Drug & supplement interaction

Ambrette + Sitagliptin

Sitagliptin brand names: Januvia, Zituvio.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Ambrette has a moderate interaction with Sitagliptin. Theoretically, concomitant use of ambrette with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Ambrette and Sitagliptin

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Sitagliptin

Sitagliptin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Ambrette interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of ambrette with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Animal research shows that myricetin, a constituent of ambrette, can lower blood glucose levels.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: ambrette contains a plant compound called myricetin, and in animal studies it nudged blood sugar a little lower on its own. Since Januvia (sitagliptin) is already working to bring your blood sugar down, the worry is that stacking the two could push it down a bit too far. That would show up as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), meaning shakiness, sweating, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, or feeling confused or unusually hungry.

I want to be honest with you, though: this is a theoretical concern based on lab and animal work, not human studies, so the real-world risk is probably small. Sitagliptin on its own rarely causes lows. Still, if you take a concentrated ambrette supplement, keep an eye on your numbers and check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Liu, I. M., Liou, S. S., Lan, T. W., Hsu, F. L., and Cheng, J. T. Myricetin as the active principle of Abelmoschus moschatus to lower plasma glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Planta Med. 2005;71(7):617-621.
  2. Liu, I. M., Liou, S. S., and Cheng, J. T. Mediation of beta-endorphin by myricetin to lower plasma glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J.Ethnopharmacol. 3-8-2006;104(1-2):199-206.
  3. Liu, I. M., Tzeng, T. F., Liou, S. S., and Lan, T. W. Improvement of insulin sensitivity in obese Zucker rats by myricetin extracted from Abelmoschus moschatus. Planta Med. 2007;73(10):1054-1060.
  4. Liu IM, Tzeng TF, Liou SS. Abelmoschus moschatus (Malvaceae), an aromatic plant, suitable for medical or food uses to improve insulin sensitivity. Phytother Res 2010;24(2):233-9.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Ambrette Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ambrette has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Sitagliptin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ambrette

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Ambrette or Sitagliptin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Ambrette or Sitagliptin, 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 Sitagliptin

This page covers Ambrette only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sitagliptin page lists 256 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acai (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate) and Agaricus Mushroom (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 215 moderate · 39 minor.

Open the Sitagliptin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Ambrette and Sitagliptin 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 Ambrette
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sitagliptin
Top half

#851 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.

Supplement

About Ambrette

What is Ambrette?

Ambrette
  • Fragrance and aromatherapy
  • Digestive complaints
  • Respiratory complaints
  • Skin irritation
  • Insect repellent (traditional)

Ambrette (Abelmoschus moschatus) is a fragrant plant best known for its musky seed oil used in perfumes and food flavoring. It has a long history in traditional medicine for digestion, breathing problems, and skin issues, but solid human studies supporting these uses are lacking. If you want to try it, talk with your pharmacist or doctor first, and avoid use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Ambrette monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sitagliptin

What Is Sitagliptin Used For?

Brand names: Januvia, Zituvio

Sitagliptin is used alongside diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is available as tablets (Januvia, Zituvio, and generic sitagliptin products) and as an oral solution (Brynovin), all approved for this same use.

Sitagliptin is not for type 1 diabetes. It has not been studied in people with a history of pancreatitis, so its safety in that group is unknown.

See full Sitagliptin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ambrette

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

0Major
85Moderate
0Minor
2,744No known interaction
Moderate

85 interactions

Showing 60 of 85 moderate interactions — see all 85 on the Ambrette page.

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Ambrette and Sitagliptin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ambrette with Sitagliptin?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Ambrette and Sitagliptin interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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

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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.