Drug & supplement interaction

Rabdosia Rubescens + Glipizide, Metformin

Glipizide, Metformin brand name: Metaglip.

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

Rabdosia Rubescens has a minor interaction with Glipizide, Metformin. In vitro research shows that oridonin, a constituent of Rabdosia rubescens, induces cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) enzyme.

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

Rabdosia Rubescens and Glipizide, Metformin

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Glipizide, Metformin

Glipizide, Metformin falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) SUBSTRATES — the group Rabdosia Rubescens interacts with.

In vitro research shows that oridonin, a constituent of Rabdosia rubescens, induces cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) enzyme. So far, this interaction has not been reported in humans. However, watch for a decrease in the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2C9 in patients taking Rabdosia rubescens. Some drugs metabolized by CYP2C9 include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), ibuprofen (Motrin), meloxicam (Mobic), and piroxicam (Feldene); celecoxib (Celebrex); amitriptyline (Elavil); warfarin (Coumadin); glipizide (Glucotrol); losartan (Cozaar); and others.
Severity Minor 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

Your combo pill, Metaglip, pairs two diabetes medicines. The glipizide half is the one that matters here. Lab studies hint that oridonin, a compound in Rabdosia rubescens, may speed up the CYP2C9 enzyme that breaks down glipizide. If that happened in real people, your body could clear glipizide a little faster, making it slightly weaker, which could nudge your blood sugar higher than expected. Metformin is handled by your kidneys, not this enzyme, so it should not be affected.

Honestly, this is only seen in test tubes and has never been reported in actual patients, so I would not lose sleep over it. Still, if you take this herb, keep an eye on your blood sugar readings and mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Zhang YW, Zheng XW, Liu YJ, et al. Effect of oridonin on cytochrome P450 expression and activities in HepaRG Cell. Pharmacology. 2018;101(5-6):246-254. 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

Rabdosia Rubescens Also Interacts With Other Medications

Rabdosia Rubescens has 714 moderate, 68 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Glipizide, Metformin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 714 Minor 68 No known interaction 2,048 (incl. Glipizide, Metformin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Rabdosia Rubescens

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Glipizide, Metformin

This page covers Rabdosia Rubescens only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Glipizide, Metformin page lists 307 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 · 257 moderate · 48 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Glipizide, Metformin page

“Glipizide and metformin (Metaglip) already work hard to pull blood sugar down, which is exactly why this list of 307 ingredients deserves genuine vigilance rather than a shrug. Most of them, 239, can lower glucose on their own, and stacked on this pill the combined effect can tip into true hypoglycemia.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Glipizide, Metformin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Rabdosia Rubescens and Glipizide, Metformin 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 Rabdosia Rubescens
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Glipizide, Metformin
Top half

#922 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 Rabdosia Rubescens

What is Rabdosia Rubescens?

Rabdosia Rubescens
  • Sore throat and respiratory complaints
  • Inflammation
  • Antimicrobial support
  • Digestive complaints
  • Traditional cancer support

Rabdosia rubescens is a Chinese herb traditionally used for sore throats, inflammation, and infections, and its compound oridonin has drawn lab interest for possible anticancer effects. However, strong human evidence is lacking for any use, and safety has not been well studied, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Read the full Rabdosia Rubescens monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Rabdosia Rubescens

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

0Major
714Moderate
68Minor
2,047No known interaction
714 Moderate 68 Minor 2,047 No interaction
Moderate

714 interactions

Showing 60 of 714 moderate interactions — see all 714 on the Rabdosia Rubescens page.

Minor

68 interactions

Showing 60 of 68 minor interactions — see all 68 on the Rabdosia Rubescens page.

No interaction 2,047 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,047 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Rabdosia Rubescens list.

See the full Rabdosia Rubescens interactions page
See every supplement checked against Glipizide, Metformin, 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
Rabdosia Rubescens monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Glipizide, Metformin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Glipizide, Metformin, 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 Rabdosia Rubescens and Glipizide, Metformin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Rabdosia Rubescens with Glipizide, Metformin?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Rabdosia Rubescens and Glipizide, Metformin interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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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.