Drug & supplement interaction

Elemi + Mefloquine

Mefloquine brand name: Lariam.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Elemi and Mefloquine 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 Mefloquine states a food rule worth keeping to.

Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Elemi and Mefloquine

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 Mefloquine and Elemi 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 Elemi at all — not against Mefloquine, 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.

Elemi safety at a glance

Elemi overall Use caution Generally used topically or aromatically with dilution; ingesting the essential oil is not considered safe.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data, so avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety data, so avoid while breastfeeding.

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

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

What Mefloquine’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Elemi. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Mefloquine’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.

  • Thoughts of self-harm Worth acting on
  • Muscle weakness Worth acting on
  • Memory problems Worth acting on
  • Unsteadiness Worth acting on
  • A slow heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Hallucinations Worth acting on
  • Fainting Worth acting on
  • An irregular heartbeat Worth acting on
  • Confusion Worth acting on
  • A severe skin reaction Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 51 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 Mefloquine. Read the label on DailyMed › Elemi’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Elemi side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Elemi has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Mefloquine Products Have a Food Rule — Elemi Should Not Break It

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

The drug should not be taken on an empty stomach and should be administered with at least 8 oz (240 mL) of water.

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

This page covers Elemi only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Mefloquine page lists 23 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Biofeedback (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), Dendrobium (moderate) and European Mandrake (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 13 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Mefloquine page

“Mefloquine (Lariam) prevents and treats malaria and carries its own well-known warnings about seizures and psychiatric effects, so I take this interaction list more seriously than most. Six of the 23 supplements on file, including ginkgo and melatonin, may lower the seizure threshold, a poor match for a drug with mefloquine's neurologi…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Mefloquine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2 real supplement products containing Elemi, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Elemi. Even though Elemi itself has no known interaction with Mefloquine, 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 Elemi and Mefloquine 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 Elemi
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Mefloquine
Steady interest

#2,619 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. Elemi is not yet covered by that licensed database, so its write-up cites publicly available medical sources directly (see the references below).
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Elemi reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Elemi and Mefloquine records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 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 Elemi

What is Elemi?

  • Skin care and wound soothing
  • Aromatherapy for relaxation
  • Cough and chest congestion
  • Muscle and joint discomfort
  • Antimicrobial use (topical)

Elemi is a fragrant tree resin from the Philippines, used mainly as an essential oil in aromatherapy and topical skin and balm products. Solid human evidence for any health benefit is lacking, and like other essential oils it should never be swallowed and should be diluted before skin use. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have sensitive skin.

Canarium luzonicum · Burseraceae · Oleoresin (gum resin) and the essential oil distilled from it · Essential oil, resin, and ingredient in salves, balms, and incense

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

Elemi: dosing

There is no established or standardized dose for elemi. For aromatherapy and topical use, the right amount depends on the product and how it is blended. Essential oils are typically diluted to a low percentage in a carrier oil before being applied to skin.Follow the directions on the specific product label, and do not assume more is better.

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

Read the full Elemi monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Mefloquine

What Is Mefloquine Used For?

Brand name: Lariam

Mefloquine Hydrochloride tablets are used to treat mild to moderate acute malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum (including strains resistant to chloroquine) and Plasmodium vivax. They are also used to prevent malaria infections, including chloroquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum, in people traveling to malaria-endemic areas.

Important note: mefloquine does not eliminate the liver stage of P. vivax, so patients treated for P. vivax malaria usually need an additional medication (such as primaquine) afterward to prevent relapse.

See full Mefloquine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Elemi

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Elemi — 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Elemi References

The 1 sources that drive our Elemi monograph — publicly available pages from reputable medical and government organizations. Every link was verified to work before publishing. Elemi is not covered by the licensed Natural Medicines interaction database, so its page cites these public sources directly.

  1. Aromatherapy — MedlinePlus Source

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 Elemi and Mefloquine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Elemi with Mefloquine?
We do not list a known interaction between Elemi and Mefloquine. 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 Elemi and Mefloquine at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Mefloquine 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 Mefloquine on its own and move Elemi 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 Mefloquine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Mefloquine has documented interactions with 23 supplements in our database — Elemi is not one of them. The Mefloquine 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 Mefloquine and Elemi?

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.