Drug & supplement interaction

Chinese Mallow + Insulin (Human)

Insulin (Human) brand names: Novolin N, Novolin 70/30, Novolin R, Novolin L, Afrezza.

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

Chinese Mallow has a moderate interaction with Insulin (Human). Theoretically, concomitant use with Chinese mallow might increase the risk for hypoglycemia.

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

Chinese Mallow and Insulin (Human)

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin (Human)

Insulin (Human) falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Chinese Mallow interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use with Chinese mallow might increase the risk for hypoglycemia.
Animal research suggests Chinese mallow has hypoglycemic activity.
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: insulin already lowers your blood sugar, and there's some early evidence that Chinese Mallow may nudge blood sugar down a little too. Put them together and the worry is that your sugar could drop lower than you'd want. With insulin, that can show up as shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, or feeling lightheaded.

I want to be straight with you, though: this concern comes from animal studies, not human trials, so it's mostly theoretical and on the milder side. Still, since insulin doses are carefully balanced, it's worth a heads-up. If you do try Chinese Mallow, check your blood sugar a bit more often at first and chat with your pharmacist or doctor before mixing the two. Don't change your insulin dose on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Shimizu N, Tomoda M. Constituents of the seed of Malva verticillata. I. Structural features of the major neutral polysaccharide. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1987;35:4981-4. PubMed
  2. Jeong YT, Song CH. Antidiabetic activities of extract from Malva verticillate seed via the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2011;21(90):921-9. doi: 10.4014/jmb.1104.04015.

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

Chinese Mallow Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chinese Mallow has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin (Human) 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 (Human))
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chinese Mallow

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin (Human)

This page covers Chinese Mallow only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin (Human) page lists 259 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 3 major · 218 moderate · 38 minor.

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

“With human insulin (Novolin, Afrezza), extra glucose lowering is not a nuisance, it is the hazard itself, and this is one of the lists I treat as genuinely serious. Nearly every ingredient here either drops blood sugar on its own or adds to insulin's effect, and the combination can push a normal dose into hypoglycemia, a dangerous low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin (Human) interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Chinese Mallow and Insulin (Human) 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 Chinese Mallow
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin (Human)
Top 10%

#213 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 Chinese Mallow

What is Chinese Mallow?

  • Constipation
  • Digestive upset
  • Urinary problems
  • Cough and sore throat
  • Skin soothing (topical)

Chinese Mallow (Malva verticillata) is a leafy plant used in traditional Chinese and Asian medicine, mostly for constipation, urinary complaints, and as a soothing demulcent. Strong scientific evidence in humans is lacking, so its benefits are mostly based on traditional use and early research. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Chinese Mallow monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Human Insulin Injection

What Is Human Insulin Injection Used For?

Brand names: Novolin N, Novolin 70/30, Novolin R, Novolin L, Afrezza

Novolin (human insulin injection) is used to improve glycemic control — meaning blood sugar management — in adults and children with diabetes mellitus.

Novolin 70/30 is a fixed-ratio mixture of intermediate-acting and short-acting human insulin. Because the ratio is fixed, it cannot be adjusted separately for background (basal) or mealtime (prandial) needs.

See full Human Insulin Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chinese Mallow

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Chinese Mallow — 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 Chinese Mallow page.

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Chinese Mallow 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 Chinese Mallow list.

See the full Chinese Mallow interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin (Human), 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
Chinese Mallow monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin (Human) supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin (Human), ranked by severity Human Insulin Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Chinese Mallow and Insulin (Human) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chinese Mallow with Insulin (Human)?
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 Chinese Mallow and Insulin (Human) 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 (Human) and Chinese Mallow?

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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.