Drug interactions
Glyburide-metformin + Gymnema
Severity: Moderate
Glyburide-metformin and Gymnema: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Gymnema sylvestre has glucose-lowering properties and may add to the effect of glyburide and metformin. Hypoglycemia is possible, mainly because of the sulfonylurea component, and glucose control may change when the herb is started or stopped.
What this interaction means in plain words
Glyburide-metformin and Gymnema can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive pharmacodynamic blood glucose lowering, possibly through reduced intestinal glucose absorption and increased insulin secretion.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose more often when gymnema is started or stopped and counsel the patient on hypoglycemia symptoms. Reduce the glyburide dose if glucose readings fall.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Glyburide-metformin and Gymnema, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Glyburide-metformin
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Glyburide-metformin with Gymnema?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Glyburide-metformin and Gymnema can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Gymnema sylvestre has glucose-lowering properties and may add to the effect of glyburide and metformin. Hypoglycemia is possible, mainly because of the sulfonylurea component, and glucose control may change when the herb is started or stopped.
How serious is the interaction between Glyburide-metformin and Gymnema?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor blood glucose more often when gymnema is started or stopped and counsel the patient on hypoglycemia symptoms. Reduce the glyburide dose if glucose readings fall.
What other medicines interact with Glyburide-metformin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Glyburide-metformin with, for example, Bosentan, Cholic acid, Clarithromycin. The full list is on the Glyburide-metformin page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
