Does Ylang Ylang Interact With Any Medications?

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Ylang ylang doesn't have any well-documented, clinically significant drug interactions, and for most people using it the way it's intended (as an essential oil), an interaction with medication isn't expected.

How Ylang Ylang Is Typically Used

Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) is a tropical tree whose flowers are distilled into an intensely fragrant essential oil.

You'll find it in perfumes, lotions, massage oils, and aromatherapy blends, where it's most often used for relaxation and stress relief.

Small aromatherapy studies have suggested that inhaling ylang ylang may have a mild calming effect, and some have observed modest reductions in blood pressure and heart rate with inhalation, though this research is limited and results have been inconsistent.

Importantly, ylang ylang is meant for inhalation or diluted topical use, not for swallowing. Like most essential oils, it can be harmful if taken by mouth. So, when I talk about interactions with drugs, I am assuming you are using ylang ylang as an essential oil.

Why Documented Interactions Are Rare

Meaningful drug interactions generally require a substance to be absorbed into the body in significant amounts, where it can either affect the liver enzymes that break down medications or add to a drug's effects.

When ylang ylang is inhaled from a diffuser or applied to the skin in a properly diluted product, very little reaches the bloodstream, so the classic metabolism-based interactions we worry about with oral herbs simply aren't a realistic concern here.

Having said that, formal interaction studies with ylang ylang haven't been done, as far as I am aware, so the lack of reported problems reflects both its typical low-exposure use and a genuine gap in research, not proof that it's been tested and cleared.

Theoretical Considerations With Certain Medications

There are two theoretical points worth knowing about. First, because ylang ylang may have a mild relaxing or sedating quality, it's reasonable to be mindful if you take sedating medications such as benzodiazepines, sleep aids, or opioids.

Any additive effect from aromatherapy would likely be subtle, but it's something to pay attention to. Second, given those small studies hinting at slight drops in blood pressure and heart rate with inhalation, people taking blood pressure or heart rate-lowering medications may want to mention their use of ylang ylang to their doctor, especially if they notice dizziness or lightheadedness.

Neither of these rises to the level of a documented interaction, but they're the areas where I'd keep an eye out.

Final Words

Overall, ylang ylang used in aromatherapy or diluted on the skin isn't expected to interact with your medications, though the combination hasn't been formally studied.

If you're considering any product meant to be swallowed, run it by your pharmacist or doctor first so they can monitor you.

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