Ginkgo and Insulin Degludec (Rdna Origin) Injection: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Insulin Degludec (Rdna Origin) Injection
Ginkgo
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Altered insulin effectiveness and possible increased risk of bleeding
Interaction Deep Dive
Concomitant use of ginkgo with insulin may alter insulin requirements. Ginkgo increased fasting insulin levels in healthy subjects, though blood glucose levels were not affected1. Additionally, in a study, concomitant use of ginkgo biloba with insulin significantly increased abnormal coagulation tests compared with use of ginkgo biloba without any known interacting drugs, however there was no significant difference between groups in occurrences of bleeding 2.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Increase pancreatic beta-cell function by ginkgo
Literature reports
2 reports — tap to read
a) Coadministration of ginkgo biloba in subjects with at least 1 known interacting drug (drug-drug interaction group; n=258) was significantly correlated with increased occurrence of bleeding (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.11) and abnormal coagulation tests (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.38 to 1.58) compared subjects receiving ginkgo biloba without any known interacting drugs (non-drug-drug interaction group; n=489) in a retrospective, observation study. Significantly increased occurrence of bleeding and abnormal coagulation tests were demonstrated with use of ginkgo biloba and clopidogrel (OR, 1.1 and 1.58), aspirin (OR, 1.12 and 1.48), or omeprazole (OR, 1.1 and 1.51), respectively. Coadministration of etoricoxib (OR, 1.37), insulin (OR, 1.34), or domperidone (OR, 1.29) significantly increased the abnormal coagulations tests outcome only; loxoprofen (OR, 1.58) or nifedipine (OR, 1.09) significantly increased the occurrence of bleeding outcome only. There were no significant differences detected between groups for either outcome with ticagrelor, acenocoumarol, meloxicam, celecoxib, or direct oral anticoagulants (enoxaban or rivaroxaban). Patients were a mean of about 63 years and most were female (66.67%). Most patients had 1 interacting drug pair (71.71%), however 24.81% had 2, 2.71% had 3, and 0.77% had 4 interacting pairs 2.
b) Ingestion of ginkgo biloba extract for 3 months was associated with an increase in pancreatic beta-cell function after a 75 gram glucose load in an uncontrolled, unblinded study of 20 healthy subjects with normal glucose tolerance. Subjects underwent a glucose tolerance test before and after 3 months of ginkgo biloba 120 mg daily. After 3 months, a significant increase occurred in fasting plasma levels of insulin, C-peptide, and C-peptide AUC after an oral glucose load. Blood glucose levels did not show a corresponding decrease. The authors hypothesized that ginkgo biloba may increase the rate of insulin metabolic clearance 1.
Common questions
Can I take Ginkgo and Insulin Degludec (Rdna Origin) Injection together?
Altered insulin effectiveness and possible increased risk of bleeding Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Ginkgo and Insulin Degludec (Rdna Origin) Injection interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "delayed". Effects tend to build up gradually over days to weeks.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "probable". Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Ginkgo or Insulin Degludec (Rdna Origin) Injection need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (2)
- Kudolo GB: The effect of 3-month ingestion of ginkgo biloba extract on pancreatic beta-cell function in response to glucose loading in normal glucose tolerant individuals. J Clin Pharmacol 2000; 40(6):647-654.
- Mai NTQ, Hieu NV, Ngan TT, et al: Impact of Ginkgo biloba drug interactions on bleeding risk and coagulation profiles: a comprehensive analysis. PLoS One 2025; 20(4):e0321804. PubMed
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