Drug & supplement interaction

Calotropis + Metformin

Metformin brand names: Glucophage, Metformin.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Calotropis and Metformin 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Calotropis and Metformin

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 Metformin and Calotropis 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.

Calotropis safety at a glance

Calotropis overall Avoid The plant contains toxic cardiac glycosides and an irritant latex that can cause serious harm if swallowed or rubbed in the eyes.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Metformin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Metformin is filed under 5 classifications — including organic cation transporter 2 (oct2) substrates, antidiabetes drugs, oral drugs. Calotropis has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being digoxin (lanoxin) (moderate), diuretic drugs (moderate) and lithium (moderate) — and none of Metformin’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

Calotropis Does Interact With Other Medications

Calotropis has 98 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Metformin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 98 No known interaction 2,732 (incl. Metformin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Calotropis

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Calotropis and Metformin May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Diarrhea / Vomiting Additional detail

    Calotropis

    “There is limited reliable information available about the safety of calotropis when taken as a medicine. Orally, high doses of calotropis have been reported to cause vomiting, diarrhea, bradycardia, convulsions, and death (18). Topical exposure to calotropis has been reported to cause contact allergies and corneal endothelial cell injury leading to edema and vision loss.”

    Calotropis · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    6 sources cited
    1. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    2. 95217. Handa F, Sadana JK, Sharma PK. Allergic contact dermatitis due to the plant Calotropis procera (Vern: AK). A case report. Indian J Dermatol. 1984 Jul;29(3):27-9.
    3. 95213. Al-Mezaine HS, Al-Rajhi AA, Al-Assiri A, Wagoner MD. Calotropis procera (ushaar) keratitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Jan;139(1):199-202. PubMed
    4. 95214. Al-Mezaine HS, Al-Amry MA, Al-Assiri A, et al. Corneal endothelial cytotoxicity of the Calotropis procera (ushaar) plant. Cornea. 2008 May;27(4):504-6. PubMed
    5. 95215. Basak SK, Bhaumik A, Mohanta A, Singhal P. Ocular toxicity by latex of Calotropis procera (Sodom apple). Indian J Ophthalmol. 2009 May-Jun;57(3):232-4. PubMed
    6. 95216. Biedner B, Rothkoff L, Witztum A. Calotropis procera (Sodom apple) latex keratoconjunctivitis. Isr J Med Sci. 1977 Sep;13(9):914-6.

    “Orally, high doses of calotropis can cause vomiting and diarrhea (18).”

    Calotropis · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    1 source cited
    1. 18. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.

    Metformin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Metformin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Calotropis

    “Topically, calotropis has been reported to cause allergic contact dermatitis. In one case report, a 24-year-old male developed allergic dermatitis of the penis and scrotum after touching a calotropis plant with his hands and then spreading exposure to the penis and scrotum. The patient experienced redness, burning, lesions, and a watery discharge.”

    Calotropis · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 95217. Handa F, Sadana JK, Sharma PK. Allergic contact dermatitis due to the plant Calotropis procera (Vern: AK). A case report. Indian J Dermatol. 1984 Jul;29(3):27-9.

    “Topically, calotropis has been reported to cause allergic contact dermatitis.”

    Calotropis · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 95217. Handa F, Sadana JK, Sharma PK. Allergic contact dermatitis due to the plant Calotropis procera (Vern: AK). A case report. Indian J Dermatol. 1984 Jul;29(3):27-9.

    Metformin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Metformin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Calotropis but not commonly for Metformin: seizures, a slow heartbeat, loss of vision and swelling.

Effects for Metformin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Calotropis come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Calotropis in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Calotropis or Metformin

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

This page covers Calotropis only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Metformin page lists 258 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 · 217 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Metformin page

“Siberian cocklebur is the ingredient I most want anyone taking metformin (Glucophage) to know about. It has caused severe low blood sugar in people, documented in humans, and it should not be combined with any glucose-lowering medication.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Metformin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Calotropis and Metformin 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 Calotropis
Steady interest

#1,191 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Metformin
Top 1%

#29 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 Calotropis reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Calotropis and Metformin records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Calotropis

What is Calotropis?

  • Skin conditions and wounds (traditional, topical)
  • Joint pain and inflammation
  • Digestive complaints
  • Coughs and respiratory issues
  • Traditional Ayurvedic and folk remedies

Calotropis is a milkweed-family plant long used in traditional medicine, but its milky latex and other parts are potentially toxic and can harm the eyes, skin, and heart. Human evidence for any health benefit is very limited, and the risk of poisoning is real, so it should not be taken internally without expert medical supervision.

Calotropis procera · Apocynaceae · Latex (milky sap), leaves, roots, and flowers · Traditional preparations such as dried plant powder, root or leaf extracts, and topical applications of latex; rarely standardized commercial products

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

Calotropis: dosing

There is no established safe or standardized dose of Calotropis. In general, internal use is best avoided.

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

Read the full Calotropis monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Metformin

What Is Metformin Used For?

Brand names: Glucophage, Metformin

Metformin is used to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is always used together with diet and exercise, not instead of them.

Metformin hydrochloride tablets and oral solution are approved for adults and children 10 years and older. Metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets — including brands such as Fortamet, Glumetza, and Metformin Hydrochloride Extended Release — are approved for adults only.

See full Metformin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Calotropis

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

0Major
98Moderate
0Minor
2,731No known interaction
98 Moderate 2,731 No interaction
Moderate

98 interactions

Showing 60 of 98 moderate interactions — see all 98 on the Calotropis page.

No interaction 2,731 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,731 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Calotropis list.

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

Calotropis References

The 7 references that drive our Calotropis 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. Robbers JE, Speedie MK, Tyler VE. Pharmacognosy and Pharmacobiotechnology. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1996.
  2. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  3. Al-Mezaine HS, Al-Rajhi AA, Al-Assiri A, Wagoner MD. Calotropis procera (ushaar) keratitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Jan;139(1):199-202. PubMed
  4. Al-Mezaine HS, Al-Amry MA, Al-Assiri A, et al. Corneal endothelial cytotoxicity of the Calotropis procera (ushaar) plant. Cornea. 2008 May;27(4):504-6. PubMed
  5. Basak SK, Bhaumik A, Mohanta A, Singhal P. Ocular toxicity by latex of Calotropis procera (Sodom apple). Indian J Ophthalmol. 2009 May-Jun;57(3):232-4. PubMed
  6. Biedner B, Rothkoff L, Witztum A. Calotropis procera (Sodom apple) latex keratoconjunctivitis. Isr J Med Sci. 1977 Sep;13(9):914-6.
  7. Handa F, Sadana JK, Sharma PK. Allergic contact dermatitis due to the plant Calotropis procera (Vern: AK). A case report. Indian J Dermatol. 1984 Jul;29(3):27-9.

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 Calotropis and Metformin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Calotropis with Metformin?
We do not list a known interaction between Calotropis and Metformin. 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.
Do Calotropis and Metformin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 3 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Calotropis and Metformin combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Metformin is filed under 5 classifications, and Calotropis has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Metformin'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 Calotropis interact with any other medications?
Yes. Calotropis has 98 documented drug interactions in our database — Metformin 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 Metformin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Metformin has documented interactions with 258 supplements in our database — Calotropis is not one of them. The Metformin 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

Calotropis monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Metformin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Metformin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Metformin, 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 7 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Metformin and Calotropis?

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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.