Clay + Erlotinib
Erlotinib brand name: Tarceva.
We found no known interaction between Clay and Erlotinib 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 Erlotinib 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.
Clay and Erlotinib
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 Erlotinib and Clay 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.
Clay safety at a glance
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.
Why No Interaction Is Listed for Erlotinib
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Erlotinib is filed under 2 classifications — including oral drugs. Clay has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being cimetidine (tagamet) (moderate) and quinine (moderate) — and none of Erlotinib’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.
Clay Does Interact With Other Medications
Clay has 3 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Erlotinib isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Clay
We haven’t checked that one against Clay yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Clay. Pick one to open its full report.
Clay in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
When used orally, long-term. Clay ingestion during pregnancy appears to be associated with an increased incidence of pre-eclampsia, hypertension, and/or edema. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of ingesting clay short-term during 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
Some Erlotinib Products Have a Food Rule — Clay Should Not Break It
At least one FDA label for a product containing Erlotinib says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Clay included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Erlotinib on its own and move Clay 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 Erlotinib 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.
Recommended Dose – NSCLC The recommended daily dose of erlotinib tablets for NSCLC is 150 mg taken on an empty stomach, i.e., at least one hour before or two hours after the ingestion of food.
From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Erlotinib — 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.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Erlotinib
This page covers Clay only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Erlotinib page lists 18 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Bilberry (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate) and Glucomannan (moderate).
By severity: 1 major · 8 moderate · 9 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Erlotinib page
“Activated charcoal is the entry I would flag first for anyone taking erlotinib (Tarceva), an oral targeted therapy for certain lung cancers. Charcoal can adsorb the drug in the gut and cut how much reaches the bloodstream, and with a cancer pill, less absorbed means less cancer fought.”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Taking Clay as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 17 real supplement products containing Clay, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Clay. Even though Clay itself has no known interaction with Erlotinib, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Clay and Erlotinib 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.
#842 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#2,082 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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 Clay reference on this page ↓
- Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 27, 2026. The Clay and Erlotinib 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.
About Clay
What is Clay?
- Detox and digestive complaints
- Skin care (masks, acne, irritation)
- Diarrhea and upset stomach
- Drawing out toxins or impurities
- Wound and rash poultices
Clay is a fine, mineral-rich earth (such as bentonite or kaolin) used on the skin and sometimes taken by mouth for digestive and 'detox' purposes. Topical use for masks and minor skin issues is popular and generally low-risk, but swallowing clay carries real safety concerns, including possible contamination with lead and other heavy metals. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before taking clay internally.
Mineral-rich clay (bentonite, kaolin, French green clay, and similar) · Powder, capsules, masks, poultices, suspensions/drinks
An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Clay is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Clay record says about it on its own.
Clay: dosing
There is no well-established, standardized dose for clay, and no recommended safe amount for eating it. Because of contamination and absorption concerns, taking clay internally is generally not recommended without medical guidance.If you use a topical product, follow the label directions for how long to leave a mask on and how often to use it. Choose products that are independently tested for heavy metals.
From our Clay monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.
About Erlotinib
What Is Erlotinib Used For?
Brand name: Tarceva
Erlotinib tablets are used to treat metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients whose tumors carry specific gene changes — EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) mutations — confirmed by an FDA-approved test. It can be used as a first-line treatment, as maintenance therapy, or after at least one prior chemotherapy has stopped working.
Erlotinib tablets are also used for the first-line treatment of locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pancreatic cancer — but only in combination with another chemotherapy drug called gemcitabine. Erlotinib is not recommended alongside platinum-based chemotherapy regimens.
Most-Reported Side Effects for Erlotinib
From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (12,441 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.
Other Drugs & Clay
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Clay — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
3 interactions
No interaction 2,826 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Clay against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Testosterone ›
- Sertraline ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Aspirin ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Docusate ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Prednisone ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Metformin ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Propranolol ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Bupropion ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Naproxen ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Buspirone ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Letrozole ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine ›
- Citalopram ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,826 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Clay list.
Clay References
The 31 references that drive our Clay 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.
- Gonzalez JJ, Owens W, Ungaro PC, et al. Clay ingestion: a rare cause of hypokalemia. Ann Intern Med 1982;97(1):65-6. PubMed
- Mengel CE, Carter WA, Horton ES. Geophagia with iron deficiency and hypokalemia. Cachexia Africana. Arch Intern Med 1964;114:470-4. PubMed
- Severance HW Jr, Holt T, Patrone NA, Chapman L. Profound muscle weakness and hypokalemia due to clay ingestion. South Med J 1988;81(2):272-4. PubMed
- Minnich V, Okcuoglu A, Tarcon Y, et al. Pica in Turkey. II. Effect of clay upon iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr 1968;21(1):78-86.
- O'Rourke DE, Quinn JG, Nicholson JO, Gibson HH. Geophagia during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 1967;29(4):581-4.
