Herb Profile

Corydalis

Corydalis carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.

Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited

Use extra caution — CNS depression, dizziness, sedation, and liver safety concerns have been reported with Corydalis containing products. Details

Evidence
Limited Evidence
Typical onset
Varies by prep
Safety rating
High caution
Best for
Sleep, Cognitive function
Avoid / review if
Pregnancy/Breastfeeding, Liver Disease, Seizure Disorder
Corydalis monograph visual
Generated profile category visual

At a glance

From this profile's structured data
Evidence
Grade C
Safety
CNS depression, dizziness, sedation, and liver-safety concerns have been reported with Corydalis-containing products.
Profile context
sleep
Next steps

Continue reading

Safety

Safety & Cautions

CNS depression, dizziness, sedation, and liver safety concerns have been reported with Corydalis containing products. Avoid combining with sedatives or alcohol.

High caution

Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.

  • Liver-SensitiveLiver-related caution language appears in the profile.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications

  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding
  • Liver Disease
  • Seizure Disorder
  • Heavy Alcohol Use
  • And Use Of Sedatives Without Medical Oversight.
  • Potential Additive Effects With Benzodiazepines
  • Opioids
  • Sleep Aids
  • Alcohol
  • Antipsychotics

Safety classifications

  • Liver-Sensitive: Liver-related caution language appears in the profile.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.

Full safety note

  • CNS depression, dizziness, sedation, and liver safety concerns have been reported with Corydalis containing products. Avoid combining with sedatives or alcohol.

Safety labels

  • Liver-Sensitive
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution

Evidence-based safety

Caution when combined

Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.

Moderate Caution

68 flagged pairings

Sedation / CNS depression

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Sedation / CNS depressionCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 68 of 68 pairings in this mechanism group.

+56 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Evidence

Evidence Summary

Evidence lens

Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.

LimitedLimited Evidence

Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal

Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Neurotransmitter Modulation

Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.

Safety boundary: Safety note available — CNS depression, dizziness, sedation, and liver safety concerns have been reported with Corydalis containing products.

This profile cites 3 human studies.

Study design details
Evidence Grade

Grade C: Limited Evidence

Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.

Design Match
Narrative review
Risk of Bias
High
Consistency
Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 2 recorded studies, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work

Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.

Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (3)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable

Filter by study class

Showing 3 of 3 studies.

What the evidence actually shows

This table contains 3 structured sources, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials.

StudyDesignNDoseDurationPopulationOutcomeResult & magnitudeSource

The Analgesic Properties of Corydalis yanhusuo

Alhassen L et al. · Molecules · 2021

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Processing and Compatibility of Corydalis yanhusuo: Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics, and Safety

Wu L et al. · Evid Based Complement Alternat Med · 2021

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Corynoline Suppresses Osteoclastogenesis and Attenuates ROS Activities by Regulating NF-κB/MAPKs and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways

Jin C et al. · J Agric Food Chem · 2024

Background
Other / unclear

The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy.

——————PubMed →

Dosing & Timing

No standardized dose
Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Evidence and risks depend strongly on species and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Corydalis works

Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.

Mechanism Pathway — How Corydalis Works

How Corydalis WorksCorydalis acts on biological target pathways via neurotransmitter (modulation), leading to sleep quality.CorydalisBiological TargetBiological pathwayNeurotransmitterModulationSleep Quality ↑Onset + depth
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
  • Neurotransmitter Modulation

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Safety first · Harm reduction

This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.

Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.

Editorial Review

Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.

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