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Dietary supplement

Achiote Leaf 500 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Solgar

Capsule Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Achiote Leaf 500 mg is a dietary supplement by Solgar with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for natural food and cosmetic coloring, source of antioxidants, antimicrobial/anti-infective (traditional use).Based on those ingredients, 86 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Achiote extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Achiote Leaf 500 mg by Solgar

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: achiote extract, which comes from the annatto plant. The extract is enclosed in a vegetable cellulose capsule with a few standard inactive ingredients (microcrystalline cellulose, silica, stearic acid, and vegetable magnesium stearate) that help hold the capsule together and ensure consistent dosing.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

This is a single-ingredient Annatto product and its label doesn't state a use — see Annatto's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.

The evidence for achiote extract's effectiveness is not established in our data. We hold insufficient reliable evidence to rate it for athletic performance, benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), exercise-induced muscle soreness, or halitosis (bad breath).

If you're considering this product for one of these uses, talk to your pharmacist or doctor about what the science actually supports.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Annatto

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Achiote leaf is generally well tolerated when taken orally. The main caution: while small food amounts of annatto are recognized as safe as a food coloring, concentrated supplement doses haven't been well studied, so the safety data is limited.

Rarely, annatto has been reported to cause constipation. Allergic reactions to annatto are uncommon but documented, ranging from hives and facial swelling to severe drops in blood pressure and anaphylaxis (a life-threatening reaction).

If you have a history of food or cosmetic allergies, be extra cautious. Pregnancy and lactation safety information isn't on file for this ingredient — talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using it if you're pregnant or nursing.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Annatto

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Annatto.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 86 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

If you take antidiabetes drugs (medication for high blood sugar or diabetes), check your specific medications with the interaction checker on this page. Animal studies suggest annatto may affect blood sugar, so close monitoring is important.

No other drug interactions are documented in our data for this ingredient.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Achiote extract may be worth considering if you're drawn to traditional plant supplements, but the evidence for its intended uses isn't established yet. If you take diabetes medication, you'll need to check your specific drugs and monitor your blood sugar closely.

Anyone with a history of allergies — especially to annatto or food colorings — should be cautious. Chat with your pharmacist before you start.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Feb 26, 2020.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Achiote Leaf 500 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Solgar
Barcode (UPC) 033984001121
Net contents 60 Vegetable Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Feb 26, 2020
DSLD ID 213740
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Achiote Leaf 500 mg by Solgar, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Vegetable Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Vegetable Capsule(s)
UPC/BARCODE
033984001121
IngredientAmount% DV
Achiote extract500 mg--

Other ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose, Stearic Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Silica, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formulation

Solgar's Achiote Leaf Extract Vegetable Capsules are free of yeast, wheat, soy, gluten and dairy products and are formulated without the use of artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors.

Suitable for vegetarians

Sugar, salt and starch free

Storage

To assure freshness and potency, store at room temperature 59 degrees-86 degrees F (15 degrees-30 degrees C). Store away from heat, light and moisture.

Formula

Solgar's KOF-K certification #K-1250

Bixa orellana

Precautions

Do not use if outer ottle seal is missing, torn or damaged in any way.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medication or have a medical condition, please consult your healthcare practitioner before taking any dietary supplement.

Keep out of reach of children.

General Statements

For more information, call toll-free 1-877-SOLGAR 4 www.solgar.com Solgar since 1947

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Seals/Symbols

K Parve (Kosher)

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement for adults, take one (1) to two (2) vegetable capsules daily, preferably at mealtimes, or as directed by a healthcare practitioner.

See for yourself

Achiote Leaf 500 mg by Solgar label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Achiote Leaf 500 mg by Solgar

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Vegetable Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Amounts shown are per serving.

Achiote extract

Interacts with
86 drugs
500 mg per serving

Annatto is a plant-based coloring made from the seeds of the achiote tree and is widely used as a safe food dye. While it has a long history in tradit...

Achiote extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose, Stearic Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Silica, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Achiote Leaf 500 mg by Solgar Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Achiote Leaf 500 mg?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
86Drugs
86 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Achiote Leaf 500 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Achiote extract1 drug type · 86 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

Animal studies suggest that certain annatto extracts may have hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic effects. Theoretically, taking annatto with antidiabetes drugs could reduce the therapeutic effects of these drugs or increase the risk for additive hypoglycemia. Monitor blood glucose levels closely.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Achiote Leaf 500 mg, from the product label.

