Drug & supplement interaction

Indian Cassia + Colesevelam

Colesevelam brand names: WelChol, Lodalis.

No Known Interaction

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026

The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Indian Cassia and Colesevelam in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Colesevelam states a food rule worth keeping to.

Know someone taking this? Share

Facebook Post Reddit Email

On this page

Interaction report

Indian Cassia and Colesevelam

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Colesevelam and Indian Cassia in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Indian Cassia safety at a glance

Indian Cassia overall Use caution Generally safe as a food spice, but concentrated supplements and oils are not well studied.

Pregnancy Use caution Food amounts are likely fine, but avoid medicinal or concentrated doses without medical advice.

Breastfeeding Use caution Food amounts are likely fine, but safety of concentrated forms is unknown.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Colesevelam and Indian Cassia? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›

How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Colesevelam

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Colesevelam is filed under a single classification — oral drugs. Indian Cassia has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and diuretic drugs (moderate) — and none of Colesevelam’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Indian Cassia Does Interact With Other Medications

Indian Cassia has 161 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Colesevelam isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 161 No known interaction 2,669 (incl. Colesevelam)

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Indian Cassia

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

What to actually watch for

What Colesevelam’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Indian Cassia. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Colesevelam’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

A bowel blockage Worth acting on
Trouble swallowing Worth acting on
Low blood sugar Worth acting on
A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
A heart attack Worth acting on
Pancreatitis Worth acting on
High blood sugar Worth acting on
Seizures Worth acting on
Raised blood pressure Worth acting on
A higher chance of infection Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 24 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Colesevelam. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 2,014 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Colesevelam that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Indian Cassia’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Indian Cassia side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Indian Cassia has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Colesevelam Products Have a Food Rule — Indian Cassia Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Colesevelam says to take it with food. If you take Indian Cassia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Colesevelam with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Colesevelam products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Colesevelam hydrochloride should be taken as follows ( 2.2 , 2.4 ): Tablets Take 6 tablets once daily or 3 tablets twice daily with a meal and liquid.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Colesevelam — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Overlapping uses

What Colesevelam Is Prescribed For, and What Indian Cassia Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Colesevelam is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Indian Cassia is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Colesevelam is prescribed for: Colesevelam is used alongside diet and exercise to reduce high LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). It is also approved to lower LDL cholesterol in boys and girls aged 10–17 who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) — an inherited condition that causes very high cholesterol — when diet and lifestyle changes alone haven't worked. Colesevelam tablets and oral suspension (Welchol and colesevelam hydrochloride products) are also used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, as an add-on to diet and exercise. Colesevelam is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Indian Cassia has been studied for:

Diabetes studied, not established Indian Cassia has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows
Indian Cassia for diabetes
Preliminary clinical research shows that taking Indian cassia dried leaf, 10 grams three times daily for up to 3 months, lowers fasting blood glucose levels to 100 mg/dL or less in about 50% of patients with diabetes. However, the patients in this study also followed a reduced carbohydrate diet. Therefore it is unclear if the improvement was due to Indian cassia, the diet, or the combination.
1 source cited

94272. Singh TN, Upadhyay BN, Tewari CM, Tripathi SN. Management of diabetes mellitus (prameha) with inula racemosa and cinnamomum tamala. Anc Sci Life. 1985 Jul;5(1):9-16.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Colesevelam on your own; if you are taking Indian Cassia for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Indian Cassia or Colesevelam

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

This page covers Indian Cassia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Colesevelam page lists 17 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Colesevelam page

“Colesevelam (WelChol, Lodalis) lowers cholesterol by binding bile acids in your gut, and every one of the 17 supplements on this list can interfere with how oral medicines are absorbed in that same territory. I would treat this list with genuine care, and the place to start is activated charcoal, the only major-rated entry.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Colesevelam interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 31 real supplement products containing Indian Cassia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Indian Cassia. Even though Indian Cassia itself has no known interaction with Colesevelam, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Indian Cassia and Colesevelam 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 Indian Cassia

Steady interest

#1,046 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Medication Colesevelam

Steady interest

#1,694 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.

Where does our data come from?

Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Indian Cassia reference on this page ↓
Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Indian Cassia and Colesevelam records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 2026.
What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.

Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS.

Supplement

About Indian Cassia

What is Indian Cassia?

Flavoring food
Digestive upset
Blood sugar support
Cold and cough relief
Antimicrobial

Indian Cassia (Cinnamomum tamala), also known as Indian bay leaf or tejpat, is an aromatic leaf used widely as a cooking spice and in traditional medicine across South Asia. Human evidence for its health benefits is very limited, so it is best enjoyed as a culinary spice rather than relied on to treat any condition. Used as food it is generally well tolerated, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements or oils.

Cinnamomum tamala · Lauraceae · Leaves (often called tejpat or Indian bay leaf) and bark · Whole dried leaves used in cooking, powder, tea, and essential oil

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Indian Cassia is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Indian Cassia record says about it on its own.

Indian Cassia: dosing

There is no established standardized medicinal dose for Indian Cassia. As a spice, people use small amounts of the dried leaf to flavor cooking, which is the most common and best-understood use.For capsules, powders, teas, or oils, follow the directions on the product label, since strength varies between products.

From our Indian Cassia monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Indian Cassia monograph & all interactions

Medication

About Colesevelam

What Is Colesevelam Used For?

Brand names: WelChol, Lodalis

Colesevelam is used alongside diet and exercise to reduce high LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). It is also approved to lower LDL cholesterol in boys and girls aged 10–17 who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) — an inherited condition that causes very high cholesterol — when diet and lifestyle changes alone haven't worked.

Colesevelam tablets and oral suspension (Welchol and colesevelam hydrochloride products) are also used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, as an add-on to diet and exercise. Colesevelam is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Colesevelam

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (2,014 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diarrhea 241 reports

Dyspnea 172 reports

Cough 169 reports

Muscle spasms 163 reports

Nasopharyngitis 150 reports

See full Colesevelam drug information

Keep checking

Other Drugs & Indian Cassia

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

0Major

161Moderate

0Minor

2,668No known interaction

161 Moderate 2,668 No interaction

Moderate

161 interactions

Showing 60 of 161 moderate interactions — see all 161 on the Indian Cassia page.

No interaction 2,668 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,668 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Indian Cassia list.

See the full Indian Cassia interactions page

See every supplement checked against Colesevelam, ranked by severity

Evidence & sources

Indian Cassia References

The 3 references that drive our Indian Cassia monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Singh TN, Upadhyay BN, Tewari CM, Tripathi SN. Management of diabetes mellitus (prameha) with inula racemosa and cinnamomum tamala. Anc Sci Life. 1985 Jul;5(1):9-16.
Rahman M, Khatun A, Islam MM, et al. Evaluation of antimicrobial, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, diuretic properties and total phenolic content of Cinnamomum tamala. International Journal of Green Pharmacy. 2013 Jul 1;7(3):236. DOI
Konda MR, Alluri KV, Janardhanan PK, Trimurtulu G, Sengupta K. Combined extracts of Garcinia mangostana fruit rind and Cinnamomum tamala leaf supplementation enhances muscle strength and endurance in resistance trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2018;15

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Indian Cassia and Colesevelam Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Indian Cassia with Colesevelam?

We do not list a known interaction between Indian Cassia and Colesevelam. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.

Should I take Indian Cassia and Colesevelam at the same time of day?

At least one FDA label for a product containing Colesevelam says to take it with food. If you take Indian Cassia on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Colesevelam with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Colesevelam products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.

Are Indian Cassia and Colesevelam used for the same thing?

They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Indian Cassia in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Colesevelam is being adjusted to a target.

How was the Indian Cassia and Colesevelam combination checked?

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Colesevelam is filed under 1 classification, and Indian Cassia has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Colesevelam's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.

Does Indian Cassia interact with any other medications?

Yes. Indian Cassia has 161 documented drug interactions in our database — Colesevelam is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.

Does Colesevelam interact with any supplements?

Yes. Colesevelam has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Indian Cassia is not one of them. The Colesevelam interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Indian Cassia monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Colesevelam drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Colesevelam supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Colesevelam, 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 References The 3 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Colesevelam and Indian Cassia?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.