Safety first
St. John's Wort in MemoPryl: The Interactions to Check First
St. John's wort is an herb studied for low mood, not memory. It can weaken birth control pills, warfarin, some heart, seizure, HIV, transplant and cancer drugs, and it can cause serotonin side effects with some antidepressants (NCCIH, St. John's wort). No MemoPryl image shows a warning, so ask a pharmacist before the first capsule if you take any medicine.
Written by the MemoPryl editorial teamUpdated
The basics
What is St. John's wort, and is it for memory?
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a yellow-flowered plant. Researchers have studied it mainly for mild to moderate depression, not for memory or focus (NCCIH, St. John's wort).
The NCCIH page we rely on reports no memory research at all. That makes it an odd fit for a product sold for focus and memory support, and the brand graphics do not explain why it was chosen.
| Label name | St. John's Wort |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Hypericum perforatum |
| What it is | Herb |
| Position in the list | 4 of 8 (no Supplement Facts panel with amounts was available to us) |
| Per serving | Not shown in our materials |
| Amount used in research | Studied for mild to moderate depression, not memory |
| Strength of evidence | No memory evidence |
| Traditional or marketed use | Herb best known for low mood |
| Main caution | Weakens many medicines, including birth control, warfarin, some heart, HIV and transplant drugs; serotonin risk with antidepressants. |
MemoPryl makes no mood claim, and this site does not recommend St. John's wort for mood. Low mood deserves a visit with your own clinician.
Why it matters
How serious are St. John's wort interactions?
Serious enough that NCCIH says they can be dangerous, sometimes life-threatening (NCCIH, St. John's wort).
The list
Which medicines interact with St. John's wort?
Many common ones. The herb mostly makes other drugs weaker, and with some antidepressants it can push serotonin too high.
| Medicine | Used for | What St. John's wort can do |
|---|---|---|
| Some antidepressants | Depression, anxiety | Serotonin side effects, which can be serious |
| Birth control pills | Preventing pregnancy | Weaker protection; unplanned pregnancy is possible |
| Cyclosporine | Preventing organ transplant rejection | Lower drug effect |
| Some seizure drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine) | Epilepsy | Lower drug effect |
| Digoxin | Heart failure, irregular heartbeat | Lower drug effect |
| Ivabradine | Heart failure | Lower drug effect |
| Some HIV drugs | HIV infection | Lower drug effect |
| Some cancer drugs | Cancer treatment | Lower drug effect |
| Warfarin | Preventing blood clots | Lower drug effect |
| Some statins | High cholesterol | Lower drug effect |
Keep taking your prescribed medicine. The safe move is to skip the supplement until a pharmacist or prescriber has checked your list. Our side effects page adds the cautions for the other seven ingredients.
Antidepressants
What are serotonin side effects from St. John's wort?
They happen when St. John's wort and certain antidepressants together raise serotonin, a brain chemical, too far (NCCIH, St. John's wort). The result can range from mild to serious.
Signs of too much serotonin can include agitation, confusion, a racing heart, sweating, shivering, diarrhea and twitching muscles.
Do not add MemoPryl without your prescriber's okay. If you feel those signs after mixing the two, get medical care right away.
Sertraline and escitalopram are common examples of the drugs people ask about. Never stop or change a dose on your own, even for a short supplement trial.
Side effects
Does St. John's wort cause sun sensitivity or other side effects?
Yes. Large doses can make skin react to sunlight, and smaller everyday side effects are common too.
Sun sensitivity
Skin may burn or react more easily in sunlight. Use shade and sunscreen if you take any St. John's wort product.
Stomach and sleep
Diarrhea, dizziness, trouble sleeping and restlessness are all reported (NCCIH, St. John's wort).
Tingling
Some people feel skin tingling. Stop and ask a clinician if it does not settle.
For adults who take no medicines, NCCIH says the herb appears safe for up to 12 weeks (NCCIH, St. John's wort). That finding does not cover anyone on a prescription, which is the group most likely to look for a memory product.
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Is St. John's wort safe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
Probably not. NCCIH says St. John's wort may be unsafe during pregnancy, and breastfed infants of mothers taking it may get colic or drowsiness (NCCIH, St. John's wort).
There is a second risk for anyone using the pill. Because the herb can weaken birth control pills, it can lead to a pregnancy nobody planned.
Skip MemoPryl and talk with your obstetrician or midwife. If you rely on the pill, ask about a backup method before taking any St. John's wort product.
The bottle
Does the MemoPryl label warn about St. John's wort?
