Herb & supplement monograph

Sceletium Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Sceletium interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Sceletium is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Sceletium is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Sceletium Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Sceletium drug interaction appears low for most people, though anyone taking sedating medicines should be aware of a possible added drowsiness effect. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and every one traces back to a single theoretical concern rather than documented problems in people.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The interactions that deserve the most attention involve CNS depressants, meaning sedating medicines such as sleep aids, anxiety medications, and strong pain relievers. Sceletium may have calming, sedative properties of its own, so combining it with these drugs could in theory make drowsiness stronger. This has not been confirmed in human studies, but extra sleepiness matters if you drive, operate machinery, or need to stay alert. No other type of interaction stands out in the data.

What the rest of the list means

Sceletium's interaction list looks long, but nearly all of it comes from applying that one sedation concern across the many medicines that can cause drowsiness. The evidence behind it is theoretical, drawn from what we know about the plant's calming effects rather than from reports of actual harm. A long list here reflects caution, not proof that each combination is risky.

Check your medications against Sceletium

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Sceletium interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Sceletium

248 medications have a known interaction with Sceletium, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Sceletium using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Sceletium interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction 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.
Possible. 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
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Sceletium combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Sceletium affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Sceletium is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 1 drug category Sceletium interacts with

Cns Depressants

Theoretically, concomitant use of sceletium and CNS depressants might result in additive sedative effects.
Some evidence suggests that sceletium has sedative properties.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Sceletium: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Sceletium (often sold as 'kanna') is a South African plant traditionally used to ease stress and lift mood. Early human studies are small and short, so its benefits are not well proven. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Scientific name: Sceletium tortuosum
Family: Aizoaceae
Part used: Aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers), often fermented
Common forms: Capsules, tablets, powders, tinctures, chewed plant material, and tea

People commonly use it for

Anxiety and stress
Low mood
Mental focus and cognition
Relaxation
Traditional use as a mood lifter

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

It appears generally tolerable in small studies, but long-term safety is not well established.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Sceletium, often called kanna, is a small succulent plant native to dry regions of South Africa. The plant material is traditionally fermented and then chewed, smoked, or made into a snuff or tea by indigenous peoples, who used it to lift mood and reduce thirst, hunger, and tension.

Today, Sceletium is sold mainly as a dietary supplement in capsules, tablets, powders, and tinctures. Some products are standardized to certain plant compounds called alkaloids. People most often take it hoping to feel calmer, less anxious, or more focused.

How it works

Sceletium contains plant compounds called alkaloids, including ones named mesembrine and mesembrenone. In laboratory studies, these compounds appear to affect brain chemistry in a few ways.

One proposed action is blocking the reuptake of serotonin, a brain messenger linked to mood — somewhat similar in concept to how some antidepressant medicines work. Other lab research suggests it may affect an enzyme called PDE4, which is involved in inflammation and brain signaling.

It is important to know that these mechanisms are based mostly on test-tube and animal research. They help explain why the plant might affect mood, but they do not prove that it produces meaningful effects in people.

Effectiveness

Does Sceletium work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 6 uses evaluated

6 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

For Sceletium, current evidence isn’t strong enough to rate any specific use. The conditions it has been studied for are listed below.

Also studied for 6 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Alcohol use disorder