Drug & supplement interaction

Alfalfa + Cefaclor

Cefaclor brand names: Ceclor CD, Ceclor.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Oct 4, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Alfalfa and Cefaclor in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Cefaclor states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Alfalfa and Cefaclor

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Cefaclor and Alfalfa in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Alfalfa safety at a glance

Alfalfa overall Use caution Generally considered food-safe in small amounts, but supplements and raw sprouts carry real risks for some people.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally in medicinal amounts. Alfalfa contains constituents with possible estrogenic activity. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When used orally in medicinal amounts. Alfalfa contains constituents with possible estrogenic activity. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Cefaclor and Alfalfa? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Cefaclor

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Cefaclor is filed under 6 classifications — including organic anion transporter 3 (oat3) substrates, organic anion transporter 1 (oat1) substrates, antibiotic drugs. Alfalfa has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (major), antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and contraceptive drugs (moderate) — and none of Cefaclor’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Alfalfa Does Interact With Other Medications

Alfalfa has 2 major, 581 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Cefaclor isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 2 Moderate 581 No known interaction 2,247 (incl. Cefaclor)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Alfalfa

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Alfalfa. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Alfalfa and Cefaclor May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on Additional detail

    Alfalfa

    “Alfalfa products, including sprouts, seeds, and tablets, have been found to be contaminated with Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes, which have caused documented infections.

    Orally, alfalfa has been associated with the development of a lupus-like syndrome in animals and humans, as well as with possible exacerbations of lupus in patients with known systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).”

    Alfalfa · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (sle).

    6 sources cited
    1. 5600. Farber JM, Carter AO, Varughese PV, et al. Listeriosis traced to the consumption of alfalfa tablets and soft cheese [Letter to the Editor]. N Engl J Med 1990;322:338. PubMed
    2. 30566. Mohle-Boetani J, Werner B, Polumbo M, and et al. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alfalfa sprouts-- Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico, February-April, 2001. JAMA 2-6-2002;287(5):581-582.
    3. 30568. Howard, M. B. and Hutcheson, S. W. Growth dynamics of Salmonella enterica strains on alfalfa sprouts and in waste seed irrigation water. Appl.Environ.Microbiol. 2003;69(1):548-553.
    4. 30572. Strapp, C. M., Shearer, A. E., and Joerger, R. D. Survey of retail alfalfa sprouts and mushrooms for the presence of Escherichia coil O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria with BAX, and evaluation of this polymerase chain reaction-based system with experimen
    5. 30569. Winthrop, K. L., Palumbo, M. S., Farrar, J. A., Mohle-Boetani, J. C., Abbott, S., Beatty, M. E., Inami, G., and Werner, S. B. Alfalfa sprouts and Salmonella Kottbus infection: a multistate outbreak following inadequate seed disinfection with heat and chl
    6. 30564. Backer, H. D., Mohle-Boetani, J. C., Werner, S. B., Abbott, S. L., Farrar, J., and Vugia, D. J. High incidence of extra-intestinal infections in a Salmonella Havana outbreak associated with alfalfa sprouts. Public Health Rep. 2000;115(4):339-345. PubMed

    Cefaclor

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cefaclor. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bloating or gas / Stomach upset / Diarrhea Additional detail

    Alfalfa

    “Orally, flatulence and bulkier feces were reported during the first week of a case series of three subjects ingesting alfalfa. In a case series of 15 patients ingesting alfalfa, increased fecal volume and increased stool frequency was reported. Additional adverse effects included abdominal discomfort in two patients, diarrhea in two patients, loose stools in six patients, and intestinal gas in 13 patients.”

    Alfalfa · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    2 sources cited
    1. 30598. Malinow, M. R., McLaughlin, P., and Stafford, C. Alfalfa seeds: effects on cholesterol metabolism. Experientia 5-15-1980;36(5):562-564. PubMed
    2. 5816. Molgaard J, von Schenck H, Olsson AG. Alfalfa seeds lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations in patients with type II hyperlipoproteinemia. Atherosclerosis 1987;65:173-9. PubMed

    Cefaclor

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cefaclor. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Joint pain Additional detail

    Alfalfa

    Recorded for Alfalfa in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A higher chance of infection above.

