What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Buspirone and citalopram
Citalopram's FDA label of October 9, 2023 names buspirone in its drug interactions section; buspirone's label does not name citalopram itself but warns about its class (serotonin reuptake inhibitors). The citalopram label: “Concomitant use of CELEXA and other serotonergic drugs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.”
Check it at the source: the buspirone FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 22, 2023, Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc.); the citalopram FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 9, 2023, Allergan, Inc.).
What does the buspirone label say about citalopram?
Buspirone's label does not name citalopram itself; it warns about its class (serotonin reuptake inhibitors):
Buspirone label, warningsSerotonin Syndrome The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with SNRIs, SSRIs, and other serotonergic drugs, including buspirone, alone but particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans), with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin (in particular, MAOIs, including reversible MAOIs such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue), or with antipsychotics or other dopamine antagonists.
Source: FDA drug label (Buspirone Hydrochloride), Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc., effective December 22, 2023 (SPL set a6bdf140-075e-445e-a62d-633a4b97f3a8), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the citalopram label say about buspirone?
Citalopram label, drug interactionsOther Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of CELEXA and other serotonergic drugs (…) increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. Intervention: Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, particularly during CELEXA initiation and dosage increases. If serotonin syndrome occurs, consider discontinuation of CELEXA and/or concomitant serotonergic drugs [ see Warning and Precautions ()].
Citalopram label, warnings and precautionsThe risk is increased with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, meperidine, methadone, tryptophan, buspirone, amphetamines, and St. John’s Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin, i.e., MAOIs [see Contraindications ( 4 ), Drug Interactions ( 7 )].
Citalopram label (Almatica Pharma LLC, October 7, 2025), drug interactionsOther Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of Citalopram Capsules with other serotonergic drugs (…) increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. Intervention: Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, particularly during Citalopram Capsules initiation and changes in citalopram dosage. If serotonin syndrome occurs, consider discontinuation of Citalopram Capsules and/or concomitant serotonergic drugs [see Dosage and Administration …
Source: FDA drug label (Citalopram, NDA215428), Almatica Pharma LLC, effective October 7, 2025 (SPL set 2f815b0c-6da7-cb61-e89c-7de628092d0d), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Celexa), NDA020822 (Abbvie), as published by Allergan, Inc., effective October 9, 2023 (SPL set 4259d9b1-de34-43a4-85a8-41dd214e9177), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Buspirone | Citalopram | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Anxiety | Depression |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.043 per tablet 15 mg tablet | $0.026 per tablet 10 mg tablet |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once