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Drug interactions

Oxycodone + Valerian

Severity: Moderate

Oxycodone 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 opioid-induced drowsiness. Clinical data are limited and the effect is probably modest.

What this interaction means in plain words

Oxycodone 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.

Evidence level: Low

Why it happens

Additive CNS depression, possibly via GABAergic activity of valerian constituents.

What to do

Advise patients to avoid valerian while taking oxycodone, or monitor for excess sedation and avoid 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?

Bring a full list of your medicines, including over-the-counter products, supplements and herbal remedies, to every pharmacy visit.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I take Oxycodone with Valerian?

MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Oxycodone 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 opioid-induced drowsiness. Clinical data are limited and the effect is probably modest.

How serious is the interaction between Oxycodone 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 patients to avoid valerian while taking oxycodone, or monitor for excess sedation and avoid driving.

What other medicines interact with Oxycodone?

MediHelp also lists interactions of Oxycodone with, for example, Alvimopan, Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates, Isocarboxazid. The full list is on the Oxycodone page.

Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app

Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.

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