    Cefaclor

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cefaclor. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Alfalfa

    “Dermatitis associated with alfalfa use has been reported. In a 1954 publication, dermatitis was noted in a 61-year-old female consuming 4-6 cups of tea made with two tablespoonfuls of alfalfa seeds for approximately two months prior to onset. Examination revealed diffuse, confluent edema and erythema on the face, eyelids, ears, hands, forearms, and distal humeral regions. The dermatitis improved with treatment;”

    Alfalfa · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 30609. Kaufman W. Alfalfa seed dermatitis. JAMA 1954;155(12):1058-1059. PubMed

    Cefaclor

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cefaclor. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Alfalfa

    Recorded for Alfalfa in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Swelling above.

    Cefaclor

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cefaclor. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Alfalfa but not commonly for Cefaclor: low potassium.

Effects for Cefaclor come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Alfalfa come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Alfalfa in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally in medicinal amounts. Alfalfa contains constituents with possible estrogenic activity.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Cefaclor Products Have a Food Rule — Alfalfa Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Cefaclor says to take it with food. If you take Alfalfa on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Cefaclor with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Cefaclor products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The absorption of cefaclor extended-release tablets is enhanced when it is administered with food.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Cefaclor — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

From our Q&A

Questions About Alfalfa or Cefaclor

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Alfalfa or Cefaclor, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cefaclor

This page covers Alfalfa only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cefaclor page lists 60 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), African Wild Potato (moderate) and Aristolochia (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 46 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cefaclor page

“The entries worth understanding before any others on this cefaclor (Ceclor) page are the kidney risks and charcoal. Cefaclor is a cephalosporin antibiotic, typically a short course for ear, sinus, throat, or skin infections, and two herbs here, Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca, can damage the kidneys on their own, so pairing either wi…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cefaclor interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Alfalfa as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 3,559 real supplement products containing Alfalfa, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Alfalfa. Even though Alfalfa itself has no known interaction with Cefaclor, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Alfalfa and Cefaclor Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Alfalfa
Top 10%

#83 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cefaclor
Top 10%

#260 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Alfalfa reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified October 4, 2026. The Alfalfa and Cefaclor records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Alfalfa

What is Alfalfa?

Alfalfa
  • High cholesterol
  • Digestive complaints
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Arthritis and joint pain
  • General nutritional supplement

Alfalfa is a nutrient-rich legume that people use for high cholesterol, menopause symptoms, and general wellness, but solid human evidence for most of these uses is limited. It is best avoided by people with autoimmune diseases, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and anyone with a weakened immune system, and you should check with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Medicago sativa · Fabaceae · Leaves, sprouts, and seeds · Capsules, tablets, dried leaf tea, sprouts, liquid extract, and powder

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Alfalfa is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Alfalfa record says about it on its own.

Alfalfa: dosing

There is no well-established standard dose for alfalfa supplements. Products vary widely in strength and form, including capsules, tablets, teas, and extracts.Because a proven safe and effective dose has not been set, the best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount. They can help you decide if it is appropriate for you.

From our Alfalfa monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Alfalfa monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cefaclor

What Is Cefaclor Used For?

Brand names: Ceclor CD, Ceclor

Cefaclor treats a range of bacterial infections. The capsule and oral suspension forms are used for ear infections (otitis media), lower respiratory tract infections including pneumonia, strep throat and tonsillitis, urinary tract infections (including kidney infections and bladder infections), and skin and skin structure infections.

