Drug & supplement interaction

Tamarind + Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

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

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Tamarind has a moderate interaction with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide. Theoretically, tamarind seed extract might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Tamarind 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 Tamarind interacts with.

Theoretically, tamarind seed extract might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs.
Animal research suggests that an extract of tamarind seed can reduce fasting blood glucose levels. Monitor blood glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments might be necessary.
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: Xultophy combines a long-acting insulin (degludec) with liraglutide, and both of these work to lower your blood sugar. Some animal studies hint that tamarind seed extract might also nudge fasting blood sugar down a bit. If that effect carried over to people, stacking it on top of your Xultophy could push your sugar lower than intended, raising the chance of hypoglycemia (shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion).

That said, I want to be honest about the evidence: it's only lab and animal data, so this is more theoretical than proven. Eating tamarind as a normal food in cooking is very unlikely to cause trouble. Concentrated seed extracts are where I'd be more cautious. If you want to use one, check your sugars more closely and chat with your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Maiti, R., Jana, D., Das, U. K., and Ghosh, D. Antidiabetic effect of aqueous extract of seed of Tamarindus indica in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004;92(1):85-91. 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

Tamarind Also Interacts With Other Medications

Tamarind has 129 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.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Tamarind

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

This page covers Tamarind 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 Tamarind as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 45 real supplement products containing Tamarind, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Tamarind. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide too, on top of Tamarind — 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 Tamarind 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 Tamarind
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide
Top 5%

#37 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 Tamarind

What is Tamarind?

  • Constipation and digestive upset
  • Culinary flavoring
  • Fever and sore throat
  • Antioxidant support
  • Traditional wound or skin care

Tamarind is a tangy tropical fruit widely used in cooking and traditional medicine, mainly for digestion and as a mild laxative. While it is a nutritious food, strong human evidence for most of its medicinal claims is limited, so use it mainly as a food and talk to your pharmacist before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Tamarind monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Tamarind

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

0Major
129Moderate
0Minor
2,700No known interaction
Moderate

129 interactions

Showing 60 of 129 moderate interactions — see all 129 on the Tamarind page.

No interaction 2,700 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Tamarind and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Tamarind 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 Tamarind 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 Tamarind?

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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.