Drug & supplement interaction

Phellodendron + Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide brand name: Xultophy 100/3.6.

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

Phellodendron has a moderate interaction with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide. Theoretically, phellodendron may increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Phellodendron and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Phellodendron interacts with.

Theoretically, phellodendron may increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Phellodendron contains berberine. Clinical research shows that berberine may lower blood glucose levels. Theoretically, phellodendron might also lower blood glucose levels.
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 gist with Xultophy, which combines insulin degludec (a long-acting insulin) with liraglutide (a GLP-1 medicine). Both of these already work hard to bring your blood sugar down. Phellodendron contains berberine, and some research suggests berberine can lower blood sugar on its own. So the worry is simple addition: stacking a blood-sugar-lowering herb on top of a strong blood-sugar-lowering injection could push you too low.

To be fair, this is a theoretical concern based on how berberine behaves, not a documented problem with Xultophy specifically. Still, if your numbers run low you might feel shaky, sweaty, dizzy, or confused. If you want to try phellodendron, please check with your pharmacist or doctor first and keep an eye on your readings. Don't change your insulin dose on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Zhang Y, Li X, Zou D, et al. Treatment of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia with the natural plant alkaloid berberine. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008;93:2559-65. PubMed
  2. Yin, J., Xing, H., and Ye, J. Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 2008;57(5):712-717. PubMed
  3. Zhang, H., Wei, J., Xue, R., Wu, J. D., Zhao, W., Wang, Z. Z., Wang, S. K., Zhou, Z. X., Song, D. Q., Wang, Y. M., Pan, H. N., Kong, W. J., and Jiang, J. D. Berberine lowers blood glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients through increasing insulin re
  4. Wei, W., Zhao, H., Wang, A., Sui, M., Liang, K., Deng, H., Ma, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhang, H., and Guan, Y. A clinical study on the short-term effect of berberine in comparison to metformin on the metabolic characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndro

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

Phellodendron Also Interacts With Other Medications

Phellodendron has 1,159 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 1,159 No known interaction 1,671 (incl. Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Phellodendron

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

This page covers Phellodendron only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide page lists 239 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 1 major · 208 moderate · 30 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide page

“Every ingredient on this page acts on blood sugar one way or the other, which is why this list deserves genuine care from anyone using Xultophy (insulin degludec and liraglutide), a combination injection for type 2 diabetes. Most of the entries add to the pen's glucose-lowering effect and raise the odds of hypoglycemia, while a smaller…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 393 real supplement products containing Phellodendron, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Phellodendron. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide too, on top of Phellodendron — 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 Phellodendron and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide 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 Phellodendron
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide
Top 25%

#533 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 Phellodendron

What is Phellodendron?

Phellodendron
  • Digestive complaints and diarrhea
  • Inflammation and joint discomfort
  • Stress and weight management (in combination products)
  • Skin conditions (topical, traditional)
  • Antimicrobial support

Phellodendron is a traditional Chinese medicine bark (Huang Bai) that contains berberine and other plant compounds with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity in lab studies. Human evidence for most uses is limited, and it is often sold in combination with other herbs, making its individual effects hard to judge. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Phellodendron monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Phellodendron

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

0Major
1,159Moderate
0Minor
1,670No known interaction
1,159 Moderate 1,670 No interaction
Moderate

1,159 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,159 moderate interactions — see all 1,159 on the Phellodendron page.

No interaction 1,670 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,670 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Phellodendron list.

See the full Phellodendron interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide, 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
Phellodendron monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide, 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 Phellodendron and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Phellodendron with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide?
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 Phellodendron and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide 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 Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide and Phellodendron?

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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.