Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 2 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Karela Capsules Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Herbal Hills

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

Karela Capsules is a dietary supplement by Herbal Hills with 2 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for blood sugar support, diabetes, digestive complaints.Based on those ingredients, 282 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Karela, Powder. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Karela Capsules by Herbal Hills

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 2 of its 2 active ingredients.
  • “Karela Fruit Extract, Powder” is listed as a grouped ingredient — the label gives one combined amount (500 mg) without saying how much of each component you get.

Karela Capsules contains 2 active ingredients: karela (bitter melon) powder and karela fruit extract powder. Karela is the whole plant used as a traditional remedy, often with a bitter taste — that's where the name comes from.

The extract is a concentrated form of the fruit. Both are forms of the same plant.

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 Bitter Melon product and its label doesn't state a use — see Bitter Melon'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 we hold doesn't establish that bitter melon works for any of the conditions it's traditionally used for — amenorrhea, athletic performance, liver disease, constipation, diabetes, or indigestion all fall short of reliable proof. That doesn't mean it's ineffective, just that the data we have isn't strong enough to say either way.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Bitter Melon

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.

When taken by mouth, bitter melon is generally well tolerated. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal — heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and belly discomfort occur in about 3% to 16% of people in studies.

Dizziness, fatigue, and headache have also been reported. Rare cases of severe low blood sugar (hypoglycemic coma) and seizures in children have occurred, and one case report described kidney damage after high-dose extract use.

For pregnancy, the traditional view advises against it because bitter melon seeds and higher doses may trigger harmful effects on the uterus. For breastfeeding, there isn't enough reliable safety information, so it's best avoided.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using this product.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Bitter Melon

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 — Bitter Melon.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 282 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.

Check with your pharmacist before taking this product if you're on antidiabetes drugs (moderate risk of low blood sugar), medications that are P-glycoprotein substrates (moderate risk of increased levels), or pazopanib for cancer (moderate risk of increased levels). We also hold no interaction data for the ingredient Bitters, so mention that to your pharmacist too.

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.

Karela Capsules might appeal to someone looking for a traditional remedy, but the science doesn't yet support its use for common conditions. If you take antidiabetes drugs, P-glycoprotein substrate medications, or pazopanib, you should check with your pharmacist first — the interaction risk is real and needs monitoring.

Anyone pregnant, breastfeeding, or on other medications should discuss this with their pharmacist before starting.

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

Assessment coverage: 1 of 2 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Aug 23, 2023.

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 Karela Capsules, straight from the product label.

Brand Herbal Hills
Barcode (UPC) 8904268849697
Net contents 120 Veggie Cap(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Aug 23, 2023
DSLD ID 296427
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Halal
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 Karela Capsules by Herbal Hills, 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:
2 Veggie Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Veggie Capsule(s)
Servings per container
60
UPC/BARCODE
8904268849697
IngredientAmount% DV
Karela, Powder400 mg--
Karela Fruit Extract, Powder500 mg--
Bitters18 mg--

Other ingredients: Veggie Capsule, Silicon Dioxide

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

Contents based on standard Raw Material as per Traditional Text

Being natural product, colour may vary over time as well as from batch to batch however effectiveness remains same.

Country of Origin: India

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions for use: As a dietary supplement, take 2 Veggie capsules a day before meals or as directed by your health care practitioner.

Precautions

Warning: Pregnant or lactating women are advised to consume herbal products under the advice of the healthcare practitioner.

Keep out of reach of children.

Do not use if pouch is broken.

Please consult an expert before use.

Storage

Storage: Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Brand IP Statement(s)

Herbal Hills Back to Nature

Seals/Symbols

QA ICS JAS-ANZ GMP Good Manufacturing Practice Halal India HIW21081110

Formula

Halal India HIW21081110

General Statements

For Feedback or queries Please contact us at: www.herbalhillsglobal.com Email: [email protected]

See for yourself

Karela Capsules by Herbal Hills label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Karela Capsules by Herbal Hills

These are the 2 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size2 Veggie Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container60 Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Karela, Powder

Interacts with
282 drugs
400 mg per serving

Bitter melon is a tropical fruit eaten as food and used in traditional medicine, most often for blood sugar control. While some small studies hint it...

Karela, Powder monograph & interactions

Karela Fruit Extract, Powder

Interacts with
282 drugs
500 mg per serving

Bitter melon is a tropical fruit eaten as food and used in traditional medicine, most often for blood sugar control. While some small studies hint it...

Karela Fruit Extract, Powder monograph & interactions
  • › Bitters

Other (inactive) ingredients: Veggie Capsule, Silicon Dioxide. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Karela Capsules by Herbal Hills Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Karela Capsules?

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
282Drugs
282 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Karela Capsules 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.

Karela, Powder3 drug types · 282 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

Taking bitter melon with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Bitter melon can lower blood glucose levels and might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs. This might increase the risk of hypoglycemia in some patients. Monitor blood glucose levels closely.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B
P-Glycoprotein Substrates

Theoretically, bitter melon might increase levels of P-glycoprotein substrates.
Bitter melon might inhibit the p-glycoprotein (P-gp) intestinal pump and increase intracellular levels of P-gp substrates. In vitro research in intestinal cells shows that 1-monopalmitin, a constituent of bitter melon, increases levels of daunomycin, a P-gp substrate. Additionally, drinking bitter melon juice has been associated with a case of acute pancreatitis in a patient who had been taking pazopanib, a P-gp substrate, for 8 years. Researchers theorize that inhibition of P-gp led to increased levels of pazopanib, resulting in pazopanib-induced pancreatitis.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Pazopanib (Votrient)

