Antidepressants Interactions

Saffron and its constituents crocin and safranal show antidepressant activity by inhibiting serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine reuptake and modulating monoamine oxidase, which is additive to SSRIs, SNRIs, and MAOIs and raises the theoretical risk of serotonin syndrome.

Many antidepressants (especially fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, sertraline, duloxetine) inhibit CYP1A2 to varying degrees and slow caffeine clearance, while caffeine itself can worsen the anxiety, insomnia, tremor, and tachycardia that antidepressants are often prescribed to treat. MAOIs add a risk of caffeine-induced hypertensive episodes.