Drug & supplement interaction

Siberian Cocklebur + Insulin Lispro

Insulin Lispro brand names: Admelog, Admelog Solostar.

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

Siberian Cocklebur has a major interaction with Insulin Lispro. Siberian cocklebur seedlings and seeds have caused severe hypoglycemia in humans.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodLikely
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Siberian Cocklebur and Insulin Lispro

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

Major

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin Lispro

Insulin Lispro falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Siberian Cocklebur interacts with.

Siberian cocklebur seedlings and seeds have caused severe hypoglycemia in humans. Hypoglycemia occurs soon after consumption and worsens with time in most cases. Do not use Siberian cocklebur in people taking medications that also lower blood glucose.
Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
Severity Major Likelihood Likely Evidence B

Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the key thing with this pairing: insulin lispro is a fast-acting insulin you take with meals, and its whole job is to bring your blood sugar down. The catch is that Siberian cocklebur (especially the seedlings and seeds) has been linked in people to serious drops in blood sugar. So you'd essentially have two things pushing your glucose down at the same time, and that stacking can tip you into hypoglycemia.

For you, that might look like shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, or feeling faint, and reports suggest it can come on soon after taking the cocklebur and get worse over time. This isn't just a theory either, it's based on real human cases. Please don't change your insulin on your own. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using this herb, since it also carries its own toxicity risk.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Turgut M, Alhan CC, Gurgoze M, et al. Carboxyatractyloside poisoning in humans. Ann Trop Paediatr 2005;25(2):125-34. PubMed
  2. Karabiber H, Almis H, Selimoglu MA, Yakinci C, Yilmaz S. Xanthium strumarium poisoning requiring liver transplantation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2014;58(1):e6-9.

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

Siberian Cocklebur Also Interacts With Other Medications

Siberian Cocklebur has 661 major, known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin Lispro one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 661 No known interaction 2,169 (incl. Insulin Lispro)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Siberian Cocklebur

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin Lispro

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

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

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

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin Lispro page

“Blood sugar is the entire subject of this list. Insulin lispro (Admelog) is a rapid mealtime insulin dosed to bring glucose down after eating, and the supplements below can shove that same number around, most of them downward, which risks a genuine low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin Lispro interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 84 real supplement products containing Siberian Cocklebur, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Siberian Cocklebur. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin Lispro too, on top of Siberian Cocklebur — 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 Siberian Cocklebur and Insulin Lispro 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 Siberian Cocklebur
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Lispro
Top half

#1,260 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 Siberian Cocklebur

What is Siberian Cocklebur?

  • Nasal congestion and sinus problems
  • Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
  • Headache
  • Skin conditions and itching
  • Joint and muscle discomfort

Siberian cocklebur is a fruit used in traditional Chinese and other Asian herbal medicine, mainly for nasal congestion, sinus issues, and allergies. Human evidence is very limited, and the plant contains naturally toxic compounds that can cause serious poisoning, so it should only be used under expert guidance, if at all.

Read the full Siberian Cocklebur monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Lispro Injection

What Is Insulin Lispro Injection Used For?

Brand names: Admelog, Admelog Solostar

Insulin lispro injection is used to improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a rapid-acting insulin analog approved for use in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Admelog is specifically indicated to improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. Humalog Mix75/25 is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus; it is a fixed-ratio mixture of insulin lispro and insulin lispro protamine, and its fixed proportions do not allow for separate adjustment of basal (background) and prandial (mealtime) doses.

See full Insulin Lispro Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Siberian Cocklebur

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

661Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,168No known interaction
661 Major 2,168 No interaction
Major

661 interactions

Showing 60 of 661 major interactions — see all 661 on the Siberian Cocklebur page.

No interaction 2,168 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,168 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Siberian Cocklebur list.

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

Can you take Siberian Cocklebur with Insulin Lispro?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Siberian Cocklebur and Insulin Lispro interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Insulin Lispro and Siberian Cocklebur?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.