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Bupropion

Also indexed as: Wellbutrin SR®, Wellbutrin®, Zyban®

Bupropion is used to treat people with depression and to aid in smoking cessation treatment.

Interactions with Herbs

Yohimbine
A 50-year-old woman who was unresponsive to traditional antidepressant therapy was reported to have a marked and persistent improvement in mood when yohimbine was added to her bupropion therapy.1 Further research is necessary to determine the significance of this finding.

Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds

Alcohol
Unlike most other antidepressant drugs, there is no evidence that alcohol causes significant changes in blood levels of bupropion.2 However, people taking bupropion who are also attempting to discontinue chronic alcohol consumption have been reported to sometimes experience convulsions.3

Summary of Interactions for Bupropion

Depletion or interference None known
Adverse interaction Alcohol
Side effect reduction/prevention None known
Supportive interaction Yohimbine*
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability None known

For the convenience of the reader, the information in the summary is categorized as follows: “Depletion or interference” indicates the drug may deplete or interfere with the absorption or function of the supplement or herb. “Adverse interaction” indicates that the supplement or herb used together with the drug may result in undesirable effects. “Side effect reduction/prevention” indicates the supplement or herb may reduce the likelihood and/or severity of a potential side effect caused by the drug. “Supportive interaction” indicates the supplement or herb may support or aid the function of the drug. “Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability” indicates that the supplement or herb may decrease the absorption and/or activity of the drug in the body. An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

References:

1. Pollack MH, Hamerness P. Adjunctive yohimbine for treatment in refractory depression. Biol Psychiatry 1993;33:220–1.

2. Posner J, Bye A, Jeal S, et al. Alcohol and bupropion pharmacokinetics in healthy male volunteers. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1984;26:627–30.

3. Storrow AB. Bupropion overdose and seizure. Am J Emerg Med 1994;12:183–4.