gemfibrozil vs metformin/pioglitazone

According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.

Side-by-side comparison of gemfibrozil and metformin/pioglitazone. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Strong CYP2C8 inhibitors (e.g., gemfibrozil): Limit ACTOPLUS MET dose to 15 mg/850 mg daily. ( 7.8 ) 7.1 Strong CYP2C8 Inhibitors An inhibitor of CYP2C8 (e.g., gemfibrozil) significantly increases the exposure (area under the serum concentration-time curve or AUC) and half-life (t ½ ) of pioglitazone. Therefore, the maximum recommended dosage of ACTOPLUS MET is 15 mg of pioglitazone and 850 mg of metformin HCl once daily if used in combination with gemfibrozil or other strong CYP2C8 inhibitors [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) , Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .

Drug Class
gemfibrozil Fibrate
metformin/pioglitazone Biguanide / TZD Combination
Type
gemfibrozil Prescription
metformin/pioglitazone Prescription
Summary
gemfibrozil

Gemfibrozil is a medicine that helps lower high triglyceride levels in your blood. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease in some people.

metformin/pioglitazone

Actoplus Met is a drug that combines two medicines to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It should be used with diet and exercise.

What It Treats
gemfibrozil

This medicine is used to treat very high triglyceride levels in adults when diet alone doesn't work. High triglycerides can increase your risk of pancreatitis. Gemfibrozil can also lower the risk of heart disease in some people with specific cholesterol problems.

metformin/pioglitazone

Actoplus Met helps lower blood sugar in adults who have type 2 diabetes. You should also follow a diet and exercise plan while taking this medicine. Actoplus Met is not for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.

How It Works
gemfibrozil

Gemfibrozil belongs to a class of drugs called fibrates. It works by decreasing the amount of triglycerides your body makes. It also helps to increase HDL (good) cholesterol.

metformin/pioglitazone

Actoplus Met contains pioglitazone and metformin. Pioglitazone makes your body more sensitive to insulin. Metformin reduces the amount of sugar your liver releases into your blood.

Common Side Effects
gemfibrozil
  • Upset stomach
  • Indigestion
  • Abdominal pain
metformin/pioglitazone
  • Upper respiratory infection
  • Swelling
  • Diarrhea
  • Headache
  • Weight gain
FAERS Reports
gemfibrozil
  • Nausea 883
  • Fatigue 825
  • Diarrhoea 726
  • Pain 693
  • Dizziness 617
metformin/pioglitazone
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 21,946
  • Loose or watery stools 21,887
  • High blood sugar 18,329
  • Feeling tired 17,252
  • Sudden kidney damage 16,440
Serious Warnings
gemfibrozil

This medicine may increase your risk of gallbladder problems, including the need for surgery. Before taking gemfibrozil, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. You should not take this medicine with simvastatin, repaglinide, dasabuvir, or selexipag.

metformin/pioglitazone

Actoplus Met can cause or worsen heart failure in some people. Watch for signs like rapid weight gain, shortness of breath, and swelling. This medicine can also cause a rare but serious condition called lactic acidosis. Get medical help right away if you have symptoms like feeling very weak, muscle pain, trouble breathing, or stomach pain.

Pregnancy
gemfibrozil

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if gemfibrozil can harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if gemfibrozil passes into breast milk.

metformin/pioglitazone

Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Actoplus Met will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

Compare gemfibrozil with

How to Read This gemfibrozil vs metformin/pioglitazone Comparison

gemfibrozil is classified in the Fibrate drug class, while metformin/pioglitazone sits within the Biguanide / TZD Combination class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, gemfibrozil has 3,744 submissions while metformin/pioglitazone has 95,854. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to gemfibrozil blocks the way your body clears pioglitazone, which can cause the medicine to reach high levels in your blood.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for gemfibrozil or metformin/pioglitazone.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.