Drug & supplement interaction

Japanese Apricot + Vildagliptin

Vildagliptin brand name: Galvus.

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

Japanese Apricot has a moderate interaction with Vildagliptin. Theoretically, taking Japanese apricot in combination with antidiabetes drugs might lower blood glucose and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Japanese Apricot and Vildagliptin

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Vildagliptin

Vildagliptin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Japanese Apricot interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Japanese apricot in combination with antidiabetes drugs might lower blood glucose and increase the risk of hypoglycemia. Japanese apricot fruit extract has been shown to reduce levels of fasting glucose in a diabetic animal model. However, this has not been shown in humans. Until more is known, use caution.
Some antidiabetes medications include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), 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: vildagliptin (Galvus) already works to bring your blood sugar down by helping your body release more of its own insulin after meals. The concern with Japanese Apricot is that a concentrated extract might also nudge blood sugar a little lower. Stack the two together and, in theory, you could dip too low. Signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) include shakiness, sweating, dizziness, a racing heart, or feeling confused.

I want to be honest about how soft this evidence is. The only finding so far comes from a diabetic animal study, not people, so it's more of a caution than a proven problem. Eating umeboshi or apricot as food is unlikely to matter much; concentrated supplements are the bigger question. Before adding one, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Shin EJ, Hur HJ, Sung MJ, et al. Ethanol extract of the Prunus mume fruits stimulates glucose uptake by regulating PPAR-γ in C2C12 myotubes and ameliorates glucose intolerance and fat accumulation in mice fed a high-fat diet. Food Chem. 2013;141(4):

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

Japanese Apricot Also Interacts With Other Medications

Japanese Apricot has 207 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Vildagliptin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 207 No known interaction 2,623 (incl. Vildagliptin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Japanese Apricot

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Vildagliptin

This page covers Japanese Apricot only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Vildagliptin page lists 256 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 · 215 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Vildagliptin page

“This list calls for real care, though not panic. Vildagliptin (Galvus) exists to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, and 239 of the 256 ingredients here act on blood sugar themselves.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Vildagliptin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 12 real supplement products containing Japanese Apricot, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Japanese Apricot. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Vildagliptin too, on top of Japanese Apricot — 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 Japanese Apricot and Vildagliptin 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 Japanese Apricot
Steady interest

#1,089 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Vildagliptin
Steady interest

#1,954 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 Japanese Apricot

What is Japanese Apricot?

  • Digestive upset
  • Fatigue and general wellness
  • Sore throat and cough
  • Antimicrobial support
  • Liver and detox support (traditional)

Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume) is a tart fruit used widely in East Asian foods and traditional medicine, often as pickled umeboshi or a concentrated extract. It has a long history of culinary and folk use, but high-quality human studies are limited, so most health claims remain unproven. The processed fruit is generally well tolerated as a food, but talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Japanese Apricot monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Japanese Apricot

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

0Major
207Moderate
0Minor
2,622No known interaction
207 Moderate 2,622 No interaction
Moderate

207 interactions

Showing 60 of 207 moderate interactions — see all 207 on the Japanese Apricot page.

No interaction 2,622 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,622 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Japanese Apricot list.

See the full Japanese Apricot interactions page
See every supplement checked against Vildagliptin, 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
Japanese Apricot monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Vildagliptin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Vildagliptin, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Japanese Apricot and Vildagliptin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Japanese Apricot with Vildagliptin?
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 Japanese Apricot and Vildagliptin 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 Vildagliptin and Japanese Apricot?

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.