Drug & supplement interaction

Octacosanol + Glimepiride

Glimepiride brand name: Amaryl.

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

Octacosanol has a moderate interaction with Glimepiride. Theoretically, octacosanol might have additive effects when used in combination with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Octacosanol and Glimepiride

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Glimepiride

Glimepiride falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Octacosanol interacts with.

Theoretically, octacosanol might have additive effects when used in combination with antidiabetes drugs.
Octacosanol is the main component of policosanol. In humans, policosanol can decrease blood glucose. It is not clear if these effects occur with the use of octacosanol.
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 simple version: glimepiride already lowers your blood sugar by nudging your pancreas to release more insulin. Octacosanol, which is the main piece of policosanol, has been suggested in some studies to gently lower blood sugar too. If both work in the same direction at once, your blood sugar could dip lower than expected, which is what we call an additive effect.

To be fair, this is mostly theoretical. The blood sugar effect was seen with policosanol, and we don't really know if plain octacosanol does the same thing. Still, if you do try it, watch for signs of low blood sugar like shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or feeling foggy, and check your levels a bit more often. Please loop in your pharmacist or doctor before adding it so they can help you keep an eye on things.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Wang HY, Jiao QP, Chen SY, et al. Efficacy and safety of policosanol plus fenofibrate combination therapy in elderly patients with mixed dyslipidemia: A randomized, controlled clinical study. Am J Med Sci. 2018;356(3):254-261. 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

Octacosanol Also Interacts With Other Medications

Octacosanol has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Glimepiride one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 247 No known interaction 2,583 (incl. Glimepiride)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Octacosanol

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Octacosanol or Glimepiride

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

This page covers Octacosanol only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Glimepiride page lists 306 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), Adrafinil (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 256 moderate · 48 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Glimepiride page

“Glimepiride (Amaryl) is a sulfonylurea, a diabetes pill that prompts the pancreas to release insulin, so anything that further lowers blood sugar can tip you into hypoglycemia, and that describes most of this list. Of the 306 supplement and herbal ingredients on file, 239 can move blood sugar on their own.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Glimepiride interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 435 real supplement products containing Octacosanol, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Octacosanol. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Glimepiride too, on top of Octacosanol — 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 Octacosanol and Glimepiride 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 Octacosanol
Steady interest

#1,071 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Glimepiride
Top half

#821 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 Octacosanol

What is Octacosanol?

Octacosanol
  • Physical performance and endurance
  • Cholesterol support
  • Parkinson's and movement concerns
  • Antioxidant support
  • General energy and stamina

Octacosanol is a waxy long-chain alcohol from plant sources that is most often promoted for exercise endurance and cholesterol support, but solid human evidence is limited and results are mixed. It appears generally well tolerated in supplement amounts, but it is not a proven treatment for any condition, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Octacosanol monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Glimepiride

What Is Glimepiride Used For?

Brand name: Amaryl

Glimepiride tablets are used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is always used together with a healthy diet and regular exercise — it is not a replacement for those habits.

Glimepiride is not intended for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious complication where the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones). It would not be effective in those situations.

See full Glimepiride drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Octacosanol

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

0Major
247Moderate
0Minor
2,582No known interaction
247 Moderate 2,582 No interaction
Moderate

247 interactions

Showing 60 of 247 moderate interactions — see all 247 on the Octacosanol page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,582 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Octacosanol list.

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

Can you take Octacosanol with Glimepiride?
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 Octacosanol and Glimepiride 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 Glimepiride and Octacosanol?

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.