Drug & supplement interaction

Boswellia Serrata + Cefaclor

Cefaclor brand names: Ceclor CD, Ceclor.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Boswellia Serrata 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

Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata 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.

Boswellia Serrata safety at a glance

Boswellia Serrata overall Use caution Generally well tolerated short-term, but quality and dose vary widely between products.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of using Boswellia serrata in medicin... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of using Boswellia serrata in medicin... 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.

Pharmacist analysis

No interaction has been noted between Boswellia and the drug in question on this interaction check.

In terms of other interactions, Boswellia serrata has been shown in laboratory studies to mildly inhibit several enzymes involved in drug metabolism, including CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4. This inhibition may increase the levels of drugs metabolized by these enzymes, potentially leading to adverse effects.

However, it is important to note that this inhibition has only been seen in a lab setting, and has not been reported in humans. Whether or not Boswellia supplements have clinically significant drug interactions due to the effects on the above enzymes isn't well known. In most cases, it appears unlikely that these interactions would be clinically significant as there is a lack of reports of problems being caused in humans.

In addition, Boswellia serrata may interact with immunosuppressive drugs. 

Studies show that Boswellia may help reduce the activity of some cells involved in autoimmune diseases. This could lead to a decrease in the production of antibodies and certain immune cells. However, other studies have found that certain components of Boswellia serrata may actually stimulate the immune system in certain situations. More research is needed to better understand the effect of Boswellia on immunosuppressive drugs.

—

Still wondering about combining Cefaclor and Boswellia Serrata? 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. Boswellia Serrata has documented interactions with 6 drug classes — the most serious being cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates (moderate), cytochrome p450 2c19 (cyp2c19) substrates (moderate) and cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) substrates (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

Boswellia Serrata Does Interact With Other Medications

Boswellia Serrata has 952 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.

Moderate 952 No known interaction 1,878 (incl. Cefaclor)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Boswellia Serrata

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Boswellia Serrata 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.

  • Itching Additional detail

    Boswellia Serrata

    “Orally, Boswellia serrata extract (5-Loxin) has been associated with itching at doses of 100-250 mg daily.”

    Boswellia Serrata · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myasthenia gravis.

    1 source cited
    1. 17948. Sengupta K, Alluri KV, Satish AR, et al. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin. Arthritis Res Ther 2008;10:R85.

    Cefaclor

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

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Boswellia Serrata

    “Orally, Boswellia serrata extract (5-Loxin) has been associated with one case of foot edema and four cases of generalized weakness in one clinical study.”

    Boswellia Serrata · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pregnancy-related edema.

    1 source cited
    1. 17948. Sengupta K, Alluri KV, Satish AR, et al. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin. Arthritis Res Ther 2008;10:R85.

    Cefaclor

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

  • Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Nausea Additional detail

    Boswellia Serrata

    “Orally, Boswellia serrata extract may cause diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and heartburn. A case of a large gastrointestinal bezoar has been reported in a 17-year-old female who chewed and swallowed large quantities of boswellia gum resin (Boswellia species not specified) for celiac disease.”

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

    6 sources cited
    1. 1708. Gupta I, Gupta V, Parihar A, et al. Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with bronchial asthma: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week clinical study. Eur J Med Res 1998;3:511-4.
    2. 12432. Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee--a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2003;10:3-7. PubMed
    3. 12438. Gupta I, Parihar A, Malhotra P, et al. Effects of gum resin of Boswellia serrata in patients with chronic colitis. Planta Med 2001;67:391-5. PubMed
    4. 17948. Sengupta K, Alluri KV, Satish AR, et al. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin. Arthritis Res Ther 2008;10:R85.
    5. 17949. Sengupta K, Krishnaraju AV, Vishal AA, et al. Comparative efficacy and tolerability of 5-Loxin and Aflapin against osteoarthritis of the knee: a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical study. Int J Med Sci 2010;7:366-77.
    6. 17950. Ernst E. Frankincense: systematic review. BMJ 2008;337:a2813. PubMed

    Cefaclor

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

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    Boswellia Serrata

    “Orally, Boswellia serrata extract may cause dizziness, headache, and vertigo. In one clinical study, nearly 11% of patients taking a specific Boswellia serrata extract (K-Vie) reported headache. Dizziness and vertigo were also reported, but at lower rates. In another study, headache was reported in one patient taking a specific Boswellia serrata extract (5-Loxin).”

    Boswellia Serrata · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    2 sources cited
    1. 109567. Meshkat S, Mahmoodi Baram S, Rajaei S, et al. Boswellia serrata extract shows cognitive benefits in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial in individuals who suffered traumatic brain injury. Brain Inj 2022;36(4):553-559. PubMed
    2. 17948. Sengupta K, Alluri KV, Satish AR, et al. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin. Arthritis Res Ther 2008;10:R85.

    Cefaclor

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

  • Headache Additional detail

    Boswellia Serrata

    Recorded for Boswellia Serrata in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Itching above.

    Cefaclor

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

Reported for Boswellia Serrata but not commonly for Cefaclor: heartburn.

Effects for Cefaclor come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Boswellia Serrata 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

Boswellia Serrata in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of using Boswellia serrata in medicinal amounts; avoid using.

