuan CS, Mehendale S, Xiao Y, et al. The gamma-aminobutyric acidergic effects of valerian and valerenic acid on rat brainstem neuronal activity. Anesth Analg 2004;98:353-8. PubMed
  3. Carrasco MC, Vallejo JR, Pardo-de-Santayana M, et al. Interactions of Valeriana officinalis L. and Passiflora incarnata L. in a patient treated with lorazepam. Phytother Res. 2009 Dec;23:1795-6.

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

Valerian Also Interacts With Other Medications

Valerian has 337 moderate, 566 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 337 Minor 566 No known interaction 1,927 (incl. Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Valerian

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Valerian or Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine

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

This page covers Valerian only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine page lists 151 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), Black Tea (major) and Caffeine (major).

By severity: 21 major · 108 moderate · 22 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine page

“Amesec is an unusual mix, a sedative barbiturate (amobarbital) plus the stimulant ephedrine and the asthma drug aminophylline, so its interaction list pulls hard in both directions and deserves real care, with 21 of the 151 ingredients rated major. The most everyday hazard is caffeine.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2,185 real supplement products containing Valerian, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Valerian. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine too, on top of Valerian — 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 Valerian and Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine 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 Valerian
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine
Top 1%

#11 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 Valerian

What is Valerian?

Valerian
  • Insomnia and poor sleep
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Restlessness
  • Muscle tension or cramps
  • Menstrual discomfort

Valerian is an herb whose root is widely used as a natural sleep aid and for calming nerves. The evidence is mixed and often weak, so it may help some people sleep but does not work reliably for everyone. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Read the full Valerian monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Valerian

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

0Major
337Moderate
566Minor
1,926No known interaction
337 Moderate 566 Minor 1,926 No interaction
Moderate

337 interactions

Showing 60 of 337 moderate interactions — see all 337 on the Valerian page.

Minor

566 interactions

Showing 60 of 566 minor interactions — see all 566 on the Valerian page.

No interaction 1,926 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,926 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Valerian list.

See the full Valerian interactions page
See every supplement checked against Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine, 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
Valerian monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine, 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 Valerian and Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Valerian with Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine?
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 Valerian and Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine 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 Aminophylline, Amobarbital, Ephedrine and Valerian?

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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.