The short answer
Not known in people. We found no study or case report of ashwagandha taken with bupropion. In a lab study in South Africa, two of four ashwagandha root extracts partly blocked CYP2B6, the main enzyme that breaks down bupropion. Memorial Sloan Kettering's herb monograph notes this and says the clinical relevance is yet to be determined.
The Wellbutrin XL label says bupropion can raise blood pressure, and that its seizure risk rises with dose. If you take bupropion, tell your prescriber before you start ashwagandha, and report any change in mood, sleep or blood pressure.
Bupropion is sold in the US as Wellbutrin XL, used for depression and to prevent seasonal depression. We have not verified an Indian pack, so this page is mainly for readers living abroad.
At a glance
| What was seen | How it may work | Direction | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methanol and ethyl acetate root extracts blocked CYP2B6[1][3][4] | Enzyme inhibition in human liver microsomes | Could change how much bupropion stays in the blood; direction and size in people not known | In vitro |
| Adverse-event reports of adaptogens with antidepressants included no ashwagandha-bupropion case[2] | Not applicable | Bupropion reports involved other plants | Case report |
No listing is not a clearance. A missing interaction here never means a combination is safe.
The evidence, study by study
Laboratory study, South Africa, 2021 In vitro
At Stellenbosch University, four extracts of ashwagandha root made with different solvents were tested on human liver tissue and liver cells. The methanol and ethyl acetate extracts partly blocked CYP2B6, and all four moderately induced CYP3A4, another drug-clearing enzyme. Nobody took ashwagandha, and whether enough of it reaches the liver in people is not known. Lab findings like this show a possible route for an interaction. They do not show that one happens in people.[1]
Review of adverse-event reports, Poland, 2023 Case report
Doctors in Kraków reviewed 1,816 adverse-event reports and found 30 that were probably caused by an adaptogen herb taken with an antidepressant. Ashwagandha appeared with reboxetine, sertraline, escitalopram and paroxetine, not with bupropion. The bupropion reports involved other plants, Schisandra and Scutellaria.[2]
What your doctor may watch for
- Blood pressure, which the bupropion label asks to be checked before treatment and from time to time during it.[4]
- New agitation, poor sleep or mood changes. A seizure needs emergency care.[4]
What to tell your prescribing doctor
You can read this out, or show them this page:
“I am taking, or planning to take, ashwagandha (name of product, form and how much) along with bupropion. A lab study found some ashwagandha extracts block CYP2B6, the enzyme that breaks down bupropion. Is that a concern for me, and should my blood pressure be checked?”
Withheld until review
Questions people ask
Does ashwagandha help with bupropion side effects like anxiety or poor sleep?
That has not been tested. Side effects from bupropion are something to raise with your prescriber rather than treat yourself with a supplement.[4]
Is root powder or a gummy the same as the extracts tested?
No. Only two of the four extracts in the lab study, made with methanol and ethyl acetate, blocked CYP2B6. Root powder, capsules and gummies are different products and have not been tested with bupropion.[1]
Related
Ashwagandha and antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs)
Doctors in Poland reported side effects they judged were caused by ashwagandha with sertraline, escitalopram or paroxetine.
InteractionAshwagandha and Adderall
We found no study of ashwagandha with Adderall or other amphetamines. Tell your prescriber before adding it to a stimulant.
EvidenceDoes ashwagandha reduce stress?
One small placebo-controlled trial found ashwagandha root extract lowered stress scores and cortisol over 60 days. Promising, not settled.
ConditionAnxiety and sleep problems: what Ayurveda offers
Ashwagandha extracts improved sleep a little and lowered stress scores in short trials. They were not trials in diagnosed anxiety disorder.
Sources
- Kumar S, Bouic PJ, Rosenkranz B. Investigation of CYP2B6, 3A4 and beta-esterase interactions of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal in human liver microsomes and HepG2 cells. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021;270:113766. PMID 33395575.
- Siwek M, Woroń J, Wrzosek A, Gupało J, Chrobak AA. Harder, better, faster, stronger? Retrospective chart review of adverse events of interactions between adaptogens and antidepressant drugs. Front Pharmacol. 2023;14:1271776. PMID 37829299.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. About Herbs: Ashwagandha.
- Wellbutrin XL (bupropion hydrochloride) extended-release tablets, US prescribing information (DailyMed).
Updated 4 November 2026