Supplements and Zolpidem tartrate.
Zolpidem tartrate, sold under the brand names Stilnoct, Stilnox, Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, is a Z-drug hypnotic: it enhances GABA at the GABA-A receptor, as benzodiazepines do, though it is not a benzodiazepine.
Zolpidem tartrate is a Z-drug, one of the small group of sleeping tablets whose names begin with Z. It is not a benzodiazepine, but it works on the same receptor, GABA-A, at or beside the site benzodiazepines use, where it strengthens the calming signal of GABA. The licence limits treatment to short courses, usually four weeks or less including the taper, because tolerance and dependence build with regular use. The supplement question is mostly added sedation. Melatonin, valerian, passionflower and lemon balm can each deepen drowsiness and slow reactions on top of a Z-drug, most of all in the first hours after a dose. Zopiclone lasts longer in the body than zolpidem or zaleplon, so its drowsiness is the most likely to reach into the next morning. Alcohol adds to the sedation too, and the patient leaflet advises against drinking with it. If you take a sleep supplement as well, tell your GP or pharmacist, and do not drive until you know how the combination leaves you.
Below are the 4 documented pairs we have explicitly assessed against Zolpidem tartrate in the Distil database: 4 caution. The pairs cluster around 1 mechanism: Additive CNS depression. Every call is cited to either a clinical reference (PMID) or the British National Formulary. Anything not on this list is either still to be assessed or beyond our database scope. The checker beneath surfaces assessments by supplement, and the missing-item form at the bottom of the page routes any uncatalogued supplement into our next curation pass.
Documented interactions
Last reviewed 11 October 2026. Each interaction below lists the evidence its assessment drew on: some rest on studies of the exact pair, others on mechanism evidence, where a citation may support one part of the reasoning rather than the exact combination. The evidence line on each entry says which.
Additive CNS depression
Caution Does Lemon Balm interact with Zolpidem tartrate?
Lemon balm and zolpidem both calm the nervous system through overlapping pathways. Both are taken for sleep, so combining them may mean deeper-than-intended sedation and a heavier morning grogginess. Take care around driving the next morning.
Evidence: Limited human data, from small studies or case reports.
Caution Does Melatonin interact with Zolpidem tartrate?
Melatonin may add to zolpidem's effects on attention, memory and coordination, mainly in the first few hours after taking them together. In a study of people aged 55 and over, the combination impaired reaction and driving-type tests more than zolpidem alone, although next-morning driving tests were not affected. Avoid driving or demanding tasks after taking them, and take care if you get up in the night.
Evidence: Supported by human study data.
Caution Does Passionflower interact with Zolpidem tartrate?
Passionflower and zolpidem both calm the nervous system through the same kind of pathway, so taking them together can mean stronger drowsiness and slower reactions. Take care around driving or anything that needs full alertness.
Evidence: Limited human data, from small studies or case reports.
Caution Does Valerian Root interact with Zolpidem tartrate?
Valerian and zolpidem both promote sleep through overlapping pathways. Both are taken for sleep, so combining them can mean deeper-than-intended sedation, slower reactions, and a heavier morning hangover than either gives on its own. Use with care, particularly around driving the next morning.
Evidence: Limited human data, from small studies or case reports.
What this list does not say. Pairs not flagged here are not implicitly safe. They are either not yet in our database, or fall outside our inclusion scope (food-supplement interactions only; for drug-drug interactions, the BNF is authoritative). Use the checker below to surface any supplement, and submit a missing item if you take something we have not catalogued.
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How the checker decides
Every result has a source
Each pair we have assessed is cited to a published study (PMID) or the British National Formulary, so you can read the source yourself.
Four kinds of answer
Severe, caution, no known interaction, and not yet assessed. A pair we have not assessed is never shown as clear.
- Severe
- Caution
- No known interaction
- Not yet assessed
Nothing in our data is not a clearance
When nothing in our data records a problem with a pair, the result says no known interaction at typical doses, which is not a clearance: your pharmacist or GP can check the pair against your full medical history.
A full supplement review, built around you, not a generic stack.
The free checker answers one interaction question at a time. A Distil report reviews the bigger picture: your goals, diet, medications, current supplements and any blood results you provide, then shows what appears worth keeping, changing, adding or leaving out.
- what your diet already covers, so you are not adding a capsule for something food is already handling
- which evidence-graded compounds are worth considering for your goals, and which were considered but left out
- what to keep, change or stop from what you already take, plus the order to introduce anything new
- how your medications and complete supplement stack fit together, with daily timing and a clear point for reassessment
The interaction check is one section of the full report. You also get the reasoning behind each recommendation and the evidence references used.
£49 until 30 June 2027 · £79 from 1 July 2027.
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