Drug interactions
Meperidine + Valerian
Severity: Moderate
Meperidine and Valerian: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Valerian has sedative properties and may add to the CNS depressant effects of meperidine. This can increase drowsiness and impair psychomotor function.
What this interaction means in plain words
Meperidine and Valerian can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive CNS depression, probably via GABAergic activity of valerian.
What to do
Advise avoiding valerian during opioid therapy; if used, monitor for excess sedation and counsel on driving.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Meperidine
- Alvimopan + Meperidine Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Meperidine Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Methylene blue Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Olanzapine / samidorphan Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Procarbazine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Meperidine with Valerian?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Meperidine and Valerian can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Valerian has sedative properties and may add to the CNS depressant effects of meperidine. This can increase drowsiness and impair psychomotor function.
How serious is the interaction between Meperidine and Valerian?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Advise avoiding valerian during opioid therapy; if used, monitor for excess sedation and counsel on driving.
What other medicines interact with Meperidine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Meperidine with, for example, Alvimopan, Isocarboxazid, Methylene blue. The full list is on the Meperidine page.
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