Drug & supplement interaction

Dill + Acarbose

Acarbose brand names: Precose, Prandase, Glucobay.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Dill has a moderate interaction with Acarbose. Theoretically, dill extract might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs and 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

Dill and Acarbose

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Acarbose

Acarbose falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Dill interacts with.

Theoretically, dill extract might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs and increase the risk of hypoglycemia. Animal research shows that dill extract can reduce blood sugar levels. Monitor blood glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments might be necessary.
Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
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 simple version: dill itself may nudge your blood sugar a little lower. In animal studies, dill extract lowered blood glucose, so pairing it with a diabetes medicine like acarbose could, in theory, add up and pull your sugar down more than expected. Acarbose works by slowing how your body breaks down carbs after meals, so on its own it rarely causes low blood sugar, but stacking another sugar-lowering effect on top is the concern here.

I want to be honest that this is theoretical and based only on lab and animal research, not strong human studies. Normal cooking amounts of dill (in pickles, salads, or sauces) are very unlikely to matter. Concentrated dill supplements or essential oil are where I'd be more careful. If you take a dill supplement, just keep an eye on your readings and check in with your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

References
  1. Panda, S. The effect of Anethum graveolens L. (dill) on corticosteroid induced diabetes mellitus: involvement of thyroid hormones. Phytother.Res 2008;22(12):1695-1697.
  2. Madani H, Mahmoodabady NA Vahdati A. Effects of hydroalchoholic [sic] extract of Anethum graveolens (DILL) on plasma glucose an [sic] lipid levels in diabetes induced rats. Iranian Journal of Diabetes & Lipid Disorders 2006;5(2):E13.

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

Dill Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dill has 86 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Acarbose 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 Dill

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Dill or Acarbose

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

This page covers Dill only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acarbose page lists 281 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Acai (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 240 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Acarbose page

“Acarbose (Precose, Glucobay) is taken with meals to blunt the blood sugar rise after eating, and its supplement list calls for genuine care, starting with the four major-rated entries: heavy alcohol and the herb Siberian cocklebur can strain the liver alongside acarbose, while activated charcoal can soak up oral drugs and cut what reac…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Acarbose interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 123 real supplement products containing Dill, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dill. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Acarbose too, on top of Dill — 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 Dill and Acarbose 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 Dill
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Acarbose
Top half

#999 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 Dill

What is Dill?

  • Digestive upset and gas
  • Colic in infants (traditional)
  • Stimulating appetite
  • Bad breath
  • Menstrual discomfort

Dill is a common culinary herb that has long been used in traditional medicine for digestive complaints, but solid human evidence for any medicinal use is limited. It is generally considered safe in normal food amounts, while concentrated supplements or essential oil should be used with caution and discussed with a pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Dill monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Acarbose

What Is Acarbose Used For?

Brand names: Precose, Prandase, Glucobay

Acarbose tablets are used to help manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is always used together with a proper diet and regular exercise — not as a replacement for them.

Acarbose can be used on its own or combined with other diabetes medicines, such as sulfonylureas, insulin, or metformin, to further improve blood sugar control.

See full Acarbose drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dill

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

0Major
86Moderate
0Minor
2,743No known interaction
Moderate

86 interactions

Showing 60 of 86 moderate interactions — see all 86 on the Dill page.

No interaction 2,743 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 Dill and Acarbose Together: Common Questions

Can you take Dill with Acarbose?
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 Dill and Acarbose 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 Acarbose and Dill?

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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.