Drug & supplement interaction

Yohimbe + Fentanyl

Fentanyl brand names: Sublimaze, Duragesic, Fentora, Lazanda, Abstral, and others.

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

Fentanyl falls into 2 drug categories that Yohimbe can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, yohimbe might increase the levels and adverse effects of CYP2D6 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Yohimbe and Fentanyl

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Yohimbe interacts with whole categories of medication. Fentanyl falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Yohimbe in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Fentanyl

Fentanyl falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) SUBSTRATES — the group Yohimbe interacts with.

Theoretically, yohimbe might increase the levels and adverse effects of CYP2D6 substrates.
In vitro research suggests that yohimbine, a constituent of yohimbe bark, inhibits CYP2D6 enzyme activity.
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 honest picture for fentanyl. The concern on file is that yohimbine (the active part of yohimbe) may slow down a liver enzyme called CYP2D6, which in theory could let drugs that depend on it build up. But this comes from lab-dish research only, so it's a theoretical worry, not something proven in people.

On top of that, fentanyl is actually cleared mainly by a different enzyme (CYP3A4), not CYP2D6, so this particular interaction likely matters very little for fentanyl itself. The bigger real-world issue is yohimbe's own tendency to raise blood pressure and heart rate, which doesn't mix well with a powerful opioid. Since fentanyl is so potent, please run this combination by your pharmacist or doctor before mixing them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. VandenBrink, B. M., Foti, R. S., Rock, D. A., Wienkers, L. C., and Wahlstrom, J. L. Prediction of CYP2D6 drug interactions from in vitro data: evidence for substrate-dependent inhibition. Drug Metab Dispos. 2012;40(1):47-53. PubMed
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Fentanyl also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, yohimbe might decrease the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that yohimbe extract induces CYP3A4 enzymes.
Severity Minor 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 short version: your body clears fentanyl using a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. Lab studies hint that yohimbe may speed up that enzyme, which could break fentanyl down a little faster. In theory, that might make your pain medicine work less well than expected, so you could notice more breakthrough pain. Fentanyl is not a prodrug, so faster clearance means less effect, not more.

I want to keep this in perspective. This is rated a minor interaction based only on test-tube research, not real patients, so it may not amount to much in practice. Still, yohimbe carries its own risks like high blood pressure and a racing heart. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Haron MH, Dale O, Martin K, et al. Evaluation of the Herb-Drug Interaction Potential of Commonly Used Botanicals on the US Market with Regard to PXR- and AhR-Mediated Influences on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2. J Diet Suppl 2022. 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

Yohimbe Also Interacts With Other Medications

Yohimbe has 9 major, 679 moderate, 436 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Fentanyl one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 9 Moderate 679 Minor 436 No known interaction 1,706 (incl. Fentanyl)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Yohimbe

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Yohimbe or Fentanyl

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

This page covers Yohimbe only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fentanyl page lists 226 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: 10 major · 176 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Fentanyl page

“There is very little room for error with fentanyl (Duragesic, Sublimaze, Actiq, and other forms), a powerful opioid where a modest rise in blood level or an extra layer of sedation can become dangerous, so this interaction list deserves real respect. Most of the risk falls into two patterns.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Fentanyl interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,054 real supplement products containing Yohimbe, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Yohimbe. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Fentanyl too, on top of Yohimbe — 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 Yohimbe and Fentanyl 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 Yohimbe
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Fentanyl
Steady interest

#1,745 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 Yohimbe

What is Yohimbe?

Yohimbe
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Low sex drive
  • Sexual performance
  • Weight loss
  • Athletic performance

Yohimbe is a West African tree bark that contains yohimbine, a compound mainly promoted for erectile dysfunction and as an aphrodisiac. A prescription form of yohimbine has some evidence for erectile dysfunction, but over-the-counter yohimbe supplements vary widely in content and can cause serious side effects like high blood pressure and fast heart rate. Because of these safety concerns, talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Yohimbe monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Fentanyl

What Is Fentanyl Used For?

Brand names: Sublimaze, Duragesic, Fentora, Lazanda, Abstral, Subsys

Fentanyl transdermal system is prescribed for severe, persistent pain that cannot be controlled with other pain medicines, including shorter-acting opioids. It is only for people who are already opioid-tolerant — meaning they've been taking a significant daily opioid dose for at least a week.

It is not for short-term pain, post-surgical pain, mild pain, or use on an as-needed basis. Because of serious risks including addiction, overdose, and death, it is reserved for situations where other treatment options have failed or are not appropriate.

See full Fentanyl drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Yohimbe

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

9Major
679Moderate
436Minor
1,705No known interaction
9 Major 679 Moderate 436 Minor 1,705 No interaction
Major

9 interactions

Moderate

679 interactions

Showing 60 of 679 moderate interactions — see all 679 on the Yohimbe page.

Minor

436 interactions

Showing 60 of 436 minor interactions — see all 436 on the Yohimbe page.

No interaction 1,705 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,705 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Yohimbe list.

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

Can you take Yohimbe with Fentanyl?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Yohimbe and Fentanyl?
Fentanyl belongs to more than one drug category, and Yohimbe interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Yohimbe and Fentanyl 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 Fentanyl and Yohimbe?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.