The short answer
A chamomile interaction with clonazepam remains theoretical. Review concentrated products and other sleep aids with your pharmacist.
What this answer covers
Oral Matricaria chamomilla, also called German chamomile or Matricaria recutita; not Roman chamomile or every plant part.
- Supplement or preparation
- Matricaria chamomilla
- Medication ingredient
- clonazepam
What the warning means
NCCIH describes a possible interaction with sedatives as theoretical. It does not establish how much extra impairment this exact combination causes.
What the trial actually tested
A small placebo-controlled study of standardized German chamomile extract found no significant difference in primary sleep outcomes or adverse events. It did not test this medicine combination.
Confirm the plant and product
Check the Latin species, plant part, extract and added ingredients. A tea and concentrated capsule need separate review; no protective separation interval has been established.
Watch for impaired alertness
Clonazepam can affect alertness and coordination. Avoid driving if affected. Seek urgent help for severe difficulty waking or breathing, and tell the prescriber about alcohol, opioids and all other sedating products.
Evidence and practical considerations
Side effects & toxicity
Official guidance describes sedative interaction as theoretical; a small insomnia trial did not establish a consistent sedative effect.
- Exact scope
- Oral Matricaria chamomilla, also called German chamomile or Matricaria recutita; not Roman chamomile or every plant part. with Exact oral clonazepam tablets. CYP3A may participate in reduction and oxidation; named enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants lower levels. REM sleep behavior disorder is a separate, off-label study population, not the labeled panic/seizure indication.
- Medication form and route
- oral
- Timing or duration
- Source-specific single-dose, repeated-dose and observational exposures distinguished.
What remains uncertain
- No exact co-use clinical study identified. Tea and standardized extract cannot be assumed equivalent.
Factors that may matter: preparation and plant part; clinical indication; dose; other medicines; baseline alertness.
Read the supporting source summaries
Source 1: current product label
dailymed.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: Patients prescribed oral clonazepam.
Can impair alertness and coordination; other CNS depressants can increase impairment. Opioid combinations have a specific respiratory-depression warning. Dependence and withdrawal require supervised changes. CYP3A may participate in reduction and oxidation; named enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants lower levels. REM sleep behavior disorder is a separate, off-label study population, not the labeled panic/seizure indication.
How this applies: Exact IN and labeled oral formulation; route, salt and metabolite distinctions retained.
No quantified risk for every herb or universal protective spacing interval. Opioid-specific evidence does not prove equal botanical respiratory risk.
Source 2: official botanical guidance
nccih.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: Users of German or Roman chamomile, distinguished in source.
Sedative interactions are described as theoretical rather than proven.
How this applies: Supports uncertainty and product identification, not a blanket CNS-depression claim.
No exact clonazepam combination trial. Species, plant part and extract matter.
Source 3: original human study
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: Thirty-four adults with chronic primary insomnia.
No significant primary sleep outcome or adverse-event difference.
How this applies: Original named medication and preparation only; indirect evidence for clonazepam. Comparator arms are not coadministration.
No clonazepam co-use. German chamomile botanical synonym is explicit; not Roman chamomile, every plant part or tea/extract equivalence.
Research assessment: · Open full citations ↗
Review and change history
- Publication status
- Published research summary
- Clinical review
- Not yet recorded
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| Article prepared | |
| Current exact available claims adjudicated using original captures and explicit identity and comparator limits. | |
| Research summary published |
Article revision: a7ece33e64572a72
This guide brings together the evidence records used by our interaction checker. Each finding retains its own preparation limits, research date, and source summaries.
Full citations require verification. Reading this answer and the source summaries does not.
Taking other supplements or medications?
Use the checker to explore your other combinations. Ask a pharmacist to review the exact products, amounts and medical conditions in your complete list.
Open the interaction checkerInformation, not medical advice. Do not change prescribed treatment based on this guide.