Drug & supplement interaction

Ivy Gourd + Metformin

Metformin brand names: Glucophage, Metformin.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Ivy Gourd has a moderate interaction with Metformin. Ivy gourd may lower blood glucose levels and might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Ivy Gourd and Metformin

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Metformin

Metformin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Ivy Gourd interacts with.

Ivy gourd may lower blood glucose levels and might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs. This might increase the risk of hypoglycemia in some patients. Monitor blood glucose levels closely.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence A

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: ivy gourd has its own mild blood-sugar-lowering action, and metformin already works to bring your glucose down. Stack the two together and their effects can add up, which means your sugar could drop lower than you expect. This isn't about ivy gourd changing how your liver processes metformin, it's just two things pushing in the same direction at once.

For most people on metformin alone, true low blood sugar is uncommon, but it can still happen, especially if you skip meals or pair ivy gourd with other diabetes meds. Watch for shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or feeling foggy. Don't stop anything on your own. Just loop in your pharmacist or doctor and keep an eye on your home glucose readings.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Khan AK, AKhtar S, Mahtab H. Treatment of diabetes mellitus with Coccinia indica. Br Med J 1980;280:1044. PubMed
  2. Venkateswaran, S. and Pari, L. Effect of Coccinia indica leaf extract on plasma antioxidants in streptozotocin- induced experimental diabetes in rats. Phytother.Res 2003;17(6):605-608.
  3. Kuriyan, R., Rajendran, R., Bantwal, G., and Kurpad, A. V. Effect of supplementation of Coccinia cordifolia extract on newly detected diabetic patients. Diabetes Care 2008;31(2):216-220.

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

Ivy Gourd Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ivy Gourd has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Metformin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 85 No known interaction 2,745 (incl. Metformin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ivy Gourd

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Ivy Gourd or Metformin

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

This page covers Ivy Gourd only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Metformin page lists 258 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acai (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate) and Agaricus Mushroom (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 217 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Metformin page

“Siberian cocklebur is the ingredient I most want anyone taking metformin (Glucophage) to know about. It has caused severe low blood sugar in people, documented in humans, and it should not be combined with any glucose-lowering medication.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Metformin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 13 real supplement products containing Ivy Gourd, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ivy Gourd. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Metformin too, on top of Ivy Gourd — 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 Ivy Gourd and Metformin 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 Ivy Gourd
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Metformin
Top 1%

#28 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 Ivy Gourd

What is Ivy Gourd?

  • Blood sugar support
  • Digestive complaints
  • Skin conditions
  • General wellness and nutrition

Ivy gourd is a tropical vine widely eaten as a vegetable and used in traditional medicine, most often for blood sugar support. Early human research hints it may modestly lower blood sugar, but the evidence is limited and not strong enough to replace standard diabetes care. If you have diabetes or take medicine, talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using ivy gourd supplements.

Read the full Ivy Gourd monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Metformin

What Is Metformin Used For?

Brand names: Glucophage, Metformin

Metformin is used to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is always used together with diet and exercise, not instead of them.

Metformin hydrochloride tablets and oral solution are approved for adults and children 10 years and older. Metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets — including brands such as Fortamet, Glumetza, and Metformin Hydrochloride Extended Release — are approved for adults only.

See full Metformin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ivy Gourd

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Ivy Gourd — 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
85 Moderate 2,744 No interaction
Moderate

85 interactions

Showing 60 of 85 moderate interactions — see all 85 on the Ivy Gourd page.

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,744 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Ivy Gourd list.

See the full Ivy Gourd interactions page
See every supplement checked against Metformin, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Ivy Gourd monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Metformin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Metformin, ranked by severity Metformin drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Ivy Gourd and Metformin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ivy Gourd with Metformin?
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 Ivy Gourd and Metformin 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 Metformin and Ivy Gourd?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.