Drug & supplement interaction

Abuta + Colesevelam

Colesevelam brand names: WelChol, Lodalis.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Abuta and Colesevelam in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Colesevelam states a food rule worth keeping to.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Abuta and Colesevelam

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Colesevelam and Abuta in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Abuta safety at a glance

Abuta overall Use caution Human safety data are limited, so use cautiously and under professional guidance.
Pregnancy Avoid Traditionally used to affect the uterus and childbirth; avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data while breastfeeding; best avoided.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Colesevelam and Abuta? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Colesevelam

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Colesevelam is filed under a single classification — oral drugs. Abuta has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being diuretic drugs (moderate) — and none of Colesevelam’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Abuta Does Interact With Other Medications

Abuta has 75 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Colesevelam isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 75 No known interaction 2,755 (incl. Colesevelam)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Abuta

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Abuta. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

What Colesevelam’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Abuta. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Colesevelam’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A bowel blockage Worth acting on
  • Trouble swallowing Worth acting on
  • Low blood sugar Worth acting on
  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
  • A heart attack Worth acting on
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • High blood sugar Worth acting on
  • Seizures Worth acting on
  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 24 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Colesevelam. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 2,014 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Colesevelam that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Abuta’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Abuta side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Abuta has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Colesevelam Products Have a Food Rule — Abuta Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Colesevelam says to take it with food. If you take Abuta on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Colesevelam with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Colesevelam products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Colesevelam hydrochloride should be taken as follows ( 2.2 , 2.4 ): Tablets Take 6 tablets once daily or 3 tablets twice daily with a meal and liquid.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Colesevelam — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Overlapping uses

What Colesevelam Is Prescribed For, and What Abuta Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Colesevelam is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Abuta is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Colesevelam is prescribed for: Colesevelam is used alongside diet and exercise to reduce high LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). It is also approved to lower LDL cholesterol in boys and girls aged 10–17 who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) — an inherited condition that causes very high cholesterol — when diet and lifestyle changes alone haven't worked. Colesevelam tablets and oral suspension (Welchol and colesevelam hydrochloride products) are also used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, as an add-on to diet and exercise. Colesevelam is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Abuta has been studied for:

  • Diabetes studied, not established Abuta has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Abuta for diabetes

    Although there has been interest in using oral abuta for diabetes, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of abuta for this purpose.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Colesevelam on your own; if you are taking Abuta for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Abuta or Colesevelam

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Abuta or Colesevelam, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Colesevelam

This page covers Abuta only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Colesevelam page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Colesevelam page

“Colesevelam (WelChol, Lodalis) lowers cholesterol by binding bile acids in your gut, and every one of the 17 supplements on this list can interfere with how oral medicines are absorbed in that same territory. I would treat this list with genuine care, and the place to start is activated charcoal, the only major-rated entry.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Colesevelam interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Abuta as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Abuta, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Abuta. Even though Abuta itself has no known interaction with Colesevelam, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Abuta and Colesevelam Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Abuta
Top half

#484 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Colesevelam
Steady interest

#2,411 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Abuta reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Abuta and Colesevelam records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Abuta

What is Abuta?

Abuta
  • Menstrual cramps and women's health
  • Kidney and urinary tract complaints
  • Digestive upset
  • Fever
  • Traditional support during pregnancy and childbirth

Abuta (Cissampelos pareira) is a tropical climbing plant used in traditional medicine, especially for menstrual and urinary complaints. Good-quality human studies are lacking, so its benefits and safety are not well established. Because of uncertain safety—and its traditional use to affect the uterus—it should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding and discussed with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Cissampelos pareira · Menispermaceae · Root (most common), with bark, seeds, and above-ground parts also used · Dried root, tea/decoction, tincture, capsules, powder

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Abuta is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Abuta record says about it on its own.

Abuta: dosing

There is no established, standardized dose of abuta. Traditional preparations vary, and modern supplements come in different strengths and forms, so there is no single recommended amount that has been proven safe and effective.If you choose to use a product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them.

From our Abuta monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Abuta monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Colesevelam

What Is Colesevelam Used For?

Brand names: WelChol, Lodalis

Colesevelam is used alongside diet and exercise to reduce high LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). It is also approved to lower LDL cholesterol in boys and girls aged 10–17 who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) — an inherited condition that causes very high cholesterol — when diet and lifestyle changes alone haven't worked.

Colesevelam tablets and oral suspension (Welchol and colesevelam hydrochloride products) are also used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, as an add-on to diet and exercise. Colesevelam is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Colesevelam

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (2,014 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diarrhea 241 reports
Dyspnea 172 reports
Cough 169 reports
Muscle spasms 163 reports
Nasopharyngitis 150 reports
See full Colesevelam drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Abuta

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Abuta — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
75Moderate
0Minor
2,754No known interaction
75 Moderate 2,754 No interaction
Moderate

75 interactions

Showing 60 of 75 moderate interactions — see all 75 on the Abuta page.

No interaction 2,754 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Abuta against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,754 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Abuta list.

See the full Abuta interactions page
See every supplement checked against Colesevelam, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Abuta References

The 1 references that drive our Abuta monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Sayana SB, Khanwelkar CC, Nimmagadda VR, et al. Evaluation of diuretic activity of alcoholic extract of roots of cissampelos pareira in albino rats. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8(5):HC01-4.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Abuta and Colesevelam Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Abuta with Colesevelam?
We do not list a known interaction between Abuta and Colesevelam. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Should I take Abuta and Colesevelam at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Colesevelam says to take it with food. If you take Abuta on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Colesevelam with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Colesevelam products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Abuta and Colesevelam used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Abuta in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Colesevelam is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Abuta and Colesevelam combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Colesevelam is filed under 1 classification, and Abuta has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Colesevelam's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Abuta interact with any other medications?
Yes. Abuta has 75 documented drug interactions in our database — Colesevelam is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Colesevelam interact with any supplements?
Yes. Colesevelam has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Abuta is not one of them. The Colesevelam interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Abuta monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Colesevelam drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Colesevelam supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Colesevelam, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 1 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Colesevelam and Abuta?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.