Drug & supplement interaction

Banderol + Cephalexin

Cephalexin brand names: Keflex, Keftab, Cephalex, Lexin.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated February 2023
The bottom line Moderate

Cephalexin 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 Cephalexin

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. Cephalexin 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 Cephalexin

Cephalexin 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 Keflex (cephalexin). Your body normally clears this antibiotic with the help of transporter proteins that shuttle it out through the kidneys and liver. Lab studies suggest Banderol may block one of these transporters (OATP1B1). If that slows cephalexin's exit, more of it could linger in your bloodstream, which might mean a higher chance of side effects like stomach upset, diarrhea, or nausea.

I'll be honest with you though, this is based on test-tube research, not real people taking both together, so it's more of a theoretical caution than a proven problem. Cephalexin isn't a prodrug, so it stays active rather than needing to be switched on. Before pairing Banderol with your antibiotic, run it by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
Moderate

ORGANIC ANION TRANSPORTER 3 (OAT3) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Cephalexin 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 short version on mixing Banderol with cephalexin (Keflex). Cephalexin isn't a prodrug, so it works as-is, and a good chunk of it leaves your body through transporters in your kidneys, including OAT3. The theory on file is that Banderol may slow certain drug transporters. If it slowed the ones clearing cephalexin, the antibiotic could linger a bit longer, which in theory might mean more of its usual side effects like upset stomach, diarrhea, or nausea.

Honestly, though, this is based on small lab (test-tube) studies, not real patients, so the actual importance is uncertain. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but since you're treating a real infection, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction

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 Cephalexin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 176 No known interaction 2,654 (incl. Cephalexin)
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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Banderol or Cephalexin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Banderol or Cephalexin, 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 Cephalexin

This page covers Banderol only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cephalexin page lists 61 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 · 47 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cephalexin page

“Cephalexin (Keflex) is one of the most commonly prescribed oral antibiotics, usually for skin and urinary infections, and its supplement list warrants genuine care rather than a quick skim. Three of the 61 ingredients on file rate major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cephalexin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Banderol and Cephalexin 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cephalexin
Top 5%

#65 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
Medication

About Cephalexin

What Is Cephalexin Used For?

Brand names: Keflex, Keftab, Cephalex, Lexin

Cephalexin treats bacterial infections caused by susceptible strains of bacteria. It is used for respiratory tract infections, ear infections (otitis media), skin and skin structure infections, bone infections, and genitourinary tract infections — including acute prostatitis.

It works only against bacterial infections — not viruses like colds or flu. Your prescriber should use it only when a bacterial infection is confirmed or strongly suspected, to help prevent antibiotic resistance.

See full Cephalexin drug information
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
176 Moderate 2,653 No 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

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,653 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Banderol list.

See the full Banderol interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cephalexin, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Banderol monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Cephalexin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Cephalexin, ranked by severity Cephalexin drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Banderol and Cephalexin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Banderol with Cephalexin?
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 Cephalexin?
Cephalexin 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 Cephalexin 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

Still Have a Question About Cephalexin and Banderol?

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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.