Drug & supplement interaction

Prickly Pear Cactus + Insulin Degludec

Insulin Degludec brand name: Tresiba.

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

Prickly Pear Cactus has a moderate interaction with Insulin Degludec. Combining prickly pear cactus with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

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

Prickly Pear Cactus and Insulin Degludec

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin Degludec

Insulin Degludec falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Prickly Pear Cactus interacts with.

Combining prickly pear cactus with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Case reports show that combining prickly pear cactus with antidiabetes drugs such as chlorpropamide, glyburide, glipizide, and metformin can increase the risk of hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Advise patients to monitor glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments may be necessary.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

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: Tresiba (insulin degludec) already does a powerful job of lowering your blood sugar. Prickly pear cactus may nudge your sugar down a little more, mostly because its soluble fiber can slow how fast sugar gets absorbed after meals. Stack that on top of your insulin and you could dip lower than you expect, which is what we call hypoglycemia.

Watch for shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion, or a fast heartbeat. To be clear, the evidence here is fairly thin (mostly case reports), so this isn't a guaranteed problem, and a little prickly pear in food is unlikely to do much. But concentrated supplement doses are worth a conversation. Please don't change your insulin on your own. Check your glucose more closely and let your pharmacist or doctor know before adding it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Meckes-Lozyoa M, Roman-Ramos R. Opuntia streptacantha; a coadjutor in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Am J Chin Med 1986;14:116-8.
  2. Bush TM, Rayburn KS, Holloway SW, et al. Adverse interactions between herbal and dietary substances and prescription medications: a clinical survey. Altern Ther Health Med 2007;13:30-5.
  3. Sobieraj DM, Freyer CW. Probable hypoglycemic adverse drug reaction associated with prickly pear cactus, glipizide, and metformin in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Pharmacother 2010;44:1334-7. PubMed
  4. Meckes-Lozyoa, M. and Roman-Ramos, R. Opuntia streptacantha: a coadjutor in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Am J Chin Med 1986;14(3-4):116-118.
  5. Onakpoya IJ, O'Sullivan J, Heneghan CJ. The effect of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Nutrition. 2015;31(5):640-6. 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

Prickly Pear Cactus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Prickly Pear Cactus has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin Degludec 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. Insulin Degludec)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Prickly Pear Cactus

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin Degludec

This page covers Prickly Pear Cactus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin Degludec 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 page

“Insulin degludec (Tresiba) is a long-acting insulin meant to hold blood sugar steady around the clock, which means anything else that pushes glucose down can push it too far. That is the story for nearly all 239 ingredients on this page, and the list warrants genuine caution.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin Degludec interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Prickly Pear Cactus as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 432 real supplement products containing Prickly Pear Cactus, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Prickly Pear Cactus. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin Degludec too, on top of Prickly Pear Cactus — 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 Prickly Pear Cactus and Insulin Degludec 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 Prickly Pear Cactus
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Degludec
Top half

#1,143 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 Prickly Pear Cactus

What is Prickly Pear Cactus?

  • Blood sugar control
  • High cholesterol
  • Hangover symptoms
  • Digestive health
  • Antioxidant support

Prickly pear cactus is a desert plant whose pads and fruit are eaten as food and taken as a supplement, mainly for blood sugar, cholesterol, and hangover symptoms. Some small studies suggest modest benefits, but the evidence is limited and not strong enough to rely on it as a treatment. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take medication for diabetes.

Read the full Prickly Pear Cactus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection

What Is Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection Used For?

Brand name: Tresiba

Insulin degludec (brand name Tresiba) is used to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults and children 1 year of age and older who have diabetes mellitus — including both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

It is not recommended for treating diabetic ketoacidosis (a dangerous complication of diabetes that requires a different type of treatment). In people with type 1 diabetes, insulin degludec must always be used together with a short-acting insulin.

See full Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Prickly Pear Cactus

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Prickly Pear Cactus — 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 Prickly Pear Cactus page.

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Prickly Pear Cactus 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 Prickly Pear Cactus list.

See the full Prickly Pear Cactus interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, 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
Prickly Pear Cactus monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin Degludec supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, ranked by severity Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection 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 Prickly Pear Cactus and Insulin Degludec Together: Common Questions

Can you take Prickly Pear Cactus with Insulin Degludec?
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 Prickly Pear Cactus and Insulin Degludec 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 and Prickly Pear Cactus?

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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.