Drug & supplement interaction

Guarumo + Insulin (rDNA)

Insulin (rDNA) brand names: Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humulin R, Humulin N, Humulin L, and others.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Guarumo has a moderate interaction with Insulin (rDNA). Some clinical evidence suggests that drinking tea prepared with guarumo leaf might lower blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

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

Guarumo and Insulin (rDNA)

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin (rDNA)

Insulin (rDNA) falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Guarumo interacts with.

Some clinical evidence suggests that drinking tea prepared with guarumo leaf might lower blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Theoretically, guarumo might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs. Monitor blood glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments might be necessary. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
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

Here's the thing to keep an eye on: guarumo leaf tea may gently lower your blood sugar on its own. Since insulin already does exactly that, putting the two together can add up and push your sugar lower than you intended. That can lead to hypoglycemia, which shows up as shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, or feeling lightheaded.

The evidence here is modest (a few small studies in people with type 2 diabetes), so this isn't a reason to panic. If you decide to try guarumo, the smart move is to check your blood sugar more often at first so you can catch any dips early. Don't change your insulin dose on your own. Talk it over with your pharmacist or doctor, since your dose may need adjusting.

References
  1. Revilla-Monsalve, M. C., Andrade-Cetto, A., Palomino-Garibay, M. A., Wiedenfeld, H., and Islas-Andrade, S. Hypoglycemic effect of Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol aqueous extracts on type 2 diabetic patients. J Ethnopharmacol 2007;111(3):636-40. PubMed
  2. Herrera-Arellano, A., Aguilar-Santamaria, L., Garcia-Hernandez, B., Nicasio-Torres, P., and Tortoriello, J. Clinical trial of Cecropia obtusifolia and Marrubium vulgare leaf extracts on blood glucose and serum lipids in type 2 diabetics. Phytomedicine 200 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

Guarumo Also Interacts With Other Medications

Guarumo has 504 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin (rDNA) 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 Guarumo

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin (rDNA)

This page covers Guarumo only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin (rDNA) 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.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin (rDNA) page

“A weed called Siberian cocklebur has caused severe low blood sugar in humans and is the one ingredient to avoid outright while using insulin (rDNA) products like Humalog or Humulin. This list deserves real respect.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin (rDNA) interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Guarumo and Insulin (rDNA) 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 Guarumo
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin (rDNA)
Top half

#909 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 Guarumo

What is Guarumo?

Guarumo
  • Type 2 diabetes / blood sugar support
  • High blood pressure
  • Cough, asthma, and bronchitis
  • Heart failure symptoms
  • Liver and rheumatic complaints

Guarumo (Cecropia obtusifolia) is a tropical tree used in Latin American traditional medicine, most often as a leaf tea for diabetes and high blood pressure. Some early laboratory and small human studies suggest it may modestly affect blood sugar, but the evidence is limited and not strong enough to recommend it as a treatment. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a chronic condition or take medication.

Read the full Guarumo monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Lispro Injection

What Is Insulin Lispro Injection Used For?

Brand names: Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humulin R, Humulin N, Humulin L, Humulin 50/50, Humulin 70/30, Humulin U, NovoLog, Velosulin, Novolog Mix 70/30, Actrapid, Humulin S, Insuman Rapid

Insulin lispro injection is used to improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a rapid-acting insulin analog approved for use in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Admelog is specifically indicated to improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. Humalog Mix75/25 is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus; it is a fixed-ratio mixture of insulin lispro and insulin lispro protamine, and its fixed proportions do not allow for separate adjustment of basal (background) and prandial (mealtime) doses.

See full Insulin Lispro Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Guarumo

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

0Major
504Moderate
0Minor
2,325No known interaction
Moderate

504 interactions

Showing 60 of 504 moderate interactions — see all 504 on the Guarumo page.

No interaction 2,325 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 Guarumo and Insulin (rDNA) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Guarumo with Insulin (rDNA)?
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 Guarumo and Insulin (rDNA) 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.