Is Berberine Safe with Desipramine?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Avoid combining Berberine with Desipramine — Berberine blocks the liver enzyme (CYP2D6) that processes Desipramine, potentially raising Desipramine levels to toxic range. Consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Why this interaction occurs
Berberine directly inhibits CYP2D6 enzyme activity. Result: increased drug levels. May increase opioid and antidepressant levels
Evidence
Evidence level: moderate.
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 1,735 reports mentioning Desipramine. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the Desipramine + supplement combination on this page.
FAERS reports are voluntary and cannot prove that a drug caused an event. Do not use report counts to assess the safety of this specific drug-supplement pair.
Frequently asked questions
Related interactions
All Berberine interactions → · All Desipramine interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.