Drug & supplement interaction

Damiana + Insulin Glargine

Insulin Glargine brand names: Basaglar, Lusduna, Semglee.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Damiana has a moderate interaction with Insulin Glargine. Theoretically, taking damiana with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

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

Damiana and Insulin Glargine

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin Glargine

Insulin Glargine falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Damiana interacts with.

Theoretically, taking damiana with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Animal research shows that taking damiana lowers blood glucose level.
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 glargine already does the heavy lifting of lowering your blood sugar throughout the day. Some animal studies hint that damiana may nudge blood sugar down a little on its own. If both push in the same direction, the worry is that your numbers could dip too low (hypoglycemia). That can show up as shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, or feeling dizzy.

I want to be honest about the strength of this, though. It's theoretical, based on animal research, not solid human studies, and a cup of damiana tea is unlikely to do much. Still, since you're on insulin, it's worth a quick chat with your doctor or pharmacist before adding concentrated damiana supplements, and keep an eye on your home glucose readings.

References
  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. Alarcon-Aquilar FJ, Roman-Ramos R, Perez-Gutierrez S, et al. Study of the anti-hyperglycemic effect of plants used as antidiabetics. J Ethnopharmacol 1998;61:101-10. 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

Damiana Also Interacts With Other Medications

Damiana has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin Glargine 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 Damiana

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin Glargine

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

Open the Insulin Glargine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 881 real supplement products containing Damiana, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Damiana. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin Glargine too, on top of Damiana — 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 Damiana and Insulin Glargine 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 Damiana
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Glargine
Top half

#1,137 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 Damiana

What is Damiana?

Damiana
  • Low libido / aphrodisiac
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Mood and mild low energy
  • Digestive upset
  • Headache and general tonic

Damiana is a traditional herb most famous as an aphrodisiac and mild mood-lifter, but solid human evidence for any of its uses is very limited. It is generally well tolerated in the small amounts found in teas, but quality studies are lacking, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it—especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a health condition.

Read the full Damiana monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Glargine (rDNA origin) Injection

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

Brand names: Basaglar, Lusduna, Semglee

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 & Damiana

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Damiana — 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 Damiana 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 Damiana and Insulin Glargine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Damiana with Insulin Glargine?
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 Damiana and Insulin Glargine 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 Glargine and Damiana?

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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.