Drug & supplement interaction

Chokeberry + Alogliptin, Pioglitazone

Alogliptin, Pioglitazone brand name: Oseni.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Alogliptin, Pioglitazone falls into 2 drug categories that Chokeberry can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, chokeberry might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Chokeberry and Alogliptin, Pioglitazone

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Chokeberry interacts with whole categories of medication. Alogliptin, Pioglitazone falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Chokeberry in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Alogliptin, Pioglitazone

Alogliptin, Pioglitazone falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Chokeberry interacts with.

Theoretically, chokeberry might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
In vitro research shows that chokeberry inhibits CYP3A4. In humans, there is one case report of a drug interaction with trabectedin, a CYP3A4 substrate, which is hypothesized to have been caused by chokeberry inhibition of CYP3A4.
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 Oseni (which combines alogliptin and pioglitazone). The pioglitazone part is partly broken down by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. In test-tube studies, chokeberry can slow that enzyme down a bit. In theory, that could let pioglitazone build up slightly, which might nudge up the chance of side effects like swelling (fluid retention), weight gain, or low blood sugar if you're also on other diabetes meds.

I want to be honest though: this is very thin evidence. It rests on lab data and a single case report with a different drug, not real studies with Oseni. Everyday chokeberry juice or jam is unlikely to cause trouble. If you're using concentrated supplements, just give your pharmacist or doctor a heads-up first.

References
  1. Bräunlich M, Christensen H, Johannesen S, Slimestad R, Wangensteen H, Malterud KE, Barsett H. In vitro inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 by Aronia melanocarpa constituents. Planta Med. 2013 Jan;79(2):137-41. PubMed
  2. Strippoli S, Lorusso V, Albano A, Guida M. Herbal-drug interaction induced rhabdomyolysis in a liposarcoma patient receiving trabectedin. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Jul 30;13:199. PubMed
Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

2 of 2

Alogliptin, Pioglitazone also falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS.

Theoretically, chokeberry might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Some clinical research shows that chokeberry decreases levels of blood glucose in some patients with diabetes. However, other clinical research suggests that chokeberry has no significant effect on blood glucose levels.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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

Oseni combines two diabetes medicines: alogliptin, which boosts your body's own insulin signals, and pioglitazone, which helps your cells respond to insulin. Both work to bring your blood sugar down. Chokeberry isn't broken down by the same pathways, so this isn't really an enzyme issue. Instead, the concern is simpler: some studies suggest chokeberry may lower blood sugar a little on its own, so stacking it on top of Oseni could add up and push your numbers too low.

To be fair, the evidence here is mixed and mostly theoretical. Some trials showed a small drop, others showed nothing. Still, if you take concentrated chokeberry supplements, it's worth watching for shakiness, sweating, or dizziness, and checking in with your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Simeonov SB, Botushanov NP, Karahanian EB, Pavlova MB, Husianitis HK, Troev DM. Effects of Aronia melanocarpa juice as part of the dietary regimen in patients with diabetes mellitus. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2002;44(3):20-3.
  2. Milutinovic M, Velickovic Radovanovic R, Savikin K, et al. Chokeberry juice supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients - impact on health status. J Appl Biomed 2019;17(4):218-224. 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

Chokeberry Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chokeberry has 810 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Alogliptin, Pioglitazone one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chokeberry

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Alogliptin, Pioglitazone

This page covers Chokeberry only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Alogliptin, Pioglitazone page lists 356 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 309 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Alogliptin, Pioglitazone page

“Someone taking Oseni (alogliptin and pioglitazone) for type 2 diabetes often shops the very shelf this list comes from, and the pairing deserves genuine caution. Of the 356 ingredients on file, 239 also lower blood sugar, so stacking them on top of the pill can drop glucose too far.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Alogliptin, Pioglitazone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 493 real supplement products containing Chokeberry, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chokeberry. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Alogliptin, Pioglitazone too, on top of Chokeberry — 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 Chokeberry and Alogliptin, Pioglitazone 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 Chokeberry
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Alogliptin, Pioglitazone
Top half

#835 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 Chokeberry

What is Chokeberry?

Chokeberry
  • Antioxidant support
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Blood pressure support
  • Blood sugar support
  • Common cold symptoms
  • Anti-inflammatory support

Chokeberry (aronia) is a dark berry rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, and it's widely eaten as juice, jam, and supplements. Early research hints it may support heart health, blood pressure, and blood sugar, but the evidence is still limited and far from proven. It's generally well tolerated as a food, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Chokeberry monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chokeberry

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

0Major
810Moderate
0Minor
2,019No known interaction
Moderate

810 interactions

Showing 60 of 810 moderate interactions — see all 810 on the Chokeberry page.

No interaction 2,019 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 Chokeberry and Alogliptin, Pioglitazone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chokeberry with Alogliptin, Pioglitazone?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Chokeberry and Alogliptin, Pioglitazone?
Alogliptin, Pioglitazone belongs to more than one drug category, and Chokeberry interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Chokeberry and Alogliptin, Pioglitazone 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.