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Medication · Medication

Benzodiazepines

Sedative anti-anxiety and sleep drugs.

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A medication reference built from the interaction graph. It is not prescribing information — the label and your prescriber are.

What is uncertain

Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.

  • Caution with Kava: Additive sedation — a coma case is reported.
  • Caution with Passionflower: Additive sedation.
  • Caution with Magnolia Bark: Additive sedation.
  • Caution with Grapefruit: Grapefruit raises levels of some benzodiazepines, deepening sedation.
  • Caution with Alcohol: Additive CNS and respiratory depression — a leading cause of sedative overdose.
  • Caution with Opioids: The FDA black-box pairing: additive respiratory depression and overdose risk.
  • Caution with Valerian: Additive sedation — stacking two GABAergic agents deepens next-day grogginess and impairment.
  • Caution with Ashwagandha: Additive sedation on top of the sedative's effect.
  • Caution with Melatonin: Additive sedation; time carefully and expect stronger next-morning grog.

Interactions

Documented pairings with supplements and medicines. A medicine on this list is a conversation for whoever prescribes it.

  • KavaCaution

    Additive sedation — a coma case is reported.

  • PassionflowerCaution

    Additive sedation.

  • Magnolia BarkCaution

    Additive sedation.

  • GrapefruitCaution

    Grapefruit raises levels of some benzodiazepines, deepening sedation.

  • AlcoholCaution

    Additive CNS and respiratory depression — a leading cause of sedative overdose.

  • OpioidsCaution

    The FDA black-box pairing: additive respiratory depression and overdose risk.

  • ValerianCaution

    Additive sedation — stacking two GABAergic agents deepens next-day grogginess and impairment.

  • AshwagandhaCaution

    Additive sedation on top of the sedative's effect.

  • MelatoninCaution

    Additive sedation; time carefully and expect stronger next-morning grog.

The evidence in words

What it is

Sedative anti-anxiety and sleep drugs.

How it works

They enhance GABA signaling, producing sedation; anything else sedating stacks dangerously.

What it's used for

Acute anxiety, seizures, procedural sedation, short-term insomnia.

Supplement & drug interactions

Benzodiazepines has 9 documented interactions mapped below and in the interactions graph. The sedation-stacking class. Alcohol and opioids with benzodiazepines cause fatal respiratory depression; sedating supplements (kava, valerian, passionflower, ashwagandha, melatonin, magnolia) add drowsiness; grapefruit raises some benzo levels. Never combine with alcohol or opioids.

The rule

This is a medication reference for spotting interactions, not dosing advice. Every change to a supplement stack around a prescription belongs with the person who prescribes it.

Related reading

Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.

  • AlcoholEthanol — a CNS depressant and hepatotoxin with a broad interaction footprint.Evidence grade A
  • OpioidsStrong pain-relievers that also depress breathing.Evidence grade A
  • ADHD StimulantsPrescription stimulants for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.Evidence grade A
  • AntibioticsDrugs that kill or stop bacteria — short courses with long gut shadows.Evidence grade A

Sources

This entry lists no references of its own.

Last revised . A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.