Supplement · Grade A

Ashwagandha and medications.

Every documented pair, every citation. Below: 5 documented pairs grouped by mechanism.

Ashwagandha is in the Distil supplement database, evidence Grade A. The page below lists every medication we have explicitly assessed it against.

Below are the 5 documented pairs we have explicitly assessed for Ashwagandha: 5 amber. The pairs cluster around 2 mechanisms: Additive CNS depression and Additive serotonergic activity. Every call is cited to either a clinical reference (PMID) or the British National Formulary. Anything not listed here is either still to be assessed or beyond our database scope. The checker beneath surfaces assessments by medication, and the missing-item form at the bottom of the page routes any uncatalogued medication into our next curation pass.

Documented interactions

Additive CNS depression

Amber Diazepam

Ashwagandha can have a mild sedating effect on top of its main anti-stress action. Combined with diazepam, the sedation can stack. Use with care around driving or heavy machinery.

BNF: Diazepam

Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.

Amber Lorazepam

Ashwagandha can have a mild sedating effect on top of its main anti-stress action. Combined with lorazepam, the sedation can stack.

BNF: Lorazepam

Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.

Amber Temazepam

Ashwagandha can have a mild sedating effect on top of its main anti-stress action. Combined with temazepam, the nocturnal sedation can stack.

BNF: Temazepam

Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.

Additive serotonergic activity

Amber Citalopram

Ashwagandha has mild effects on serotonin pathways that overlap with citalopram. Most people tolerate the combination but watch for restlessness, jaw tension, or sleep disruption.

BNF: Citalopram

Amber Sertraline

Ashwagandha has mild effects on serotonin pathways that overlap with sertraline. Most people tolerate the combination but watch for restlessness, jaw tension, or sleep disruption.

BNF: Sertraline

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. Use the checker below to surface any medication, and submit a missing item if you take something we have not catalogued.

Loading database stats…

For adults over 18. This tool gives evidence-graded information, not medical advice. Always discuss changes with your GP, especially if you take any medication, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a serious health condition.

Anything we should know? (optional)

Pick any that apply. We adjust the findings where context changes the answer.

Your supplements

Type the supplement name. Click each match to add it.

Your medications

Brand or generic name works. Click each match to add it.

How we decide

How we grade severity, choose what's in scope, and what we exclude.

Every call on this page is reasoned. We publish the full rubric for severity tiers, the medication inclusion logic, the evidence grades we accept, and what we deliberately leave out. About three thousand words. Worth reading once if you use this tool more than occasionally.

Read the full methodology

Something missing?

If a supplement or medication you take isn't in our autocomplete, tell us and we'll add it in the next quarterly update.

Thanks. Logged for the next quarterly update.

Distil's interactions database is reviewed and updated every quarter. We grade evidence transparently and publish our methodology, including every database change, at /about/methodology. This tool is information, not a substitute for clinical judgement. If you take medication and supplements together, your GP or pharmacist can review your full regimen against your medical history. If you want a comprehensive personalised stack reasoned against this same database, the Distil report is the next step up.