The extended-release tablet form of Cefaclor is approved for a narrower set of uses: acute bacterial flare-ups of chronic bronchitis, strep throat and tonsillitis, and uncomplicated skin infections. Not all infections approved for the capsule or suspension are approved for the extended-release tablet — your prescriber will choose the right form for your infection.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cefaclor

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (1,535 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Drug hypersensitivity 252 reports
Nausea 159 reports
Vomiting 159 reports
Fatigue 137 reports
Fever 121 reports
See full Cefaclor drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Alfalfa

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Alfalfa — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

2Major
581Moderate
0Minor
2,246No known interaction
2 Major 581 Moderate 2,246 No interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

581 interactions

Showing 60 of 581 moderate interactions — see all 581 on the Alfalfa page.

No interaction 2,246 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Alfalfa against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,246 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Alfalfa list.

See the full Alfalfa interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cefaclor, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Alfalfa References

The 32 references that drive our Alfalfa monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  3. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  4. Kurzer MS, Xu X. Dietary phytoestrogens. Annu Rev Nutr 1997;17:353-81. PubMed
  5. Farber JM, Carter AO, Varughese PV, et al. Listeriosis traced to the consumption of alfalfa tablets and soft cheese [Letter to the Editor]. N Engl J Med 1990;322:338. PubMed
  6. Molgaard J, von Schenck H, Olsson AG. Alfalfa seeds lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations in patients with type II hyperlipoproteinemia. Atherosclerosis 1987;65:173-9. PubMed
  7. Light TD, Light JA. Acute renal transplant rejection possibly related to herbal medications. Am J Transplant 2003;3:1608-9. PubMed
  8. Prete PE. The mechanism of action of L-canavanine in inducing autoimmune phenomena. Arthritis Rheum 1985;28:1198-200. PubMed
  9. Alcocer-Varela J, Iglesias A, Llorente L, Alarcon-Segovia D. Effects of L-canavanine on T cells may explain the induction of systemic lupus erythematosus by alfalfa. Arthritis Rheum 1985;28:52-7. PubMed
  10. Roberts JL, Hayashi JA. Exacerbation of SLE associated with alfalfa ingestion. N Engl J Med 1983;308:1361. DOI
  11. Feingold, R. M. Should we fear "health foods"? Arch Intern Med 7-12-1999;159(13):1502. PubMed
  12. Taormina, P. J., Beuchat, L. R., and Slutsker, L. Infections associated with eating seed sprouts: an international concern. Emerg.Infect.Dis 1999;5(5):626-634. PubMed
  13. Backer, H. D., Mohle-Boetani, J. C., Werner, S. B., Abbott, S. L., Farrar, J., and Vugia, D. J. High incidence of extra-intestinal infections in a Salmonella Havana outbreak associated with alfalfa sprouts. Public Health Rep. 2000;115(4):339-345. PubMed
  14. Mohle-Boetani J, Werner B, Polumbo M, and et al. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alfalfa sprouts-- Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico, February-April, 2001. JAMA 2-6-2002;287(5):581-582.
  15. Howard, M. B. and Hutcheson, S. W. Growth dynamics of Salmonella enterica strains on alfalfa sprouts and in waste seed irrigation water. Appl.Environ.Microbiol. 2003;69(1):548-553.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Alfalfa and Cefaclor Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Alfalfa with Cefaclor?
We do not list a known interaction between Alfalfa and Cefaclor. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Alfalfa and Cefaclor have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Alfalfa and Cefaclor at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Cefaclor says to take it with food. If you take Alfalfa on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Cefaclor with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Cefaclor products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Alfalfa and Cefaclor combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Cefaclor is filed under 6 classifications, and Alfalfa has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — none of Cefaclor's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Alfalfa interact with any other medications?
Yes. Alfalfa has 583 documented drug interactions in our database — Cefaclor is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Cefaclor interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cefaclor has documented interactions with 60 supplements in our database — Alfalfa is not one of them. The Cefaclor interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Alfalfa monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Cefaclor drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Cefaclor supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Cefaclor, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 32 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Cefaclor and Alfalfa?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.