Drug & supplement interaction

Cheken + Rufinamide

Rufinamide brand name: Banzel.

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 Cheken and Rufinamide 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 Rufinamide states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Cheken and Rufinamide

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 Rufinamide and Cheken 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 Cheken at all — not against Rufinamide, 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.

Cheken safety at a glance

Cheken overall Not established Little modern safety data exists, so use with caution and seek professional advice.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety during breastfeeding is unknown, so avoid use.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Rufinamide and Cheken? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Rufinamide’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Cheken. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Rufinamide’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Seizures Worth acting on mentioned in 24.8% of FDA reports for Rufinamide
  • Kidney stones Worth acting on
  • Pain or burning when passing urine Worth acting on
  • Unsteadiness Worth acting on
  • An irregular heartbeat Worth acting on
  • A severe skin reaction Worth acting on
  • A low platelet count Worth acting on
  • Anemia Worth acting on
  • A low white blood cell count Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 33 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Rufinamide. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 2,528 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Rufinamide that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Cheken’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Cheken side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Cheken has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Rufinamide Products Have a Food Rule — Cheken Should Not Break It

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

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION BANZEL should be given with food.

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

This page covers Cheken only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Rufinamide page lists 111 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 89 moderate · 15 minor.

Open the Rufinamide interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Cheken and Rufinamide 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 Cheken
Steady interest

#1,064 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Rufinamide
Top half

#771 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.
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Cheken and Rufinamide records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 Cheken

What is Cheken?

  • Cough and chest congestion
  • Bronchitis and respiratory complaints
  • Digestive upset
  • Mild urinary complaints

Cheken is a leaf from a Chilean evergreen shrub traditionally used for coughs and respiratory complaints. There is very little modern human research to confirm it works or to define a safe dose, so use it cautiously and talk with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Myrceugenia chequen · Myrtaceae · Leaves and essential oil · Tea, tincture, liquid extract, dried leaf

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

Cheken: dosing

There is no established standard dose for Cheken. Because it is not well studied, safe and effective amounts have not been defined.If you choose to use a Cheken product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them.

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

Read the full Cheken monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Rufinamide

What Is Rufinamide Used For?

Brand name: Banzel

Rufinamide — available as Banzel and generic rufinamide — is used as an add-on treatment (alongside other seizure medicines) for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), a severe type of epilepsy that usually begins in childhood and causes multiple types of seizures.

This indication applies to both the tablet and oral suspension forms, for pediatric patients 1 year of age and older as well as adults.

See full Rufinamide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cheken

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Cheken — 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 Cheken 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 Cheken list.

See the full Cheken interactions page
See every supplement checked against Rufinamide, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

We checked Cheken against Rufinamide in the Natural Medicines interaction database and found no documented interaction on file. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus, and supplement label details from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

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
Cheken monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Rufinamide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Rufinamide, ranked by severity Rufinamide 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 Cheken and Rufinamide Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Cheken with Rufinamide?
We do not list a known interaction between Cheken and Rufinamide. 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.
Should I take Cheken and Rufinamide at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Rufinamide says to take it with food. If you take Cheken on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Rufinamide with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Rufinamide products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Rufinamide interact with any supplements?
Yes. Rufinamide has documented interactions with 111 supplements in our database — Cheken is not one of them. The Rufinamide interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Rufinamide and Cheken?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.