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Dietary supplement

Karela Powder Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Herbal Hills

Karela Powder label
See full label image
Powder Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Karela Powder against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Karela Powder is a dietary supplement by Herbal Hills with 1 active ingredient. 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.

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Check Your Meds Against Karela Powder by Herbal Hills

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Karela Powder by Herbal Hills — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Karela Powder 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

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Jul 11, 2026

What’s inside

Low disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Low

Most active ingredients don't disclose an individual amount — you can't tell how much of each you're getting.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 0 of its 1 active ingredient.

This product is pure karela powder — bitter melon in powdered form. That's the single active ingredient, and it's been used traditionally in South Asian cuisine and herbal medicine.

There are no inactive ingredients listed.

Does it work?

Not established
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 established

The graded evidence we hold for these ingredients covers different conditions than the ones this product is marketed for, so there's no established rating for its stated use — see Bitter Melon's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: help maintain healthy blood sugar and lipid levels.
  • We looked for evidence on: Diabetes, Impaired glucose tolerance (prediabetes), Metabolic syndrome, Obesity, Dyslipidemia, Cholesterol management — and 1 related terms.
  • The closest evidence on file: Bitter Melon is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Diabetes (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Bitter Melon is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Obesity, Impaired glucose tolerance (prediabetes), Metabolic syndrome.

The evidence we hold doesn't establish that bitter melon powder works for any of the conditions it's traditionally used for — amenorrhea, athletic performance, liver disease, constipation, diabetes, or indigestion. In each case, the data we have rates the evidence insufficient to make a reliable claim.

That doesn't mean it doesn't work; it means the research isn't there yet to say one way or the other.

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.

Bitter melon is generally well tolerated when eaten as food, but supplement amounts raise some concerns. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal — heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, and belly discomfort, occurring in roughly 3 to 16 percent of people in studies.

It can also cause dizziness, fatigue, and headache. Rarely, it may cause very low blood sugar (hypoglycemic coma) or seizures in children.

There's a case report of kidney inflammation (acute interstitial nephritis) developing over nine months in someone taking high doses of bitter melon extract for diabetes. Pregnancy safety data advises against it — the seeds and high doses have traditionally been avoided because of a risk of harmful effects on the uterus.

There isn't enough data to know whether it's safe while breastfeeding, so it's best avoided then too.

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.

Before you start, double-check with your pharmacist if you take antidiabetes drugs (especially insulin or sulfonylureas) — bitter melon can lower blood sugar and may increase the risk of dangerously low levels. If you take pazopanib or other cancer medications, get clearance first; there's a case of serious pancreatitis linked to bitter melon juice in someone on pazopanib.

Also flag any medications that are P-glycoprotein substrates, as bitter melon may raise their levels.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFormula with limited ingredient disclosure with no established evidence rating for its marketed use. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Karela powder may be worth trying if you're interested in bitter melon's traditional uses, but the evidence for effectiveness isn't established in our data. The main caution: if you take diabetes medication or cancer drugs like pazopanib, talk to your pharmacist or doctor first — the interaction risk is real.

It can also cause stomach upset and lower blood sugar, so monitoring is important.

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 Jun 24, 2019.

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 Powder, straight from the product label.

Brand Herbal Hills
Barcode (UPC) 8906008269260
Net contents 1 kg
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jun 24, 2019
DSLD ID 203712
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Powder
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 Powder 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:
3 Not Present
Maximum serving Sizes:
3 Not Present
UPC/BARCODE
8906008269260
IngredientAmount% DV
Karela powder0 NP--

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.
Formula

Karela is a traditional fruit considered to help maintaining healthy blood sugar levels & healthy lipid levels. It may help remove undesirable compounds from the body. May help in sugar management. May help digestion. May help maintain lipid levels within normal range.

Halal India www.Halalindia.com S No. 001548

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Dosage: Take 3 gms powder, 1 to 2 times a day or as advised by the physician.

Precautions

Caution: Pregnant or lactating women are advised to consume herbal products under the advice of the physician.

Keep out of reach of children.

Do not use if pouch is broken.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Storage

Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight.

FDA Statement of Identity

Ayurvedic Product

General Statements

Mfg. Lic. No.: PD/AYU/002/10 (An ISO 22000:2005 Certified Company) Customer Care : 91 22 28686868 (10 a.m to 6 p.m on weekdays)

Seals/Symbols

ISO Certified Company 22000:2005 Halal India www.Halalindia.com S No. 001548 GMP Good Manufacturing Practice

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Karela Powder by Herbal Hills label

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

Karela Powder label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Karela Powder by Herbal Hills

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

Serving size3 Not Present Dosage formPowder Amounts shown are per serving.

Karela powder

Interacts with
282 drugs
0 NP 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
Interaction report

Karela Powder by Herbal Hills Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Karela Powder?

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

Karela powder 282

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Karela Powder interact with 282 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Karela Powder interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Karela powder

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Karela Powder 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
Karela powder full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

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

Herbal Hills

See all Herbal Hills products
Name
Isha Agro Developers Pvt. Ltd.
Street Address
36A/55AB, Lonavala Co.op. Indl. Est. Ltd.
City
Village - Nangargaon, Lonavala, Pune
State
Maharashtra
Phone Number
91 22 28686868
Web Address
www.herbalhills.in
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Karela Powder by Herbal Hills: Common Questions

Does Karela Powder by Herbal Hills interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Karela Powder 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 Powder 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'm pregnant?
The safety data advises against it. Bitter melon seeds and high doses have traditionally been avoided in pregnancy because of a risk of harmful effects on the uterus. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice before using it.
What side effects should I watch for?
The most common ones are gastrointestinal — heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and belly discomfort. You might also feel dizzy, tired, or get a headache. These were reported in about 3 to 16 percent of people in studies. Rarely, it can cause dangerously low blood sugar.
Does bitter melon actually work for diabetes?
The evidence we hold rates it insufficient to say reliably. Bitter melon can lower blood sugar, but we don't have solid data proving it works as a diabetes treatment. If you have diabetes, talk with your doctor before adding any supplement.
Is this safe while breastfeeding?
There isn't enough reliable safety data, so it's best avoided while breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether it's okay for you.
What exactly is karela powder?
It's bitter melon in powdered form — a vegetable used in traditional South Asian cooking and herbal medicine. This product is just that ingredient with no fillers added.

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

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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 Powder label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Karela Powder’s Ingredients

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

Herb & supplement monograph

Bitter Melon

Interacts with 282 drugs

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 may modestly lower blood sugar, the evid...

Read the full Bitter Melon monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Karela Powder'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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