Drug & supplement interaction

Brickellia + Insulin (Bovine)

Insulin (Bovine) brand name: Hypurin Bovine Neutral.

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

Brickellia has a moderate interaction with Insulin (Bovine). Preliminary research in animal models shows that brickellia and its constituents have hypoglycemic effects.

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

Brickellia and Insulin (Bovine)

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin (Bovine)

Insulin (Bovine) falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Brickellia interacts with.

Preliminary research in animal models shows that brickellia and its constituents have hypoglycemic effects. Theoretically, taking brickellia with drugs that decrease blood glucose levels might increase the risk of hypoglycemia. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
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 simple version: bovine insulin (Hypurin Bovine Neutral) already does one main job, which is to lower your blood sugar. Brickellia tea, based mostly on animal studies, may also nudge blood sugar downward. Stack the two together and the worry is that they could add up and push your sugar too low.

If that happens, you might feel shaky, sweaty, dizzy, irritable, or suddenly very hungry, and a serious drop can be dangerous. I want to be honest, though: this concern comes from lab and animal research, not solid human studies, so it's more of a theoretical caution than a proven problem. If you'd like to try Brickellia, please check with your pharmacist or doctor first and keep an eye on your blood sugar readings.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Rosler KH, Goodwin RS, Mabry TJ, et al. Flavonoids with anti-cataract activity from Brickellia arguta. J Nat Prod 1984;47:316-9. PubMed
  2. Andrade-Cetto A, Heinrich M. Mexican plants with hypoglycaemic effect used in the treatment of diabetes. J Ethnopharmacol 2005;99:325-48. PubMed
  3. Perez RM, Cervantes H, Zavala MA, et al. Isolation and hypoglycemic activity of 5, 7,3'-trihydroxy-3,6,4'-trimethoxyflavone from Brickellia veronicaefolia. Phytomedicine 2000;7:25-9.
  4. Escandón-Rivera S, González-Andrade M, Bye R, Linares E, Navarrete A, Mata R. α-glucosidase inhibitors from Brickellia cavanillesii. J Nat Prod. 2012;75(5):968-74.
  5. Palacios-Espinosa F, Déciga-Campos M, Mata R. Antinociceptive, hypoglycemic and spasmolytic effects of Brickellia veronicifolia. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008;118(3):448-54. PubMed

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

Brickellia Also Interacts With Other Medications

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

Moderate 85 No known interaction 2,745 (incl. Insulin (Bovine))
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Brickellia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin (Bovine)

This page covers Brickellia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin (Bovine) page lists 242 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 211 moderate · 29 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin (Bovine) page

“Bovine insulin (Hypurin Bovine Neutral) lowers blood sugar, and the dose is calibrated to do exactly that, no more. That is why the 242 supplements on this page deserve real attention before adding one.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin (Bovine) interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Brickellia and Insulin (Bovine) 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 Brickellia
Steady interest

#1,275 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin (Bovine)
Steady interest

#1,882 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 Brickellia

What is Brickellia?

  • Blood sugar support (diabetes)
  • Digestive complaints
  • Gallbladder and bile flow
  • Colds and fever

Brickellia, often sold under names like 'prodigiosa' or as a Mexican folk remedy for diabetes, is a plant in the daisy family traditionally brewed as a tea. Scientific evidence in humans is very limited, so its effectiveness and long-term safety are not well established. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take medicines for blood sugar.

Read the full Brickellia monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Brickellia

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Brickellia — 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
85 Moderate 2,744 No interaction
Moderate

85 interactions

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

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,744 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Brickellia list.

See the full Brickellia interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin (Bovine), 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
Brickellia monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin (Bovine) supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin (Bovine), 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 Brickellia and Insulin (Bovine) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Brickellia with Insulin (Bovine)?
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 Brickellia and Insulin (Bovine) 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 Insulin (Bovine) and Brickellia?

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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.