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Botanical illustration of Wereke
MedicinalSourced entry

Wereke

Ibervillea sonorae

The root of a wild gourd from northwestern Mexico, sold as dried "chips" and boiled into a tea for diabetes in Mexican folk medicine. Lab and animal studies suggest it may lower blood sugar, but it hasn't been tested in people.

Wereke may interact with some medicines. If you take any medicine, read Interactions with medicines below and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it.

What is Wereke?

Plant family
Cucurbitaceae, the gourd and cucumber family
Parts used
The large root, sliced and dried (sold as "chips") and boiled as a tea; also sold as capsules and liquid extracts
Where it grows
Northwestern Mexico
Genus
Ibervillea
Species
sonorae

Also called

Wereke Chips, Wekeke Chips

Regional names

Guareque, Wareki, Choyalhuani

Traditionally used for

  • Diabetes (traditional)
  • Skin disinfectant (traditional)

Traditionally described as

  • May lower blood sugar (in animal studies)

Health topics

Where Wereke appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

  • High Blood Sugar

    Traditionally used in Mexico for diabetes. Lab and animal studies suggest it may lower blood sugar, but it hasn't been tested in people. Don't combine it with diabetes medicines.

Safety

Interactions with medicines

  • Don't combine wereke with medicines that lower blood sugar. No studies have looked at its safety in people or how it affects medicines.[1]

Pregnancy

  • Avoid wereke during pregnancy and breastfeeding.[1]

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • Wereke is a root used in Mexican folk medicine, mainly for diabetes. Slices of dried root are boiled in water and the tea is drunk. It's also put on the skin as a disinfectant.[1]

  • The Mayo people of northwestern Mexico use wereke to treat diabetes and cancer.[2]

Laboratory & animal research

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

  • A 2026 review found 8 lab and animal studies. Wereke preparations may help control blood sugar, possibly by helping cells take up sugar and by slowing the digestion of starches. Most studies used crude extracts and had limitations, and there are no studies in people.[3]

    Technical detail: proposed mechanisms include PI3K/AKT/GLUT4 signalling and inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase; cucurbitacin-derived compounds (kinoins) may be involved.

  • In lab tests, wereke preparations and cucurbitacin IIb, a compound from the root, killed cervical cancer cells.[2]

Research in people

  • No clinical trials have tested whether wereke works for diabetes or any other condition, and its active compounds haven't been identified.[1]

In short

Don't combine it with diabetes medicines; avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Sources

  1. [1] Wereke (Ibervillea sonorae): Herbal Facts Sheet — University of Texas at El Paso, Herbal SafetyGeneral reference
  2. [2] Standardized phytopreparations and cucurbitacin IIb from Ibervillea sonorae (S. Watson) Greene induce apoptosis in cervical cancer cells by Nrf2 inhibition · DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115606Peer-reviewed study
  3. [3] Antihyperglycemic Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Ibervillea sonorae (S. Watson) Greene: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Evidence · DOI: 10.3390/plants15172710Review or clinical trial

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.