Drug & supplement interaction

Honey + Fosphenytoin Sodium

Fosphenytoin Sodium brand name: Sesquient.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated October 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Honey has a moderate interaction with Fosphenytoin Sodium. Theoretically, honey might increase levels of phenytoin.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Honey and Fosphenytoin Sodium

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

Moderate

PHENYTOIN (Dilantin)

Theoretically, honey might increase levels of phenytoin.
In an animal model, the rate and extent of absorption of phenytoin was increased by honey. This effect has not been reported in humans.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction 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.

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

Here's the quick version: fosphenytoin is a prodrug that your body rapidly converts into phenytoin, the active seizure medicine. So when we talk about how honey might affect it, we're really talking about phenytoin levels. The concern on file is that honey might increase how much phenytoin gets absorbed, which could nudge those levels up.

Now, I want to be honest about how shaky this is. This came from an animal study only, and it has never been seen in people. Phenytoin is a narrow-window drug, meaning small changes can matter, so higher levels could in theory mean more dizziness, drowsiness, unsteady walking, or slurred speech. Still, normal amounts of honey in your tea are very unlikely to cause trouble. If you use honey daily, just mention it to your doctor or pharmacist so they can keep an eye on your levels.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Sukriti and Garg, S. K. Influence of honey on the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin in rabbits. Ind J Pharmacol 2002;34(147).

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

Honey Also Interacts With Other Medications

Honey has 4 moderate, 733 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Fosphenytoin Sodium one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 4 Minor 733 No known interaction 2,093 (incl. Fosphenytoin Sodium)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Honey

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Fosphenytoin Sodium

This page covers Honey only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fosphenytoin Sodium page lists 212 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Beer (major) and Cesium (major).

By severity: 14 major · 179 moderate · 19 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Fosphenytoin Sodium page

“Fosphenytoin sodium (Sesquient) converts to phenytoin in the body, and phenytoin is unforgiving about blood levels. A little too low invites seizures, a little too high brings toxicity.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Fosphenytoin Sodium interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 298 real supplement products containing Honey, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Honey. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Fosphenytoin Sodium too, on top of Honey — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Honey and Fosphenytoin Sodium 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 Honey
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Fosphenytoin Sodium
Top 5%

#87 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 Honey

What is Honey?

Honey
  • Cough and sore throat
  • Wound and burn care
  • Soothing minor skin irritation
  • Sweetener and home remedy
  • Digestive upset

Honey is a natural food with some real, modest evidence for easing coughs and helping certain wounds, especially when special medical-grade or Manuka honey is used. It is generally safe for most adults and children over 1 year, but should never be given to infants under 12 months because of the risk of botulism.

Read the full Honey monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Honey

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

0Major
4Moderate
733Minor
2,092No known interaction
4 Moderate 733 Minor 2,092 No interaction
Moderate

4 interactions

Minor

733 interactions

Showing 60 of 733 minor interactions — see all 733 on the Honey page.

No interaction 2,092 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,092 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Honey list.

See the full Honey interactions page
See every supplement checked against Fosphenytoin Sodium, ranked by severity
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
Honey monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Fosphenytoin Sodium supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Fosphenytoin Sodium, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Honey and Fosphenytoin Sodium Together: Common Questions

Can you take Honey with Fosphenytoin Sodium?
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 Honey and Fosphenytoin Sodium 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 Fosphenytoin Sodium and Honey?

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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.