Questions About Holy Basil And Tongat Ali With Zoloft And Adderall

In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses potential interactions between Zoloft, Adderall, Holy Basil and Tongkat Ali.

Question

Hello! I currently take 50 mg of sertraline and 5 mg of Adderall. I want to start taking a few supplements: Tongkat Ali (600 mg) and Holy Basil (1200 mg). Are there any interactions I need to watch out for?

Asked by Chris On May 17, 2023

Answered by
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff

Published May 17, 2023
Last updated Apr 26, 2024

Key points

  • There are no known interactions between Zoloft, Adderall, Tongkat Ali, and Holy Basil.

Answer

Great question! I always enjoy answering questions like this. I'll touch on each supplement/drug combination in the sections below.

We have detailed pages as well for each herbal you mentioned in your question, which I've linked below, if you want to read an overview of them and all of their potential interactions:

Zoloft (Sertraline) With Tongkat Ali

There is no known interaction between Zoloft and Tongkat Ali.

While studies show that Tongkat Ali may affect a number of different liver metabolizing enzymes, the one primarily responsible for Zoloft metabolism, CYP2B6, doesn't appear to be significantly impacted.

Additionally, I could not find any studies that have reported an interaction between Zoloft and Tongkat Ali.

It is important to note that since Tongat Ali does seems to affect other liver metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C19, it may not be safe with all antidepressants. I am strictly talking about Zoloft in this case.

Zoloft With Holy Basil

There is no known interaction between Zoloft and Holy Basil. However, I will mention that Holy basil may have some mild sedative effects in some people.

Since Zoloft can also cause drowsiness in some, especially those who first start taking it, it is important to note there could be some combined effects here.

Adderall (Amphetamine Salts) With Tongkat Ali

There is no known interaction between Adderall and Tongat Ali.

Adderall is primarily metabolized in the liver via CYP2D6, an enzyme that Tongkat Ali is not known to affect.

I could find no studies documenting an interaction here.

Adderall With Holy Basil

There is no known interaction between Adderall and Holy Basil.

Additionally, Holy Basil doesn't seem to have any conflicting effects with Adderall. They are generally considered safe to take together.

Final Words

I hope you found this answer helpful!

Overall, I couldn't find any reported interactions between the drugs/herbals you asked about, and based on all of their known properties, we generally wouldn't expect any clinically significant interactions.

I will say, however, that oftentimes, herbal products are not well studied for their potential interactions so be sure to talk to your doctor before changing your medication regimen, which includes adding on new supplements.

References

About the Pharmacist

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD

Dr. Brian has been practicing pharmacy for over 13 years and has wide-ranging experiences in many different areas of the profession. From retail, clinical, program development, and administrative responsibilities, he's your knowledgeable and go-to source for all your pharmacy and medication-related questions! Dr. Brian Staiger also has herbalist training and educational certificates in the field of medical ethnobotany. Feel free to send him an email at [email protected]! You can also connect with Dr. Brian Staiger on LinkedIn.

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