Drug & supplement interaction

Goji + Gliclazide

Gliclazide brand name: Diamicron.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Gliclazide falls into 3 drug categories that Goji can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, goji berry might inhibit CYP2C19 and reduce metabolism of CYP2C19 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Goji and Gliclazide

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Goji interacts with whole categories of medication. Gliclazide falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Goji in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES

1 of 3

Why this applies to Gliclazide

Gliclazide falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) SUBSTRATES — the group Goji interacts with.

Theoretically, goji berry might inhibit CYP2C19 and reduce metabolism of CYP2C19 substrates.
In vitro research shows that goji berry tincture and juice inhibit CYP2C19 enzymes. Concomitant use with goji may decrease metabolism and increase levels of CYP2C19 substrates. However, this has not been reported in humans.
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 for you. Gliclazide is a diabetes pill that lowers blood sugar, and your body partly clears it using a liver enzyme called CYP2C19. Lab studies (not actual people) suggest goji berry might slow that enzyme down. If it does, gliclazide could hang around a bit longer than usual, which in theory could push your blood sugar lower than intended.

What would that feel like? Possible low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) signs like shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or feeling unusually hungry or confused. I want to be honest though: this is only a test-tube finding and hasn't been seen in real patients, so it's far from certain. Eating a few goji berries as food is unlikely to matter. If you're using concentrated goji supplements or juice, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Liu R, Tam TW, Mao J, et al. In vitro activity of Lycium barbarum (Goji) against major human phase I metabolism enzymes. Complement Integr Med. 2016;13(3):257-265.
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

2 of 3

Gliclazide also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, goji berry might inhibit CYP2C9 and reduce metabolism of CYP2C9 substrates.
In vitro research shows that goji berry tincture and juice inhibit CYP2C9 enzymes. Additionally, multiple case reports suggest that goji berry concentrated tea and juice inhibit the metabolism of warfarin, a CYP2C9 substrate. Concomitant use with goji may decrease metabolism and increase levels of CYP2C9 substrates.
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 basic idea: your body clears gliclazide using a liver enzyme called CYP2C9. Goji appears to slow that enzyme down, so the medication may hang around longer than usual. Since gliclazide is an active drug (not a prodrug that needs switching on), more of it staying in your system means a stronger blood-sugar-lowering effect. The main worry there is low blood sugar, which can show up as shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion, or feeling suddenly hungry.

Now, the honest part: this is mostly theory plus lab studies and a few case reports with warfarin, not solid proof with gliclazide. A few goji berries as food are very unlikely to matter. Concentrated goji juice, tea, or supplements are where I'd be cautious. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before mixing them.

References
  1. Lam AY, Elmer GW, Mohutsky MA. Possible interaction between warfarin and Lycium Barbarum. Ann Pharmacother 2001;35:1199-201.
  2. Guzmán CE, Guzmán-Moreno CG, Assad-Morell JL, Edgar Francisco Carrizales-Sepúlveda EF. Flecainide toxicity associated with the use of goji berries: a case report. Eur Heart J Case Rep. 2021;5(6):ytab204. PubMed
  3. Liu R, Tam TW, Mao J, et al. In vitro activity of Lycium barbarum (Goji) against major human phase I metabolism enzymes. Complement Integr Med. 2016;13(3):257-265.
Minor

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

3 of 3

Gliclazide also falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS.

Theoretically, concomitant use of goji fruit polysaccharides or goji root bark with antidiabetes drugs might have additive effects.
Animal and in vitro research show that goji root bark and fruit polysaccharides might have hypoglycemic effects. However, clinical research has only shown that taking goji fruit polysaccharides with or without antidiabetes drugs modestly reduces postprandial glucose when compared with control, with no reports of hypoglycemia.
Severity Minor 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

Here's the short version: gliclazide already lowers your blood sugar by nudging your pancreas to release more insulin. Goji berries, especially the concentrated polysaccharides found in supplements, may have a mild blood-sugar-lowering effect of their own. Put them together and the two could, in theory, add up and push your glucose a little lower than gliclazide alone would.

I want to keep this in perspective though. The human studies are limited and only showed a modest drop in after-meal blood sugar, with no actual cases of low blood sugar reported. Eating goji berries as a snack is very unlikely to cause trouble. Still, if you take a concentrated goji supplement daily, keep an eye out for shakiness, sweating, or dizziness, and let your pharmacist or doctor know before starting it.

References
  1. Cai H, Liu F, Zuo P, Huang G, Song Z, Wang T, et al. Practical application of antidiabetic efficacy of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide in patients with type 2 diabetes. Med Chem. 2015;11(4):383-90.

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

Goji Also Interacts With Other Medications

Goji has 2 major, 929 moderate, 68 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Gliclazide 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 Goji

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Gliclazide

This page covers Goji only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Gliclazide page lists 334 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 · 283 moderate · 47 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Gliclazide page

“Gliclazide (Diamicron) lowers blood sugar on its own, so a supplement list this long deserves real respect. Most of the entries are herbs and nutrients that also drop glucose, fenugreek, bitter melon, and ginseng among them, and stacking them on top can tip you into hypoglycemia, meaning blood sugar low enough to cause shakiness, sweat…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Gliclazide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,738 real supplement products containing Goji, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Goji. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Gliclazide too, on top of Goji — 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 Goji and Gliclazide 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 Goji
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Gliclazide
Steady interest

#1,662 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 Goji

What is Goji?

Goji
  • General antioxidant support
  • Eye health
  • Immune support
  • Anti-aging and well-being
  • Blood sugar support

Goji berries are a nutritious fruit rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and plant polysaccharides, and they are safe for most people as a food. While they are popular for eye health, immune support, and general wellness, strong human evidence for most health claims is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated goji supplements, especially if you take medications or are pregnant.

Read the full Goji monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Goji

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

2Major
929Moderate
68Minor
1,830No known interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

929 interactions

Showing 60 of 929 moderate interactions — see all 929 on the Goji page.

Minor

68 interactions

Showing 60 of 68 minor interactions — see all 68 on the Goji page.

No interaction 1,830 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 Goji and Gliclazide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Goji with Gliclazide?
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 3 interactions listed for Goji and Gliclazide?
Gliclazide belongs to more than one drug category, and Goji 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 Goji and Gliclazide 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.