Drug & supplement interaction

Brickellia + Insulin Glargine (rDNA)

Insulin Glargine (rDNA) brand name: Lantus.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Brickellia has a moderate interaction with Insulin Glargine (rDNA). 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 Glargine (rDNA)

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin Glargine (rDNA)

Insulin Glargine (rDNA) 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. Lantus (insulin glargine) is a long-acting insulin that steadily lowers your blood sugar across the day. Brickellia tea has been studied in animals and seems to lower blood sugar too. So if you drink it while using Lantus, the two could add up and push your sugar lower than you want.

The thing to watch for is hypoglycemia: shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, dizziness, or feeling suddenly weak or hungry. I want to be honest though, this concern comes mostly from lab and animal work, not solid human studies, so it's a possible risk rather than a proven one. If you'd like to try Brickellia, check with your doctor or pharmacist first and keep a closer eye on your sugar readings.

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 Glargine (rDNA) 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 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 Glargine (rDNA)

This page covers Brickellia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin Glargine (rDNA) 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 Glargine (rDNA) page

“This page for insulin glargine (Lantus) runs to 242 ingredients, and it earns real care, because nearly everything on it moves blood sugar while your basal insulin dose stays fixed. Most add to the glucose-lowering effect and raise the odds of a low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin Glargine (rDNA) interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Brickellia and Insulin Glargine (rDNA) 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

#1,266 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Glargine (rDNA)
Steady interest

#1,934 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
Medication

About Insulin Glargine (rDNA origin) Injection

What Is Insulin Glargine (rDNA origin) Injection Used For?

Brand name: Lantus

Insulin glargine is used to improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, and in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is a long-acting basal insulin, meaning it works gradually over the course of the day to keep blood sugar steady.

Insulin glargine is not recommended for treating diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious complication where the blood becomes dangerously acidic).

See full Insulin Glargine (rDNA origin) Injection drug information
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
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
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 Brickellia and Insulin Glargine (rDNA) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Brickellia with Insulin Glargine (rDNA)?
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 Glargine (rDNA) 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.