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 — Boswellia Serrata Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Cefaclor says to take it with food. If you take Boswellia Serrata 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cefaclor

This page covers Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,914 real supplement products containing Boswellia Serrata, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Boswellia Serrata. Even though Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cefaclor
Top 10%

#230 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 Boswellia Serrata reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata

What is Boswellia Serrata?

Boswellia Serrata
  • Osteoarthritis joint pain
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Inflammation
  • Asthma
  • Inflammatory bowel conditions

Boswellia serrata is a tree resin used in traditional medicine, mainly for joint pain and inflammation. Some studies suggest it may help with osteoarthritis symptoms, but the overall evidence is limited and more research is needed. It is generally well tolerated, but you should check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Boswellia serrata · Burseraceae · Gum resin (and bark) · Capsules, tablets, extracts (often standardized to boswellic acids), topical creams, resin

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

Boswellia Serrata: dosing

There is no single official or proven dose for boswellia. Products vary in strength and in how much boswellic acid they contain, which makes a standard dose hard to recommend.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and to choose a product from a reputable brand.

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

Read the full Boswellia Serrata monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cefaclor

What Is Cefaclor Used For?

Brand names: Ceclor CD, Ceclor

Cefaclor treats a range of bacterial infections. Cefaclor capsules and oral suspension 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.

Cefaclor extended-release tablets are approved for a narrower set of uses in adults: acute bacterial flare-ups of chronic bronchitis, strep throat and tonsillitis, and uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections. Not all formulations are approved for the same conditions, so the form matters.

See full Cefaclor drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Boswellia Serrata

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

0Major
952Moderate
0Minor
1,877No known interaction
952 Moderate 1,877 No interaction
Moderate

952 interactions

Showing 60 of 952 moderate interactions — see all 952 on the Boswellia Serrata page.

No interaction 1,877 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,877 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Boswellia Serrata list.

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

Boswellia Serrata References

The 16 references that drive our Boswellia Serrata 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. Gupta I, Gupta V, Parihar A, et al. Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with bronchial asthma: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week clinical study. Eur J Med Res 1998;3:511-4.
  2. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182
  3. Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee--a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2003;10:3-7. PubMed
  4. Liu JJ, Nilsson A, Oredsson S, et al. Boswellic acids trigger apoptosis via a pathway dependent on caspase-8 activation but independent on Fas/Fas ligand interaction in colon cancer HT-29 cells. Carcinogenesis 2002;23:2087-93. PubMed
  5. Wildfeuer A, Neu IS, Safayhi H, et al. Effects of boswellic acids extracted from a herbal medicine on the biosynthesis of leukotrienes and the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Arzneimittelforschung 1998;48:668-74.
  6. Gupta I, Parihar A, Malhotra P, et al. Effects of gum resin of Boswellia serrata in patients with chronic colitis. Planta Med 2001;67:391-5. PubMed
  7. Sengupta K, Alluri KV, Satish AR, et al. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin. Arthritis Res Ther 2008;10:R85.
  8. Sengupta K, Krishnaraju AV, Vishal AA, et al. Comparative efficacy and tolerability of 5-Loxin and Aflapin against osteoarthritis of the knee: a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical study. Int J Med Sci 2010;7:366-77.
  9. Ernst E. Frankincense: systematic review. BMJ 2008;337:a2813. PubMed
  10. Kirste S, Treier M, Wehrle SJ, et al. Boswellia serratea extract acts on cerebral edema in patients irradiated for brain tumors: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot trial. Cancer 2011;117:3788-95.
  11. Frank A, Unger M. Analysis of frankincense from various Boswellia species with inhibitory activity on human drug metabolising cytochrome P450 enzymes using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry after automated on-line extraction. J Chromatogr A 2006;111 PubMed
  12. Altmann A, Poeckel D, Fischer L, et al. Coupling of boswellic acid-incuded Ca2+ mobilisation and MAPK activation to lipid metabolism and peroxide formation in human leucocytes. Br J Pharmacol 2004;141:223-32.
  13. El Fortia, M., Badi, H., Elalem, Kh, Kadiki, O., and Topov, Y. Olibanum bezoar: complication of a traditional popular medicine. East Mediterr.Health J 2006;12(6):927-929.
  14. Meshkat S, Mahmoodi Baram S, Rajaei S, et al. Boswellia serrata extract shows cognitive benefits in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial in individuals who suffered traumatic brain injury. Brain Inj 2022;36(4):553-559. PubMed
  15. Haron MH, Dale O, Martin K, et al. Evaluation of the Herb-Drug Interaction Potential of Commonly Used Botanicals on the US Market with Regard to PXR- and AhR-Mediated Influences on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2. J Diet Suppl 2022. 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 Boswellia Serrata and Cefaclor Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Boswellia Serrata with Cefaclor?
We do not list a known interaction between Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata and Cefaclor combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Cefaclor is filed under 6 classifications, and Boswellia Serrata 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 Boswellia Serrata interact with any other medications?
Yes. Boswellia Serrata has 952 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 — Boswellia Serrata 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

Boswellia Serrata 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 16 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Cefaclor and Boswellia Serrata?

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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.