Drug & supplement interaction

Corydalis Yanhusuo + Canagliflozin, Metformin

Canagliflozin, Metformin brand name: Invokamet.

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

Canagliflozin, Metformin falls into 2 drug categories that Corydalis Yanhusuo can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo may increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Corydalis Yanhusuo and Canagliflozin, Metformin

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Canagliflozin, Metformin

Canagliflozin, Metformin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Corydalis Yanhusuo interacts with.

Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo may increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Corydalis yanhusuo contains berberine. Clinical research shows that berberine may lower blood glucose levels. Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo might also lower blood glucose levels.
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

Invokamet combines two diabetes medicines, canagliflozin and metformin, that both work to bring your blood sugar down. The thinking here is pretty simple: Corydalis yanhusuo may contain compounds (like berberine) that can also nudge blood sugar lower on their own. Stack that on top of medicine already doing the same job, and the two could add up, possibly pushing your sugar lower than intended.

If that happened, you might feel the usual signs of low blood sugar: shakiness, sweating, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, hunger, or confusion. I want to be honest though, this is a theoretical concern based on how these compounds behave, not hard human studies on this exact combination. Please don't change anything on your own. Just check your sugars and have a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding this herb.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Zhang Y, Li X, Zou D, et al. Treatment of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia with the natural plant alkaloid berberine. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008;93:2559-65. PubMed
  2. Yin, J., Xing, H., and Ye, J. Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 2008;57(5):712-717. PubMed
  3. Zhang, H., Wei, J., Xue, R., Wu, J. D., Zhao, W., Wang, Z. Z., Wang, S. K., Zhou, Z. X., Song, D. Q., Wang, Y. M., Pan, H. N., Kong, W. J., and Jiang, J. D. Berberine lowers blood glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients through increasing insulin re
  4. Wei, W., Zhao, H., Wang, A., Sui, M., Liang, K., Deng, H., Ma, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhang, H., and Guan, Y. A clinical study on the short-term effect of berberine in comparison to metformin on the metabolic characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndro
Moderate

METFORMIN (Glucophage)

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Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo might increase the therapeutic and adverse effects of metformin.
Corydalis yanhusuo contains berberine. In vitro and animal studies show that berberine can increase the systemic exposure and half-life of metformin, potentially increasing metformin's effects and side effects. This interaction seems to be most apparent when berberine is administered 2 hours prior to metformin. Taking berberine and metformin at the same time does not appear to increase systemic exposure to metformin. It is unclear if Corydalis yanhusuo might have this same effect.
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

Your Invokamet is a combo pill that pairs canagliflozin with metformin. The piece this herb may touch is the metformin half. Corydalis can contain berberine, and in lab and animal research berberine seems to slow how the body clears metformin, letting more of it linger. In theory that could nudge metformin's effects and side effects upward, things like nausea, stomach upset, diarrhea, or a metallic taste. With both drugs lowering blood sugar, watch for shakiness, sweating, or dizziness too.

Keep in mind this is theoretical, drawn from test-tube and animal data, not solid human studies, so it may not pan out in real life. Still, before you add Corydalis, check with your pharmacist or doctor rather than starting or stopping anything on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Lyu Y, Zhang Y, Yang M, et al. Pharmacokinetic interactions between metformin and berberine in rats: Role of oral administration sequences and microbiota. Life Sci. 2019;235:116818. 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

Corydalis Yanhusuo Also Interacts With Other Medications

Corydalis Yanhusuo has 1,161 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Canagliflozin, Metformin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,161 No known interaction 1,669 (incl. Canagliflozin, Metformin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Corydalis Yanhusuo

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Canagliflozin, Metformin

This page covers Corydalis Yanhusuo only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Canagliflozin, Metformin page lists 257 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 · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Canagliflozin, Metformin page

“Invokamet combines canagliflozin and metformin, two medicines that lower blood sugar by different routes, so nearly everything here, 239 of the 257 ingredients on file, touches glucose control in one direction or the other. Most add their own sugar-lowering effect and can stack with the drug to drop blood sugar too far, while a few pus…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Canagliflozin, Metformin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Corydalis Yanhusuo and Canagliflozin, 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 Corydalis Yanhusuo
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Canagliflozin, Metformin
Top 5%

#108 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 Corydalis Yanhusuo

What is Corydalis Yanhusuo?

  • Pain relief
  • Menstrual cramps
  • Headache
  • Stress and sleep support
  • Stomach and abdominal discomfort

Corydalis yanhusuo is a traditional Chinese herb used mainly for pain. Some early laboratory and animal research suggests its compounds may affect pain and the nervous system, but high-quality human studies are limited, so its true benefits and long-term safety are not well established. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Corydalis Yanhusuo monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Corydalis Yanhusuo

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

0Major
1,161Moderate
0Minor
1,668No known interaction
1,161 Moderate 1,668 No interaction
Moderate

1,161 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,161 moderate interactions — see all 1,161 on the Corydalis Yanhusuo page.

No interaction 1,668 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,668 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Corydalis Yanhusuo list.

See the full Corydalis Yanhusuo interactions page
See every supplement checked against Canagliflozin, Metformin, 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
Corydalis Yanhusuo monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Canagliflozin, Metformin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Canagliflozin, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Corydalis Yanhusuo and Canagliflozin, Metformin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Corydalis Yanhusuo with Canagliflozin, Metformin?
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 Corydalis Yanhusuo and Canagliflozin, Metformin?
Canagliflozin, Metformin belongs to more than one drug category, and Corydalis Yanhusuo 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 Corydalis Yanhusuo and Canagliflozin, Metformin 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.