- Edwards CE, McDonald S, Mitchell JK, et al. Effect of clay and cornstarch intake on women and their infants. J Amer Diet Assoc 1964;44:109-15. DOI
- Carpenter WM. Observations on Cachexia Africana, on habits and effects of dirt eating in negro race. New Orleans Med Surg J 1844;1:146-68.
- Ducrotte P, Dapoigny M, Bonaz B, Siproudhis L. Symptomatic efficacy of beidellitic montmorillonite in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized, controlled trial. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2005;21(4):435-44. PubMed
- Chang FY, Lu CL, Chen CY, Luo JC. Efficacy of dioctahedral smectite in treating patients of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2007;22(12):2266-72. PubMed
- Blum M, Orton C, Rose L. The effect of starch ingestion on excessive iron association, abstracted. Ann Intern Med 1968;68:1165.
- Ukaonu C, Hill DA, Christensen F. Hypokalemic myopathy in pregnancy caused by clay ingestion. Obstet Gynecol 2003;102(5 Pt 2):1169-71. DOI
- Andrews PL, Horn CC. Signals for nausea and emesis: Implications for models of upper gastrointestinal diseases. Auton Neurosci 2006;125(1-2):100-15. PubMed
- Wang JS, Luo H, Billam M, et al. Short-term safety evaluation of processed calcium montmorillonite clay (NovaSil) in humans. Food Addit Contam 2005;22(3):270-9. PubMed
- Bateson EM, Lebroy T. Clay eating by Aboriginals of the Northern Territory. Med J Aust 1978;1 Suppl 1:1-3. PubMed
- Delaitre B, Lemaigre G, Acar JF, et al. [Necrotizing enteritis and geophagia]. Nouv Presse Med 1976;5(28):1743-6.
- Sanchez A JE. Perforation of the colon due to clay ball. Arch Surg 1978;113(7):906. PubMed
- Prasad AS, Halsted JA, Nadimi M. Syndrome of iron deficiency anemia, hepatospelenomegaly, hypogonadism, dwarfism and geophagia. Am J Med 1961;31:532-46.
- Bennett A, Stryjewski G. Severe hypokalemia caused by oral and rectal administration of bentonite in a pediatric patient. Pediatr Emerg Care 2006;22(7):500-2. PubMed
- Guinee VF. Pica and lead poisoning. Nutr Rev 1971;29(12):267-9. PubMed
- Getahun H, Lambein F, Vanhoorne M, Van der Stuyft P. Neurolathyrism risk depends on type of grass pea preparation and on mixing with cereals and antioxidants. Trop Med Int Health 2005;10(2):169-78. PubMed
- Trivedi TH, Daga GL, Yeolekar ME. Geophagia leading to hypokalemic quadriparesis in a postpartum patient. J Assoc Physicians India 2005;53:205-7.
- Fredj G, Farinotti R, Salvadori C, et al. [Topical digestive drugs with a clay base. Influence on the absorption of cimetidine]. Therapie 1986;41(1):23-5.
- Dominy NJ, Davoust E, Minekus M. Adaptive function of soil consumption: an in vitro study modeling the human stomach and small intestine. J Exp Biol 2004;207(Pt 2):319-24.
- Pariente EA, De La Garoullaye G. A multicenter comparative study of a mucilage (Karaya gum + PVPP) versus clay in functional intestinal disorders. Med Chir Dig 1994;23(3):193-9.
- Pérez-Gaxiola G, Cuello-García CA, Florez ID, Pérez-Pico VM. Smectite for acute infectious diarrhoea in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;4:CD011526. PubMed
- Kee BK, Morris JS, Slack RS, et al. A phase II, randomized, double blind trial of calcium aluminosilicate clay versus placebo for the prevention of diarrhea in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with irinotecan. Support Care Cancer. 2015;2 PubMed
- Mitchell NJ, Kumi J, Aleser M, et al. Short-term safety and efficacy of calcium montmorillonite clay (UPSN) in children. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014;91(4):777-85. PubMed
- Gupta M, Sachdev A, Lehl SS, Singh K. Clay impaction causing acute dysphagia. BMJ Case Rep. 2013;2013. pii: bcr2013008929. PubMed
- Lin JX, Fan ZY, Lin Q, et al. A comparison of dioctahedral smectite and iodine glycerin cream with topical mouth rinse in treatment of chemotherapy induced oral mucositis: a pilot study. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2015;19(2):136-41. PubMed
- Lai BY, Liang N, Cao HJ, et al. Pediatric Tui Na for acute diarrhea in children under 5 years old: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Complement Ther Med. 2018;41:10-22. PubMed
- Schmidt C, Oxley Oxland J, Freercks R. A rare case of hypokalaemia and hypophosphataemia secondary to geophagia. BMJ Case Rep. 2021 May 12;14(5):e239322. 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.
Taking Clay and Erlotinib Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Clay with Erlotinib?
Do Clay and Erlotinib have any of the same side effects?
Should I take Clay and Erlotinib at the same time of day?
How was the Clay and Erlotinib combination checked?
Does Clay interact with any other medications?
Does Erlotinib interact with any supplements?
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.