Skip to main content

What the FDA labels say about taking them together

Butorphanol and trazodone

Butorphanol's FDA label of January 2, 2026 names trazodone in its drug interactions section; the trazodone labels PlainMeds reads (2) do not name butorphanol. The butorphanol label: “Serotonergic Drugs The concomitant use of opioids with other drugs that affect the serotonergic neurotransmitter system, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake …”

Check it at the source: the butorphanol FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 2, 2026, Hospira, Inc.); the trazodone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 22, 2026, Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.).

What does the butorphanol label say about trazodone?

Butorphanol label, drug interactions

Serotonergic Drugs The concomitant use of opioids with other drugs that affect the serotonergic neurotransmitter system, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that affect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (eg., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue), has resulted in serotonin syndrome [see PRECAUTIONS;

Source: FDA drug label (Butorphanol Tartrate), Hospira, Inc., effective January 2, 2026 (SPL set 9822ca3f-aee2-46e5-8a96-495400e65d10), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

What does the trazodone label say about butorphanol?

Trazodone's label (effective January 22, 2026) and its 1 other brand-application label do not name butorphanol in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.

Source: FDA drug label (Trazodone Hydrochloride), Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., effective January 22, 2026 (SPL set 704aebf9-2fff-4ef3-8323-9ff0d7f0ffd9), 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

4Butorphanol generic labelers
38Trazodone generic labelers
ButorphanolTrazodone
Labeled forPainDepression
Boxed warningYesYes
Pharmacy cost (NADAC)$15.46 per mL 10 mg/mL spray$0.0307 per tablet 50 mg tablet
Shortage nowNo current entryNo 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?