Skip to main content

What the FDA labels say about taking them together

Clomipramine and lithium

Clomipramine's FDA label of November 26, 2024 names lithium in its warnings section; lithium's label does not name clomipramine itself but warns about its class (Tricyclic antidepressants). The clomipramine label: “Serotonin Syndrome The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with SNRIs and SSRIs, including clomipramine hydrochloride capsules, alone but particularly with concomitant use …”

Check it at the source: the clomipramine FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 26, 2024); the lithium FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 23, 2025, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA).

What does the clomipramine label say about lithium?

Clomipramine label, warnings

Serotonin Syndrome The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with SNRIs and SSRIs, including clomipramine hydrochloride capsules, alone but particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, and St. John's Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin (in particular, MAOIs, both those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue).

Source: FDA drug label (CLOMIPRAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE), SpecGx LLC, effective November 26, 2024 (SPL set d7cee3fa-d05c-4702-8f75-f446627bdb49), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

What does the lithium label say about clomipramine?

Lithium's label does not name clomipramine itself; it warns about its class (Tricyclic antidepressants):

Lithium label, warnings and precautions

The risk is increased with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, and St. John’s Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin, i.e., MAOIs [see Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )].

Source: FDA drug label (Lithium Carbonate), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, effective December 23, 2025 (SPL set 63b3790f-a9b5-47f4-bae1-ddf8b43c13c1), 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

16Clomipramine generic labelers
24Lithium generic labelers
ClomipramineLithium
Labeled forn/aBipolar disorder
Boxed warningYesYes
Pharmacy cost (NADAC)$0.189 per capsule 25 mg capsule$0.104 per capsule 300 mg capsule
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?