Drug & supplement interaction

Coffee Charcoal + Sulconazole

Sulconazole brand name: Exelderm.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Coffee Charcoal has a moderate interaction with Sulconazole. Coffee charcoal can reduce the absorption of orally administered drugs and should be separated from oral drug administration by at least two hours.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Coffee Charcoal and Sulconazole

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ORAL DRUGS

Why this applies to Sulconazole

Sulconazole falls under ORAL DRUGS — the group Coffee Charcoal interacts with.

Coffee charcoal can reduce the absorption of orally administered drugs and should be separated from oral drug administration by at least two hours.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's some good news about Sulconazole (Exelderm): it's a topical cream you rub onto the skin to treat things like athlete's foot, jock itch, and ringworm. It isn't swallowed, so coffee charcoal sitting in your stomach has nothing to grab onto here.

The interaction on file is about charcoal binding to drugs taken by mouth and blocking them from being absorbed in the gut. Since Sulconazole works right at the surface of your skin and barely enters your bloodstream, coffee charcoal shouldn't weaken it or affect how well it clears your infection. This concern is theoretical and aimed at oral pills, not skin creams. Still, if you have questions, your pharmacist is happy to help.

References
  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.

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

Coffee Charcoal Also Interacts With Other Medications

Coffee Charcoal has 2,021 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Sulconazole one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Coffee Charcoal

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sulconazole

This page covers Coffee Charcoal only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sulconazole page lists 20 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate), Guar Gum (moderate) and Gum Arabic (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 12 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sulconazole page

“Sulconazole (Exelderm) is a topical antifungal cream for skin infections like ringworm and jock itch, yet its interaction list warrants real care, not a quick skim. The single major-rated entry, activated charcoal, can pull medications out of the body and lower their levels regardless of how the drug was given, and it is the one to und…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sulconazole interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Coffee Charcoal and Sulconazole 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 Coffee Charcoal
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sulconazole
Steady interest

#2,506 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 Coffee Charcoal

What is Coffee Charcoal?

  • Diarrhea
  • Inflammatory bowel conditions
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Mild digestive upset
  • Wound and skin care (topical, traditional)

Coffee charcoal is made by roasting green coffee beans until they turn black, creating a charcoal-like material used traditionally for diarrhea and digestive complaints. Scientific evidence supporting its benefits is very limited, and it should not replace proven treatments. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a chronic gut condition.

Read the full Coffee Charcoal monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sulconazole Topical

What Is Sulconazole Topical Used For?

Brand name: Exelderm

Sulconazole topical solution 1.0% is used to treat tinea cruris (jock itch), tinea corporis (ringworm of the body), and tinea versicolor (a skin discoloration caused by yeast). These infections are caused by specific fungi, including Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum, and Microsporum canis.

Note: Effectiveness has not been proven for tinea pedis (athlete's foot) with the topical solution.

See full Sulconazole Topical drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Coffee Charcoal

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

0Major
2,021Moderate
0Minor
808No known interaction
Moderate

2,021 interactions

Showing 60 of 2,021 moderate interactions — see all 2,021 on the Coffee Charcoal page.

No interaction 808 drugs checked — show the list
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
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Coffee Charcoal and Sulconazole Together: Common Questions

Can you take Coffee Charcoal with Sulconazole?
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.
How serious is the Coffee Charcoal and Sulconazole 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 Sulconazole and Coffee Charcoal?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.