Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Nopal Cactus Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Hawaii Pharm

Nopal Cactus label
See full label image
Liquid 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 Nopal Cactus 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

Nopal Cactus is a dietary supplement by Hawaii Pharm with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for blood sugar control, high cholesterol, hangover symptoms.Based on those ingredients, 86 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

Jump to a section

Check Your Meds Against Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

Pharmacist-reviewed data Checks every ingredient Answer in seconds
Prefer a human? Send your question to our licensed pharmacists — free, answered by email within 24 hours.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm

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 Aug 27, 2026

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: Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry — also known as prickly pear cactus. The inactive ingredients are alcohol, water, and glycerin, which form the liquid base.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
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

This product doesn't appear to be marketed for a specific use, so we graded Prickly Pear Cactus's overall clinical evidence instead.

Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports Prickly Pear Cactus for:

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.
  • Since the label doesn't commit to one use, we graded the ingredient's overall clinical evidence instead.
  • On file: Diabetes — rated "Possibly Effective" (Natural Medicines).

Prickly pear cactus is possibly effective for diabetes. For age-related cognitive decline, benign prostatic hyperplasia, indigestion, and high cholesterol, the evidence isn't established enough in the data we hold to rate it.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Prickly Pear Cactus

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.

Prickly pear cactus is generally well tolerated when eaten as food, though safety data for supplement amounts is less studied. The most common side effects are abdominal fullness, indigestion, mild diarrhea, and nausea.

A small number of people in a clinical trial experienced headache, dizziness, or insomnia. Extremely rare cases of bowel obstruction or injury have been reported, but only in people who ingested very large amounts of the fruit with seeds — a risk to keep in mind because dried cactus swells significantly when consumed.

There isn't enough safety data to use supplement amounts during pregnancy or while breastfeeding — talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Prickly Pear Cactus

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 — Prickly Pear Cactus.
  • 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.

Before you take this product, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're on any antidiabetes medications — the Moderate-severity risk is that nopal cactus may lower your blood sugar too much when combined with drugs like metformin, glyburide, glipizide, or chlorpropamide.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

If you have type 2 diabetes and want to try nopal cactus for blood sugar control, it may help — but only under your doctor's or pharmacist's watch, because it can lower blood sugar further and raise the risk of it dropping too low. If you're not on diabetes medication, it's generally well tolerated, though mild stomach upset can happen.

Talk with your own healthcare provider before starting, especially if you take any diabetes drugs.

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 Oct 24, 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 Nopal Cactus, straight from the product label.

Brand Hawaii Pharm
Barcode (UPC) 840253638533
Net contents 4 Fluid Ounce(s); 120 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Oct 24, 2023
DSLD ID 301639
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten 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 Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm, 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:
0.7 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 mL
Servings per container
120
UPC/BARCODE
840253638533
IngredientAmount% DV
Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry983 mg--

Other ingredients: Alcohol, Water, Glycerin

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.
Brand IP Statement(s)

Hawaii Pharm Herbal Extract Highest quality since 2008

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested use: Shake well before using. For adults add about 20-30 drops (0.7-1 mL, one full squeeze of the dropper bulb) to some juice or water, up to 4 times a day.

Precautions

Warning: We recommend to seek expert medical advice before taking.

Do not use if you are allergic to any ingredients.

Consult your physician before giving to children under 18, during pregnancy, if nursing or taking medications.

Consult your physician before giving to children under 18, during pregnancy, if nursing or taking medications.

May affect the ability to drive and operate machinery. May have contraindications, can cause side effects and adverse reactions. Do not use if seal is broken or missing.

Keep out of the reach of children!

Storage

Store in a cool dry place.

Seals/Symbols

cGMP Made in compliance with cGMP 21 CFR 111 in an FDA registered and inspected facility.

Organic Alcohol Based USA Made in United States of America

FDA Disclaimer Statement

This product has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

General Statements

Scan this QR-code to get 15% discount on your next purchase. Limited time deal.

Formula

Optunia streptacantha

Organic Alcohol Based

Formulation

Only natural ingredients Purity is laboratory tested and verified

All the raw materials are gluten-free by their nature No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Not tested on animals

Organic Alcohol Based

Made in USA, Hawaii

FDA Statement of Identity

Herbal Supplement

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

See for yourself

Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm label

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

Nopal Cactus 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 Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm

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

Serving size0.7 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container120 Amounts shown are per serving.

Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry

Interacts with
86 drugs
983 mg per serving Form: Opuntia streptacantha Whole Cactus Extract, Dry

Prickly pear cactus is a desert plant whose pads and fruit are eaten as food and taken as a supplement, mainly for blood sugar, cholesterol, and hango...

Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Alcohol, Water, Glycerin. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Nopal Cactus?

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

Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry 86

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Nopal Cactus interact with 86 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Nopal Cactus interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Nopal Cactus 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.

Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry1 drug type · 86 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

Combining prickly pear cactus with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Case reports show that combining prickly pear cactus with antidiabetes drugs such as chlorpropamide, glyburide, glipizide, and metformin can increase the risk of hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Advise patients to monitor glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments may be necessary.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Nopal Cactus Whole Cactus Extract, Dry full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Nopal Cactus, from the product label.

Hawaii Pharm

See all Hawaii Pharm products
Name
Hawaii Pharm LLC
Street Address
510 Sumner St. Ste. 613
City
Honolulu
State
HI
ZipCode
96817
Phone Number
888-854-2924
Web Address
www.hawaiipharm.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm: Common Questions

Does Nopal Cactus by Hawaii Pharm interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Nopal Cactus 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?
Nopal Cactus 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.
Does prickly pear cactus actually work for diabetes?
It's possibly effective for diabetes based on the evidence we hold. If you have diabetes and want to try it, talk with your doctor first — especially if you're on medication, because it can increase the blood-sugar-lowering effect.
What are the most common side effects?
Most people tolerate it well, but the most common side effects are stomach fullness, indigestion, mild diarrhea, and nausea. A small number of people in clinical trials also reported headache, dizziness, or insomnia.
Can I take this while pregnant or breastfeeding?
There isn't enough safety data on supplement amounts during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to figure out what's right for you.
Why does this liquid have alcohol in it?
The alcohol is part of the liquid formulation — it's one of the inactive ingredients along with water and glycerin.
How much prickly pear cactus is in each dose?
The product facts provided don't include a dose amount. Check the label on your bottle or talk with your pharmacist about how to use it.
Is dried prickly pear cactus safe to eat in large amounts?
Extremely rare cases of bowel obstruction or injury have been reported when people ate very large amounts of the fruit with seeds. Because dried cactus swells to much larger than its original size in your stomach, eating it in normal amounts should be fine — but don't overdo it.

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

Not sure if Nopal Cactus 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.

Nopal Cactus label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Nopal Cactus’s Ingredients

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

Herb & supplement monograph

Prickly Pear Cactus

Interacts with 86 drugs

Prickly pear cactus is a desert plant whose pads and fruit are eaten as food and taken as a supplement, mainly for blood sugar, cholesterol, and hangover symptoms. Some small studies suggest...

Read the full Prickly Pear Cactus monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Nopal Cactus'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 9 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.

Prickly Pear Cactus 9 references
  1. Meckes-Lozyoa M, Roman-Ramos R. Opuntia streptacantha; a coadjutor in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Am J Chin Med 1986;14:116-8.
  2. Rayburn K, Martinez R, Escobedo M, et al. Glycemic effects of various species of nopal (Opuntia sp.) in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Texas J Rural Health 1998;26:68-76.
  3. Bush TM, Rayburn KS, Holloway SW, et al. Adverse interactions between herbal and dietary substances and prescription medications: a clinical survey. Altern Ther Health Med 2007;13:30-5.
  4. Sobieraj DM, Freyer CW. Probable hypoglycemic adverse drug reaction associated with prickly pear cactus, glipizide, and metformin in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Pharmacother 2010;44:1334-7. PubMed
  5. Kleiner, O., Cohen, Z., and Mares, A. J. Low colonic obstruction due to Opuntia ficus indica seeds: the aftermath of enjoying delicious cactus fruits. Acta Paediatr. 2002;91(5):606-607.
  6. Steinberg, J. M. and Eitan, A. Prickly pear fruit bezoar presenting as rectal perforation in an elderly patient. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2003;18(4):365-367. PubMed
  7. Meckes-Lozyoa, M. and Roman-Ramos, R. Opuntia streptacantha: a coadjutor in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Am J Chin Med 1986;14(3-4):116-118.
  8. Onakpoya IJ, O'Sullivan J, Heneghan CJ. The effect of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Nutrition. 2015;31(5):640-6. PubMed
  9. Han EH, Lim MK, Lee S, et al. Efficacy of Ethanolic Extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten Stems for Improving Cognitive Function in Elderly Subjects 55-85 Years of Age: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. J Med Food 2020;23(11):11

See these in context on the Prickly Pear Cactus 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

Keep exploring
Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Drug–drug interactions › Check two or more of your medications against each other Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements NDC & pricing lookup › Find a drug’s NDCs, packaging and costs Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team