Solgar

See all Solgar products
Name
Solgar Vitamin and Herb
City
Leonia
State
N.J.
ZipCode
07605
Phone Number
1-877-765-4274
Web Address
www.solgar.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Achiote Leaf 500 mg by Solgar: Common Questions

Does Achiote Leaf 500 mg by Solgar interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Achiote Leaf 500 mg has a known interaction with 86 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Achiote Leaf 500 mg contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Can I take this if I have diabetes or take blood sugar medication?
Not without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first. Animal studies suggest annatto extracts may lower or raise blood sugar, which could interfere with your diabetes medication or increase your risk of low blood sugar. You'll want to check your specific drugs and monitor your glucose levels closely if you decide to take it.
Is achiote leaf safe?
Achiote is generally well tolerated, but supplement doses aren't well studied — we know more about it as a food coloring. Rarely, it's been reported to cause constipation or allergic reactions (including severe ones). If you've had allergies to food colorings or annatto before, be cautious.
Does this supplement actually work for what it claims?
We don't have enough reliable evidence to say whether achiote works for athletic performance, prostate health, muscle soreness, or bad breath. If you're buying it for one of those reasons, you may want to ask your pharmacist about what the science actually supports.
What is achiote extract?
Achiote comes from the annatto plant, which has been used traditionally in some cultures and is commonly used as a food coloring. This product contains a concentrated extract in a capsule form.
Is it safe to take while breastfeeding or pregnant?
We don't have safety information on file for this ingredient during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using it if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or nursing.

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

Not sure if Achiote Leaf 500 mg is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Achiote Leaf 500 mg label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Achiote Leaf 500 mg’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Achiote Leaf 500 mg's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 15 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Annatto 15 references
  1. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  2. Fernandes, A. C., Almeida, C. A., Albano, F., Laranja, G. A., Felzenszwalb, I., Lage, C. L., de Sa, C. C., Moura, A. S., and Kovary, K. Norbixin ingestion did not induce any detectable DNA breakage in liver and kidney but caused a considerable impairment
  3. Russell, K. R., Morrison, E. Y., and Ragoobirsingh, D. The effect of annatto on insulin binding properties in the dog. Phytother Res 2005;19(5):433-436. PubMed
  4. Morrison, E. Y., Thompson, H., Pascoe, K., West, M., and Fletcher, C. Extraction of an hyperglycaemic principle from the annatto (Bixa orellana), a medicinal plant in the West Indies. Trop.Geogr.Med 1991;43(1-2):184-188.
  5. Zegarra, L., Vaisberg, A., Loza, C., Aguirre, R. L., Campos, M., Fernandez, I., Talla, O., and Villegas, L. Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study of Bixa orellana in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms associated to benign prostatic hyp
  6. Russell, K. R., Omoruyi, F. O., Pascoe, K. O., and Morrison, E. Y. Hypoglycaemic activity of Bixa orellana extract in the dog. Methods Find.Exp.Clin.Pharmacol. 2008;30(4):301-305.
  7. Ebo, D. G., Ingelbrecht, S., Bridts, C. H., and Stevens, W. J. Allergy for cheese: evidence for an IgE-mediated reaction from the natural dye annatto. Allergy 2009;64(10):1558-1560. PubMed
  8. Nish, W. A., Whisman, B. A., Goetz, D. W., and Ramirez, D. A. Anaphylaxis to annatto dye: a case report. Ann.Allergy 1991;66(2):129-131.
  9. Stein HL. Annatto and IBS. J Clin Gastroenterol 2009;43(10):1014-5.
  10. Raddatz-Mota D, Pérez-Flores LJ, Carrari F, et al. Achiote (Bixa orellana L.): a natural source of pigment and vitamin E. J Food Sci Technol 2017;54(6):1729-1741. PubMed
  11. Koc E, Arca E, Surucu B, Kurumlu Z. An open, randomized, controlled, comparative study of the combined effect of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide and onion extract gel and intralesional triamcinolone acetonide alone in the treatment of hypertrophic s
  12. Gonçalves MLL, da Mota ACC, Deana AM, et al. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy with Bixa orellana extract and blue LED in the reduction of halitosis-A randomized, controlled clinical trial. Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2020 Jun;30:101751. PubMed
  13. Dominguez-Balmaseda D, Diez-Vega I, Larrosa M, et al. Effect of a blend of Zingiber officinale Roscoe and Bixa orellana L. herbal supplement on the recovery of delayed-onset muscle soreness induced by unaccustomed eccentric resistance training: A randomiz
  14. González-Gross M, Quesada-González C, Rueda J, et al. Analysis of effectiveness of a supplement combining Harpagophytum procumbens, Zingiber officinale and Bixa orellana in healthy recreational runners with self-reported knee pain: a pilot, randomized, tr
  15. Sadowska B, Sztormowska M, Chelminska M. Annatto hypersensitivity after oral ingestion confirmed by placebo-controlled oral challenge. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2021 Oct;127(4):510-511. PubMed

See these in context on the Annatto monograph →

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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