Drug & supplement interaction

Quassia + Liraglutide Recombinant

Liraglutide Recombinant brand name: Saxenda.

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

Quassia has a moderate interaction with Liraglutide Recombinant. In animals, quassia extract reduced levels of fasting glucose.

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

Quassia and Liraglutide Recombinant

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Liraglutide Recombinant

Liraglutide Recombinant falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Quassia interacts with.

In animals, quassia extract reduced levels of fasting glucose. Theoretically, quassia might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs. This might increase the risk of hypoglycemia in some patients. Monitor blood glucose levels closely.
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: liraglutide (Saxenda or Victoza) already works to lower your blood sugar. Quassia, the bitter wood used as a digestive aid, appears to lower blood sugar too, but so far that's only been seen in animal studies. We don't have solid human proof. The concern is that the two together could push your glucose a little lower than expected, so the worry is mild hypoglycemia, which can show up as shakiness, sweating, dizziness, hunger, or feeling foggy.

This isn't a dangerous combination, just one worth watching. Tasting a bitter tonic now and then likely won't matter much, but regular concentrated quassia supplements could add up. If you'd like to use it, check your blood sugar a bit more often and run it by your pharmacist or doctor first. Please don't change your liraglutide dose on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Husain GM, Singh PN, Singh RK, Kumar V. Antidiabetic activity of standardized extract of Quassia amara in nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Phytother Res. 2011;25(12):1806-12.

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

Quassia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Quassia has 161 moderate, 36 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Liraglutide Recombinant one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 161 Minor 36 No known interaction 2,633 (incl. Liraglutide Recombinant)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Quassia

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Liraglutide Recombinant

This page covers Quassia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Liraglutide Recombinant 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 Liraglutide Recombinant page

“If you take liraglutide (Saxenda), handle this page with real care, because all 239 ingredients on it act on the same thing the drug does, your blood sugar. The one major entry, Siberian cocklebur, has caused severe hypoglycemia, dangerously low blood sugar, in people and should never be combined with a glucose-lowering medicine.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Liraglutide Recombinant interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 172 real supplement products containing Quassia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Quassia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Liraglutide Recombinant too, on top of Quassia — 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 Quassia and Liraglutide Recombinant 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 Quassia
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Liraglutide Recombinant
Top 25%

#335 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 Quassia

What is Quassia?

  • Loss of appetite
  • Digestive upset
  • Head lice (topical)
  • Intestinal worms/parasites
  • Bitter tonic

Quassia is a tropical wood known for its very bitter taste, traditionally used as a digestive bitter and as a folk remedy for parasites and head lice. Human evidence for these uses is limited, and high doses may irritate the stomach, so it should be used cautiously and avoided in pregnancy.

Read the full Quassia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Liraglutide Injection

What Is Liraglutide Injection Used For?

Brand name: Saxenda

Saxenda is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management. It is approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher if they also have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol or fat levels). It is also approved for adolescents aged 12 and older who weigh more than 60 kg and meet certain BMI thresholds for obesity.

Saxenda should not be used together with other liraglutide-containing products or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist. Its safety and effectiveness in combination with other prescription or over-the-counter weight-loss products have not been established.

See full Liraglutide Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Quassia

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

0Major
161Moderate
36Minor
2,632No known interaction
161 Moderate 36 Minor 2,632 No interaction
Moderate

161 interactions

Showing 60 of 161 moderate interactions — see all 161 on the Quassia page.

Minor

36 interactions

No interaction 2,632 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,632 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Quassia list.

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

Can you take Quassia with Liraglutide Recombinant?
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 Quassia and Liraglutide Recombinant 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 Liraglutide Recombinant and Quassia?

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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.