The short answer
Passionflower may cause drowsiness in some settings, so review it before combining with tapentadol. Added sedation from this exact pair has not been demonstrated, and a small trial found no sedation increase with its tested preparation.
What this answer covers
Passiflora incarnata herb preparations; not all passionflower species or mixtures.
- Supplement or preparation
- Passiflora incarnata
- Medication ingredient
- tapentadol
A controlled trial had a sedation null
A preoperative passionflower preparation reduced anxiety without greater sedation or delayed psychomotor recovery compared with placebo. It did not test tapentadol.
The precaution remains conditional
Supplement guidance notes possible drowsiness or impaired alertness. Tapentadol’s CNS-depressant warning supports reviewing co-use, but not asserting that every passionflower product causes dangerous additive depression.
Do not equate anxiety relief with sedation
The original trial shows that those outcomes can differ. Species, extract, dose and other medicines matter; a reassuring result with one preparation does not prove the pair safe.
Discuss the actual product
Ask the prescriber before adding it, especially with other sedating medicines. Do not drive while impaired; slow breathing or being hard to wake needs emergency help. Spacing alone is not proven protection.
Evidence and practical considerations
Side effects & toxicity
Conditional impairment precaution with exact tapentadol CNS-depressant warning; primary passionflower sedation-null finding retained, no established exact-pair clinical depression.
- Exact scope
- Passiflora incarnata herb preparations; not all passionflower species or mixtures. with Tapentadol RxCUI787390 IN supplied as HCl oral immediate-release or extended-release tablets.
- Medication form and route
- oral medication; oral supplement
What remains uncertain
- No unmeasured pair incidence, blanket class transfer or arbitrary spacing interval.
Factors that may matter: Preparation; Dose; Other medicines; Organ function.
Read the supporting source summaries
Source 1: current product label
dailymed.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: People prescribed tapentadol
Opioid and noradrenergic analgesic actions; warnings for CNS-depressant combinations, serotonin syndrome with serotonergic drugs, and seizures in susceptible settings. Mainly glucuronidated; limited CYP metabolism.
How this applies: Exact tapentadol RxCUI 787390 IN, with stated salt/formulation/route bridge.
No herbal-pair risk rate. Immediate and extended release differ. General seizure warning does not establish a St John’s wort-specific seizure interaction.
Source 2: current product label
dailymed.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: People prescribed tapentadol
Opioid and noradrenergic analgesic actions; warnings for CNS-depressant combinations, serotonin syndrome with serotonergic drugs, and seizures in susceptible settings. Mainly glucuronidated; limited CYP metabolism.
How this applies: Exact tapentadol RxCUI 787390 IN, with stated salt/formulation/route bridge.
No herbal-pair risk rate. Immediate and extended release differ. General seizure warning does not establish a St John’s wort-specific seizure interaction.
Source 3: federal supplement safety guidance
nccih.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: Users of the specified supplement.
Possible adverse effects include drowsiness, dizziness and confusion; excessive nervous-system slowing is a concern with anesthesia and perioperative medicines.
How this applies: Original source interpreted for tapentadol only within the stated preparation and endpoint limits.
Not a direct tapentadol combination trial; original preparation, dose and endpoint limits apply. No exact-pair adverse-event rate or protective spacing established.
Source 4: final regulatory herbal monograph
ema.europa.eu · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: Users of specified oral passionflower preparations.
Traditional use for mild stress and sleep; no interactions reported; may impair driving and machinery use.
How this applies: Original source interpreted for tapentadol only within the stated preparation and endpoint limits.
Not a direct tapentadol combination trial; original preparation, dose and endpoint limits apply. No exact-pair adverse-event rate or protective spacing established.
Source 5: original human study
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: 60 outpatient surgery patients.
Anxiety reduced without increased sedation; psychomotor recovery and discharge similar.
How this applies: Specific single preparation and perioperative setting; no tapentadol combination.
Specific single preparation and perioperative setting; no tapentadol combination.
Research assessment: · Open full citations ↗
Review and change history
- Publication status
- Published research summary
- Clinical review
- Not yet recorded
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| Article prepared | |
| Prepared exact tapentadol article with formulation-specific evidence and uncertainty. | |
| Research summary published |
Article revision: 0c632c4c7f826b6b
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.