Drug & supplement interaction

Boron + Penicillamine

Penicillamine brand names: Cuprimine, Depen Titratable.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Boron and Penicillamine 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 Penicillamine 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

Boron and Penicillamine

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 Penicillamine and Boron 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Boron at all — not against Penicillamine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Boron safety at a glance

Boron overall Use caution Generally safe in small amounts from food and low-dose supplements, but high doses can be toxic.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately. Boron is safe in amounts that do not exceed the UL during pregnancy or lactation, which is 20 mg daily in those 19-50 years... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately. Boron is safe in amounts that do not exceed the UL during pregnancy or lactation, which is 20 mg daily in those 19-50 years... 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 Penicillamine and Boron? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Boron and Penicillamine 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.

  • Hair loss Additional detail

    Boron

    “Orally, chronic use of 1 gram daily of boric acid or 25 grams daily of boric tartrate can cause dermatitis and alopecia.

    Larger doses can result in acute poisoning. Symptoms of poisoning in adults and children may include skin erythema, desquamation, and exfoliation (17).”

    Boron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in alopecia.

    2 sources cited
    1. 7135. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
    2. 17. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.

    Penicillamine

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

  • Reduced appetite Additional detail

    Boron

    “Orally, chronic use of 1 gram daily of boric acid or 25 grams daily of boric tartrate can cause anorexia and indigestion.

    Larger doses can result in acute poisoning. Children who have ingested 5 grams or more of borates can have persistent nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea leading to acute dehydration, shock, and coma.”

    Boron · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    2 sources cited
    1. 7135. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
    2. 17. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.

    Penicillamine

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

  • Diarrhea / Nausea / Vomiting reported in 10.5% of FDA reports for Penicillamine Additional detail

    Boron

    Recorded for Boron in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Reduced appetite above.

    Penicillamine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Penicillamine, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Boron

    Recorded for Boron in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Reduced appetite above.

    Penicillamine

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

Reported for Boron but not commonly for Penicillamine: cough, mood changes or irritability, stomach upset and seizures.

Effects for Penicillamine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Boron come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 917 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Penicillamine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Boron in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally and appropriately. Boron is safe in amounts that do not exceed the UL during pregnancy or lactation, which is 20 mg daily in those 19-50 years of age or 17 mg daily for those 14-18 years of age.

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally in doses exceeding the UL. Higher doses might impair growth and cause adverse effects in the developing fetus. ...when used vaginally. Intravaginal boric acid has been associated with a 2.7- to 2.8-fold increased risk of birth defects when used during the first 4 months of pregnancy.

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 Penicillamine Products Have a Food Rule — Boron Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Penicillamine says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Boron included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Penicillamine on its own and move Boron to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Penicillamine 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 In all patients receiving penicillamine, it is important that CUPRIMINE be given on an empty stomach, at least one hour before meals or two hours after meals, and at least one hour apart from any other drug, food, or milk.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Penicillamine — 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Penicillamine

This page covers Boron only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Penicillamine page lists 26 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), Aristolochia (moderate) and Coffee Charcoal (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 13 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Penicillamine page

“People take penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen) for demanding conditions, Wilson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cystinuria, and its 26 supplement interactions are not a list to skim, three of them rated major. Seventeen ingredients can keep an oral dose from being fully absorbed, activated charcoal chief among them, and six more can str…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Penicillamine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 8,984 real supplement products containing Boron, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Boron. Even though Boron itself has no known interaction with Penicillamine, 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 Boron and Penicillamine 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 Boron
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Penicillamine
Steady interest

#1,934 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 Boron reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Boron and Penicillamine 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 Boron

What is Boron?

Boron
  • Bone health
  • Joint and arthritis support
  • Hormone (testosterone/estrogen) support
  • Cognitive function
  • Menstrual discomfort

Boron is a trace mineral found in many plant foods and sold as a supplement, mainly promoted for bone, joint, and hormone health. The human evidence for most of these uses is limited or preliminary, and most people get enough boron from a normal diet. It appears generally safe in low amounts, but high doses can be toxic, so check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Trace mineral (not a plant part) · Capsules, tablets, liquids; forms include boron citrate, boron glycinate, boron aspartate, and sodium borate

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

Boron: dosing

There is no official recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for boron, and a standardized supplement dose has not been firmly established. Most people already get boron from foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.Supplements are usually sold in small milligram amounts. Health authorities have set a safe upper limit for adults, and you should not exceed it.

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

Read the full Boron monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Penicillamine

What Is Penicillamine Used For?

Brand names: Cuprimine, Depen Titratable

Penicillamine is used for three distinct conditions. It treats Wilson's disease — a rare genetic disorder in which the body accumulates dangerous levels of copper — by binding to the excess copper and helping the body remove it. It also treats cystinuria, a condition where the amino acid cystine builds up and forms painful kidney stones, by converting cystine into a more soluble form that the body can excrete more easily.

For patients with severe, active rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded adequately to conventional therapies, penicillamine (available as Aagylur, Cuprimine, Depen, and other products) may be used to help suppress disease activity and reduce joint pain, tenderness, and swelling.

See full Penicillamine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Boron

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Boron list.

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

Boron References

The 6 references that drive our Boron 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. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
  2. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
  3. Thai L, Hart LL. Boric acid vaginal suppositories. Ann Pharmacother 1993;27:1355-7.
  4. Acs N, Banhidy F, Puho E, Czeizel AE. Teratogenic effects of vaginal boric acid treatment during pregnancy. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2006;93:55-6. PubMed
  5. Garabrant, D. H., Bernstein, L., Peters, J. M., and Smith, T. J. Respiratory and eye irritation from boron oxide and boric acid dusts. J Occup Med 1984;26(8):584-586. PubMed
  6. Hjelm C, Harari F, Vahter M. Pre- and postnatal environmental boron exposure and infant growth: results from a mother-child cohort in northern Argentina. Environ Res 2019;171:60-8. PubMed

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 Boron and Penicillamine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Boron with Penicillamine?
We do not list a known interaction between Boron and Penicillamine. 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 Boron and Penicillamine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 6 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 Boron and Penicillamine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Penicillamine says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Penicillamine on its own and move Boron to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Penicillamine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Penicillamine has documented interactions with 26 supplements in our database — Boron is not one of them. The Penicillamine 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

Boron monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Penicillamine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Penicillamine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Penicillamine, 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 6 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Penicillamine and Boron?

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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.