Drug & supplement interaction

Bitter Melon + Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate brand names: E.E.S. 400, E.E.S. Chewable, Wyamycin S.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Bitter Melon has a moderate interaction with Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate. Theoretically, bitter melon might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.

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

Bitter Melon and Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

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

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Bitter Melon interacts with.

Theoretically, bitter melon might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.
Bitter melon might inhibit the p-glycoprotein (P-gp) intestinal pump and increase intracellular levels of P-gp substrates. In vitro research in intestinal cells shows that 1-monopalmitin, a constituent of bitter melon, increases levels of daunomycin, a P-gp substrate. Additionally, drinking bitter melon juice has been associated with a case of acute pancreatitis in a patient who had been taking pazopanib, a P-gp substrate, for 8 years. Researchers theorize that inhibition of P-gp led to increased levels of pazopanib, resulting in pazopanib-induced pancreatitis.
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 with bitter melon and your erythromycin. Erythromycin is moved around your body partly by a little cellular pump called P-glycoprotein. Lab and animal research suggests bitter melon may slow that pump down. In theory, that could let a bit more erythromycin stay in your system, nudging up the chance of its usual side effects, things like nausea, stomach cramping, or diarrhea.

I want to be honest about how shaky this evidence is. This is based on test-tube and animal work, not solid human studies, so for most people it's a minor, theoretical concern. Eating bitter melon as food is far less likely to matter than concentrated supplement doses. If you take both regularly, just give your pharmacist or doctor a quick heads-up.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Konishi T, Satsu H, Hatsugai Y, et al. Inhibitory effect of a bitter melon extract on the P-glycoprotein activity in intestinal Caco-2 cells. Br J Pharmacol. 2004;143(3):379-87. PubMed
  2. Unsal O, Sütcüoglu O, Yazici O. Dangerous interaction of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) with pazopanib: a case of acute pancreatitis. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2022;28(2):486-8.

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

Bitter Melon Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bitter Melon has 281 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 281 No known interaction 2,549 (incl. Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bitter Melon

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

This page covers Bitter Melon only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate page lists 202 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 9 major · 153 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate page

“Most people take erythromycin ethylsuccinate (E.E.S.) for a short course to clear an infection, often with a probiotic on the side. That does not make its 202 interacting ingredients low stakes; the nine rated major deserve a careful read first.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 736 real supplement products containing Bitter Melon, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bitter Melon. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate too, on top of Bitter Melon — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Bitter Melon and Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate 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 Bitter Melon
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate
Steady interest

#1,941 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 Bitter Melon

What is Bitter Melon?

Bitter Melon
  • Blood sugar support
  • Diabetes
  • Digestive complaints
  • Antioxidant source
  • Skin conditions

Bitter melon is a tropical fruit eaten as food and used in traditional medicine, most often for blood sugar control. While some small studies hint it may modestly lower blood sugar, the evidence is limited and inconsistent, so it should not replace proven diabetes treatment. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take diabetes medicines or are pregnant.

Read the full Bitter Melon monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bitter Melon

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

0Major
281Moderate
0Minor
2,548No known interaction
281 Moderate 2,548 No interaction
Moderate

281 interactions

Showing 60 of 281 moderate interactions — see all 281 on the Bitter Melon page.

No interaction 2,548 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,548 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bitter Melon list.

See the full Bitter Melon interactions page
See every supplement checked against Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Bitter Melon monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Bitter Melon and Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bitter Melon with Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate?
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 Bitter Melon and Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate 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

Still Have a Question About Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate and Bitter Melon?

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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.