Drug & supplement interaction

Banderol + Cefmetazole

Cefmetazole brand name: Zefazone.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Cefmetazole falls into 2 drug categories that Banderol can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Small lab studies have found that Banderol may inhibit OATP1B1 (Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide 1B1), which is a membrane protein responsible for the uptake of various drugs, hormones, and other biologically active substances into the cells of the liver and other tissues.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceA
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Banderol and Cefmetazole

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Banderol interacts with whole categories of medication. Cefmetazole falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Banderol in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 1 (OAT1) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Cefmetazole

Cefmetazole falls under ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 1 (OAT1) SUBSTRATES — the group Banderol interacts with.

Small lab studies have found that Banderol may inhibit OATP1B1 (Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide 1B1), which is a membrane protein responsible for the uptake of various drugs, hormones, and other biologically active substances into the cells of the liver and other tissues. It is often referred to as a drug transporter. It is a member of the OATP family of transporters and is known to play a critical role in the pharmacokinetics of many drugs. When OATPs are inhibited, it can cause problems with the elimination of drugs and result in a sudden rise in the concentration of the drug in the bloodstream and the extent to which it is absorbed (AUC) for drugs that rely on these transporters. This can increase the likelihood of adverse side effects associated with the therapy.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence A

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist for Cefmetazole (Zefazone), an injectable antibiotic from the cephalosporin family. Your body clears this drug mostly by handing it off to transporters that move it out through the kidneys and liver. Banderol has been shown in test-tube studies to block one of these drug transporters. If that same blocking happens in people, Cefmetazole could leave your system more slowly and build up a bit higher than expected.

In real terms, more drug hanging around could mean a greater chance of side effects like nausea, diarrhea, or upset stomach. The honest caveat: this is based on early lab work, not solid human studies, so we can't say for sure it matters in real life. Cefmetazole isn't a prodrug, so its effect would increase, not decrease. Before mixing the two, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor.

Moderate

ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 3 (OAT3) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Cefmetazole also falls under ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 3 (OAT3) SUBSTRATES.

Small lab studies have found that Banderol may also inhibit OATP1B3 (Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide 1B3), in addition to OATP1B1. If a drug is a substrate for both transporters, the risk of interaction with Banderol increases but the overall clinical significance is not well understood.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence A

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version. Cefmetazole (Zefazone) is an injectable antibiotic that your kidneys clear out, partly with the help of transporter proteins like OAT3. Banderol has shown in small lab studies that it can block certain liver transporters (OATP1B1 and OATP1B3). In theory, if a supplement slows down the proteins that move an antibiotic out of your body, the drug could linger a bit longer and build up. With Cefmetazole that could mean a touch more chance of side effects like stomach upset, diarrhea, or kidney strain.

That said, this is mostly test-tube data, and the real-world importance isn't well established. Cefmetazole is also given in a hospital or clinic, where you're being watched. Still, mention any supplements like Banderol to your pharmacist or doctor first.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Banderol Also Interacts With Other Medications

Banderol has 176 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cefmetazole one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Banderol

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cefmetazole

This page covers Banderol only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cefmetazole page lists 43 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 39 moderate · 2 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cefmetazole page

“Two entries on this list for cefmetazole (Zefazone) deserve your attention before the other 41, and both threaten the kidneys. Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca (a plant often contaminated with aristolochic acid, a compound the FDA considers unsafe) can each damage kidney function, and combining them with this antibiotic may add to tha…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cefmetazole interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Banderol and Cefmetazole 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 Banderol
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cefmetazole
Top half

#1,051 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.

Supplement

About Banderol

What is Banderol?

Banderol
  • Lyme disease support
  • Antimicrobial
  • Antifungal
  • Immune support
  • Inflammation

Banderol is a Nutramedix-branded herbal extract made from the bark of the Amazonian tree Otoba parvifolia, most often promoted as part of alternative Lyme disease protocols. There is very little high-quality human research to support its use, so the evidence behind its benefits is weak and largely preliminary. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and never use it to replace proven treatments.

Read the full Banderol monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Banderol

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

0Major
176Moderate
0Minor
2,653No known interaction
Moderate

176 interactions

Showing 60 of 176 moderate interactions — see all 176 on the Banderol page.

No interaction 2,653 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Banderol and Cefmetazole Together: Common Questions

Can you take Banderol with Cefmetazole?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Banderol and Cefmetazole?
Cefmetazole belongs to more than one drug category, and Banderol interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Banderol and Cefmetazole interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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

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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.