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Benztropine

Also indexed as: Apo-Benztropine, Cogentin

Illustration

Benztropine is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and to treat adverse reactions to anti-psychotic drugs.

Summary of Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, a herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized interactions.

Beneficial May Be Beneficial: Supportive interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication work better.

L-tryptophan*

Niacin*
Depletion or interference

None known
Side effect reduction/prevention

None known
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability

None known
Adverse interaction

None known

An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

Interactions with Dietary Supplements

L-tryptophan and Niacin
Akathisia is an adverse reaction to anti-psychotic drugs, where a person has an uncontrollable desire to be in constant motion. One preliminary report suggested that 4,000 mg of L-tryptophan and 25 mg niacin per day taken with benztropine enhances the treatment of akathisia.1 Controlled studies are necessary to determine whether L-tryptophan and niacin supplements might benefit most people taking benztropine who experience adverse reactions to anti-psychotic drugs.

References

1. Kramer MS, DiJohnson C, Davis P, et al. L-tryptophan in neuroleptic-induced akathisia. Biol Psychiatry 1990;27:671–2.