Not on anything we can see. No interaction warning appears on either label front or on the brand graphics.
The 30-capsule bottle on the live listing reads "Cognitive Support Formula" with three support claims. The 60-capsule NutraVibe bottle shows a different set of claims. Neither front mentions medicines, pregnancy or sunlight.
The back panel may carry a warning. We have not seen it, so we cannot say. That gap is why this site puts the caution first instead of leaving it to small print.
- Read every word on your own bottle's back panel
- Photograph it for your pharmacist
- Check which label version you received
Pharmacist check
Why does a memory supplement with St. John's wort need a pharmacist check?
Because the people drawn to memory products are often the people with the longest medicine lists.
Memory products draw many older adults, and older adults often take warfarin, digoxin, a statin or an antidepressant. Each of those appears in the interaction table above.
A pharmacist can see your full list, including drugs from other prescribers, and check it quickly.
List every medicine
Write down prescriptions, birth control, inhalers, patches and other supplements, with doses.
Bring the bottle
Take your MemoPryl bottle or a clear photo of its back panel, plus the interaction table above.
Ask one direct question
Ask: can St. John's wort weaken or react with anything on my list?
Follow the answer
If cleared, use the serving printed on your bottle. If not, do not open it and use the 30-day return window.
All ingredients
How does St. John's wort compare with MemoPryl's other ingredients?
It is the only named ingredient with no memory evidence in our sources, and it carries the longest interaction list. Huperzine A, listed by the eBay seller, is the other one to check with a clinician. See all eight on the ingredient overview.
FAQ
St. John's wort questions
What medications should not be taken with St. John's wort?
NCCIH names some antidepressants, birth control pills, cyclosporine, phenytoin and carbamazepine, digoxin, ivabradine, some HIV and cancer drugs, warfarin and some statins (NCCIH, St. John's wort). The list says "including", so it is not complete. Ask a pharmacist to check your own medicines before taking MemoPryl.
Can St. John's wort make birth control less effective?
Yes. St. John's wort can weaken birth control pills, which can lead to an unplanned pregnancy (NCCIH, St. John's wort). If you use the pill and want to try MemoPryl, talk to your clinician first and ask about a backup method.
Can you take St. John's wort with sertraline or Lexapro?
Only with your prescriber's approval. Combining St. John's wort with some antidepressants can cause serotonin side effects that may be serious (NCCIH, St. John's wort). Sertraline and Lexapro are antidepressants people often ask about. Keep taking your prescribed medicine, and get that approval before adding MemoPryl.
Does St. John's wort interact with statins?
It can. NCCIH lists some statins among the drugs St. John's wort can weaken (NCCIH, St. John's wort). That could mean your cholesterol medicine works less well. Ask your pharmacist whether your statin is affected before starting any product that contains the herb.
Is St. John's wort safe with heart medicine?
Not always. Two heart drugs, digoxin and ivabradine, are on the NCCIH interaction list, and warfarin and some statins are too (NCCIH, St. John's wort). Beta blockers are not named there, but the list is not complete. Anyone on heart medicine should ask a pharmacist. MemoPryl is also not metoprolol.
Does St. John's wort help memory?
There is no memory evidence in the NCCIH review we cite. The herb has been studied mainly for mild to moderate depression (NCCIH, St. John's wort). For MemoPryl buyers, its main effect is the interaction risk with common medicines, not a memory benefit.
Does St. John's wort make you sensitive to the sun?
At large doses it can. NCCIH lists sun sensitivity among its side effects, with diarrhea, dizziness, trouble sleeping and restlessness (NCCIH, St. John's wort). MemoPryl's amount is not public, so cover up and use sunscreen if your skin reacts.
Is St. John's wort safe while breastfeeding?
Caution is wise. NCCIH reports colic and drowsiness in breastfed infants whose mothers took it (NCCIH, St. John's wort). Nursing mothers should skip MemoPryl and speak with their pediatrician or obstetrician.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner that sells MemoPryl, not by the maker (the pack shots say "By NutraVibe"). We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about MemoPryl
Side effects
Every reported side effect and drug interaction for MemoPryl's eight named ingredients, with when to stop and when to call 911.
Read moreSt. John's wort drug interactions
Which medicines St. John's wort weakens, why that matters for MemoPryl, and what to ask your pharmacist.
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Who it's for
Who might consider MemoPryl, who must ask first, and who should skip it, in plain words with a quick self-check.
Read moreU.S. stocking partner for MemoPryl
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