Is Valerian Safe with Oxycodone?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Do not use valerian while taking oxycodone. Report any unusual drowsiness, slow or shallow breathing, or difficulty staying awake to your healthcare provider immediately.
Why this interaction occurs
Oxycodone is a potent CNS and respiratory depressant acting on mu-opioid receptors. Valerian's GABAergic sedative activity adds to oxycodone's depressant effects, potentially increasing the risk of life-threatening respiratory depression, particularly in elderly or opioid-naive patients.
Evidence
Evidence level: moderate.
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 298,224 reports mentioning Oxycodone. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the Oxycodone + 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 Valerian interactions → · All Oxycodone interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.