Drug & supplement interaction

Manchurian Thorn + Acarbose

Acarbose brand names: Precose, Prandase, Glucobay.

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

Acarbose falls into 2 drug categories that Manchurian Thorn can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Animal research suggests that high doses of Manchurian thorn can induce liver damage.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Manchurian Thorn and Acarbose

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Manchurian Thorn interacts with whole categories of medication. Acarbose falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Manchurian Thorn in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Acarbose

Acarbose falls under HEPATOTOXIC DRUGS — the group Manchurian Thorn interacts with.

Animal research suggests that high doses of Manchurian thorn can induce liver damage. Theoretically, concomitant use with other potentially hepatotoxic drugs might increase the risk of developing liver damage.
Some of these drugs include acarbose (Precose, Prandase), amiodarone (Cordarone), atorvastatin (Lipitor), azathioprine (Imuran), carbamazepine (Tegretol), cerivastatin (Baycol), diclofenac (Voltaren), felbamate (Felbatol), fenofibrate (Tricor), fluvastatin (Lescol), gemfibrozil (Lopid), isoniazid, itraconazole, (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), leflunomide (Arava), lovastatin (Mevacor), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), nevirapine (Viramune), niacin, nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin), pioglitazone (Actos), pravastatin (Pravachol), pyrazinamide, rifampin (Rifadin), ritonavir (Norvir), rosiglitazone (Avandia), simvastatin (Zocor), tacrine (Cognex), tamoxifen, terbinafine (Lamisil), valproic acid, and zileuton (Zyflo).
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 thing to know about pairing Manchurian Thorn with acarbose: this isn't about one changing the other's strength. Acarbose works right in your gut to slow sugar absorption, so the concern is about your liver, not your blood sugar control. Acarbose can occasionally raise liver enzymes on its own, and high doses of Manchurian Thorn caused liver injury in animal studies. Stacking two things that may stress the liver could, in theory, add up.

I want to be honest, though: this is a theoretical caution based mostly on animal data, not proven cases in people. Still, if you take acarbose and want to try this supplement, please check in with your pharmacist or doctor first so your liver enzymes can be watched.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Burgos R, Hancke J, Caceres DD, et al. Hepatotoxic effect of Aralia mandshurica dried root extract in pigs. Phytotherapy Res 1997;11(1):59-61. DOI
  2. Burgos R, Hancke J, Wikman G, et al. Toxicological assessment of Aralia mandshurica (Araliaceae) root extract after subchronic administration in rats. A biochemical and histological study. Phytotherapy Res 1994;8(1):1-9.
Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

2 of 2

Acarbose also falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS.

Animal research suggests that saponins isolated from Manchurian thorn can lower plasma glucose levels. Theoretically, concomitant use with antidiabetes drugs might affect glucose control and increase the risk of hypoglycemia; use with caution.
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 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: Manchurian Thorn contains saponins that, in animal studies, seemed to lower blood sugar. Acarbose already works to keep your blood sugar from climbing too high after meals. Stack the two together and, at least in theory, your sugar could dip lower than you intend.

I want to be honest about the strength of this concern. It's based on lab and animal work, not solid human studies, so it's more of a caution flag than a proven problem. Acarbose by itself rarely causes low blood sugar, but it's still worth watching. If you take both, keep an eye out for shakiness, sweating, or dizziness, and check in with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Martinez, B. and Staba, E. J. The physiological effects of Aralia, Panax and Eleutherococcus on exercised rats. Jpn J Pharmacol 1984;35(2):79-85. DOI

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

Manchurian Thorn Also Interacts With Other Medications

Manchurian Thorn has 441 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Acarbose one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 441 No known interaction 2,389 (incl. Acarbose)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Manchurian Thorn

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Manchurian Thorn or Acarbose

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

This page covers Manchurian Thorn only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acarbose page lists 281 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 · 240 moderate · 37 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Acarbose page

“Acarbose (Precose, Glucobay) is taken with meals to blunt the blood sugar rise after eating, and its supplement list calls for genuine care, starting with the four major-rated entries: heavy alcohol and the herb Siberian cocklebur can strain the liver alongside acarbose, while activated charcoal can soak up oral drugs and cut what reac…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Acarbose interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 5 real supplement products containing Manchurian Thorn, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Manchurian Thorn. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Acarbose too, on top of Manchurian Thorn — 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 Manchurian Thorn and Acarbose 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 Manchurian Thorn
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Acarbose
Top half

#1,059 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 Manchurian Thorn

What is Manchurian Thorn?

  • Blood sugar support
  • Joint and arthritis discomfort
  • Fatigue and general weakness
  • Digestive complaints
  • General tonic / adaptogen-like use

Manchurian Thorn (Aralia elata) is a thorny shrub or small tree used in traditional East Asian medicine, mainly for blood sugar, joint pain, and as a general tonic. Human evidence is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven. If you are considering it, talk with your pharmacist or doctor first, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Manchurian Thorn monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Acarbose

What Is Acarbose Used For?

Brand names: Precose, Prandase, Glucobay

Acarbose tablets are used to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. They are always used together with a proper diet and regular exercise — not as a replacement for them.

Acarbose can be used on its own or combined with other diabetes medicines such as sulfonylureas, insulin, or metformin to get better blood sugar control.

See full Acarbose drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Manchurian Thorn

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

0Major
441Moderate
0Minor
2,388No known interaction
441 Moderate 2,388 No interaction
Moderate

441 interactions

Showing 60 of 441 moderate interactions — see all 441 on the Manchurian Thorn page.

No interaction 2,388 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,388 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Manchurian Thorn list.

See the full Manchurian Thorn interactions page
See every supplement checked against Acarbose, 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
Manchurian Thorn monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Acarbose supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Acarbose, ranked by severity Acarbose 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 Manchurian Thorn and Acarbose Together: Common Questions

Can you take Manchurian Thorn with Acarbose?
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 2 interactions listed for Manchurian Thorn and Acarbose?
Acarbose belongs to more than one drug category, and Manchurian Thorn 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 Manchurian Thorn and Acarbose 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 Acarbose and Manchurian Thorn?

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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.