Theoretically, bitter melon might increase levels of pazopanib, potentially increasing the risk of adverse effects.
In one case, a 65-year-old patient taking pazopanib for 8 years for renal cell carcinoma experienced signs and symptoms consistent with acute pancreatitis 4 days after drinking bitter melon juice at a dose of 100-150 mL daily. The patient's symptoms, amylase levels, and lipase levels improved upon discontinuation of bitter melon and pazopanib. Pazopanib treatment was re-initiated with no further evidence of pancreatitis. Researchers theorize that inhibition of P-glycoprotein by bitter melon led to increased levels of pazopanib, a P-glycoprotein substrate, resulting in pazopanib-induced pancreatitis.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Karela Capsules, from the product label.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Karela Capsules by Herbal Hills: Common Questions

Does Karela Capsules by Herbal Hills interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Karela Capsules has a known interaction with 282 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Karela Capsules contains 2 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is 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.
Will this lower my blood sugar if I'm on diabetes medication?
Possibly — bitter melon can lower blood sugar on its own, and combining it with diabetes drugs increases the risk of blood sugar dropping too low. You'd need to monitor your glucose closely and talk with your pharmacist or doctor about whether it's safe for you.
What are the most common side effects?
Gastrointestinal upset is the main issue — heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and gas occur in about 3% to 16% of people who take bitter melon. Dizziness, fatigue, and headache have also been reported.
Is it safe to take while pregnant?
The traditional advice is to avoid it — bitter melon seeds and higher doses may cause harmful effects on the uterus. If you're pregnant or thinking about it, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using this product.
Can I take this while breastfeeding?
There isn't enough reliable safety data to know either way, so it's best to avoid it while breastfeeding. Your pharmacist or doctor can give you personalized advice.
Does bitter melon actually work for diabetes or blood sugar control?
The evidence we have doesn't establish that it works — there's insufficient reliable evidence to say whether it helps with diabetes or any of the other conditions it's traditionally used for. That doesn't mean it won't work for you, just that the science isn't there yet.

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

Not sure if Karela Capsules is safe with your meds?

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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.

Karela Capsules label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Karela Capsules'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 18 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.

Bitter Melon 18 references
  1. Leatherdale B, Panesar RK, Singh G, et al. Improvement in glucose tolerance due to Momordica charantia. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1981;282:1823-4.
  2. Welihinda J, et al. Effect of Momordica charantia on the glucose tolerance in maturity onset diabetes. J Ethnopharmacol 1986;17:277-82. PubMed
  3. Srivastava Y, Venkatakrishna-Bhatt H, Verma Y, et al. Antidiabetic and adaptogenic properties of Momordica charantia extract: An experimental and clinical evaluation. Phytother Res 1993;7:285-9.
  4. Baldwa VS, Bhandari CM, Pangaria A, Goyal RK. Clinical trial in patients with diabetes mellitus of an insulin-like compound obtained from plant sources. Ups J Med Sci 1977;82:39-41. PubMed
  5. Aslam M, Stockley IH. Interaction between curry ingredient (karela) and drug (chlorpropamide). Lancet 1979:1:607. PubMed
  6. Ahmad N, Hassan MR, Halder H, Bennoor KS. Effect of Momordica charantia (Karolla) extracts on fasting and postprandial serum glucose levels in NIDDM patients (abstract). Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 1999;25:11-3.
  7. Basch E, Gabardi S, Ulbricht C. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia): a review of efficacy and safety. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2003;60:356-9. PubMed
  8. Yin RV, Lee NC, Hirpara H, Phung OJ. T. The effect of bitter melon (Mormordica charantia) in patients with diabetes mellitus: s systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Diabetes. 2014;4:e145.
  9. Rahman IU, Khan RU, Rahman KU, Bashir M. Lower hypoglycemic but higher antiatherogenic effects of bitter melon than glibenclamide in type 2 diabetic patients. Nutr J. 2015;14:13. PubMed
  10. Alam MA, Uddin R, Subhan N, Rahman MM, Jain P, Reza HM. Beneficial role of bitter melon supplementation in obesity and related complications in metabolic syndrome. J Lipids. 2015;2015:496169. PubMed
  11. Konishi T, Satsu H, Hatsugai Y, et al. Inhibitory effect of a bitter melon extract on the P-glycoprotein activity in intestinal Caco-2 cells. Br J Pharmacol. 2004;143(3):379-87. PubMed
  12. Peter EL, Kasali FM, Deyno S, et al. Momordica charantia L. lowers elevated glycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019;231:311-24. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.10.033. PubMed
  13. Cortez-Navarrete M, Martínez-Abundis E, Pérez-Rubio KG, González-Ortiz M, Méndez-Del Villar M. Momordica charantia administration improves insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Med Food. 2018;21(7):672-7. doi: 10.108
  14. Kim SK, Jung J, Jung JH, et al. Hypoglycemic efficacy and safety of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Complement Ther Med. 2020 Aug;52:102524. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102524. PubMed
  15. Unsal O, Sütcüoglu O, Yazici O. Dangerous interaction of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) with pazopanib: a case of acute pancreatitis. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2022;28(2):486-8.
  16. Bae W, Kim S, Choi J, et al. Acute interstitial nephritis associated with ingesting a Momordica charantia extract: a case report. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021;100(27):e26606. PubMed
  17. Chattopadhyay K, Wang H, Kaur J, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Ayurvedic Medicines in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:821810. Published 2022 Jun 8. PubMed
  18. Kim B, Lee HS, Kim HJ, et al. Momordica charantia (bitter melon) efficacy and safety on glucose metabolism in Korean prediabetes participants: a 12-week, randomized clinical study. Food Sci Biotechnol 2022;32(5):697-704. PubMed

See these in context on the Bitter Melon 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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