What kind of interaction is it?

Caution: an interaction that may reduce efficacy or raise side-effect risk and warrants monitoring.

Is this interaction backed by published research?

Yes. NutriStack lists 1 citation row for the Gotu Kola + St. John's Wort pair, each linking to PubMed by PMID where available. Full sourcing methodology at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/interactions.

Supplement × Supplement·a caution·Insufficient evidence

Gotu Kola + St. John's Wort

Q: Can I take Gotu Kola and St. John's Wort together?

Possibly, but with caution. Gotu Kola and St. John's Wort have a documented caution-tier interaction. St. John's Wort is a potent inducer of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein and is associated with photosensitivity, while gotu kola is metabolized hepatically and has rare hepatotoxicity reports. Combining adds overlapping CNS-active botanicals and uncertain effects on gotu kola exposure.

Q: How does this affect a NutriStack Stack Score?

-5 to your Stack Score per scored caution row.

Caution Insufficient evidence

St. John's Wort is a potent inducer of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein and is associated with photosensitivity, while gotu kola is metabolized hepatically and has rare hepatotoxicity reports. Combining adds overlapping CNS-active botanicals and uncertain effects on gotu kola exposure.

Supplement × Supplement

Open the interaction checker → Read the methodology

From the database

What the row says.

Every entry follows the same shape: what is happening, the mechanism, and the recommendation.

Substances

Gotu Kola and St. John's Wort

Pair type

Caution

Evidence

Insufficient

Source citations

Scope

Supplement × Supplement

Last verified

June 4, 2026

CautionInsufficient evidence

What is happening. St. John's Wort is a potent inducer of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein and is associated with photosensitivity, while gotu kola is metabolized hepatically and has rare hepatotoxicity reports. Combining adds overlapping CNS-active botanicals and uncertain effects on gotu kola exposure.

Mechanism. St. John's Wort induces CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein, which could alter the metabolism of gotu kola constituents; both have CNS activity and isolated liver-related cautions. The dominant clinical risk comes from St. John's Wort's broad enzyme induction.

Recommendation. Use caution combining these. St. John's Wort itself interacts dangerously with many prescription drugs (antidepressants, contraceptives, anticoagulants, immunosuppressants); review all medications with a clinician before combining. Watch for excess sedation and signs of liver strain.

Stack Score

How it moves the number.

Effect on the composite score

If both Gotu Kola and St. John's Wort are in the same stack, this pair applies −5 to your Stack Score (per scored caution row).

The full algorithm, the clamping rules, and four worked stacks are at /methodology/stack-score.

Sources

Sources, by evidence tier.

Every claim on this page is cited. PMIDs link straight to PubMed.

Reference material

1Brinker F. Herbal Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 4th ed. Eclectic Medical Publications. 2010.Needs sourceNo link

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