Herb & supplement monograph

Jiaogulan Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Jiaogulan interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Jiaogulan is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Jiaogulan is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Jiaogulan Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Jiaogulan drug interaction appears low for most people, though a few medication groups deserve real attention. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and none have been clearly confirmed in well-controlled human studies.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The best-supported concern involves diabetes medications, because clinical research shows jiaogulan can lower blood sugar, so combining them could add to that effect. Jiaogulan may also stimulate the immune system, which could work against immunosuppressants, a real worry for transplant patients whose drug effects are closely monitored. Lab research also hints at antiplatelet activity, so people on blood thinners should be aware of a theoretical bleeding risk, though this has not been shown in humans.

What the rest of the list means

Jiaogulan appears alongside hundreds of medications, but that long list reflects broad drug categories, not proven problems with each one. Most of these interactions are theoretical, based on lab or animal findings about how jiaogulan might affect blood sugar, clotting, or immune activity, and they have not been confirmed to cause meaningful changes in people.

Check your medications against Jiaogulan

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Jiaogulan interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Jiaogulan

327 medications have a known interaction with Jiaogulan, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Jiaogulan using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Jiaogulan interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. 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.
Possible. 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
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Jiaogulan combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Jiaogulan affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Jiaogulan is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 3 drug categories Jiaogulan interacts with

Anticoagulant/antiplatelet DrugsAntidiabetes DrugsImmunosuppressants

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, jiaogulan might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro research suggests that jiaogulan has antiplatelet effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, jiaogulan might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Clinical research shows that jiaogulan can lower blood glucose levels.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Immunosuppressants

Theoretically, jiaogulan might decrease the effectiveness of immunosuppressive therapy.
Clinical and animal studies suggest that jiaogulan can stimulate the immune system.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Jiaogulan: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Jiaogulan is a climbing vine used in traditional Chinese medicine as an adaptogen and for heart, blood sugar, and cholesterol support. Early human and animal studies are promising for some uses like metabolism and blood pressure, but the overall evidence is still limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially if you have a health condition or take medication.

Scientific name: Gynostemma pentaphyllum
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Part used: Leaves and aerial parts
Common forms: Tea, capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, powders

People commonly use it for

Fatigue and stress (adaptogen)
Blood sugar support
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Immune and general wellness

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated in tea or supplement form for short periods, but long-term safety is not well studied.

PregnancyPossibly Unsafe

When used orally. Ginsenoside Rb1, which is identical to the jiaogulan constituent gypenoside 3, has teratogenic effects in animal models; avoid using...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a climbing vine that grows in warm, humid parts of southern China and other regions of Asia. It is sometimes called "Southern Ginseng" or the "Immortality Herb" because some of its plant compounds are similar to those found in ginseng, and because it has a long history of traditional use.

In traditional Chinese medicine, jiaogulan has been used as a daily tea and a general tonic. Today people take it as a tea, capsule, tablet, or liquid extract for energy, stress, and to support the heart and metabolism. It is often marketed as an adaptogen, a term used for herbs thought to help the body cope with stress.

How it works

Jiaogulan contains many plant compounds called gypenosides, which are a type of saponin. Some of these are chemically similar to the active compounds (ginsenosides) found in ginseng. The plant also contains flavonoids and other antioxidants.

Laboratory and animal research suggests these compounds may act as antioxidants, help cells respond to stress, support healthy blood sugar handling, and affect cholesterol and blood vessel function. Some studies suggest it may activate an enzyme called AMPK that is involved in energy and metabolism.

It is important to remember that most of these mechanisms come from test-tube and animal studies. How well they apply to people taking the herb is not fully known.

Effectiveness

Does Jiaogulan work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 12 uses evaluated

1 Possibly effective 11 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Diabetes