Drug & supplement interaction

Shellac + Cefoxitin

Cefoxitin brand name: Mefoxin.

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 Shellac and Cefoxitin 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 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.

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Interaction report

Shellac and Cefoxitin

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 Cefoxitin and Shellac 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 Shellac at all — not against Cefoxitin, 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.

Shellac safety at a glance

Shellac overall Use caution Generally regarded as safe as a coating in small amounts, but it is insect-derived and rare reactions can occur.
Pregnancy Use caution Likely fine in the tiny amounts used as a coating, but there is little specific safety data, so check with your doctor.
Breastfeeding Use caution Little specific data exists; the small amounts in coatings are unlikely to be a concern but caution is wise.

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

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

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Shellac and Cefoxitin May Share a Side Effect

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • A skin rash reported in 5.6% of FDA reports for Cefoxitin Additional detail

    Shellac

    “Topically, there are numerous reports of allergic contact dermatitis and allergic contact cheilitis associated with shellac. Most cases of allergic dermatitis are related to shellac in mascara, especially Maybelline Great Lash mascara. However, cases of allergic contact dermatitis associated with shellac in tattoo ink and shellac in hair spray have been reported.”

    Shellac · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 104260. González-Villanueva I, Hispn Ocete P, Silvestre Salvador JF. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by a black tattoo ink in a patient allergic to shellac. Contact Dermatitis. 2016;75(4):247-8. PubMed
    2. 104262. Shaw T, Oostman H, Rainey D, Storrs F. A rare eyelid dermatitis allergen: shellac in a popular mascara. Dermatitis. 2009;20(6):341-5. DOI
    3. 104263. Gallo R, Marro I, Pavesi A. Allergic contact dermatitis from shellac in mascara. Contact Dermatitis. 2005;53(4):238. PubMed
    4. 104264. Strauss RM, Orton DI. Allergic contact cheilitis in the United Kingdom: a retrospective study. Am J Contact Dermat. 2003;14(2):75-7. DOI
    5. 104265. Orton DI, Salim A, Shaw S. Allergic contact cheilitis due to shellac. Contact Dermatitis. 2001;44(4):250. PubMed
    6. 112297. Navarro-Triviño FJ. Allergic contact dermatitis from shellac in an ecological hair spray occurring in a patient with frontal fibrosing alopecia. Contact Dermatitis 2022;86(6):544-545. PubMed

    Cefoxitin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cefoxitin, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Effects for Cefoxitin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Shellac come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 1,373 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Cefoxitin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cefoxitin

This page covers Shellac only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cefoxitin page lists 43 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Asarabacca (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), African Wild Potato (moderate), Aristolochia (moderate) and Bacillus Coagulans (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 39 moderate · 2 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cefoxitin page

“Cefoxitin (Mefoxin) is an injectable antibiotic, usually given in a hospital or clinic for serious infections, and its supplement list deserves genuine care rather than a quick skim. The two entries to understand first are Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca, herbs that can damage the kidneys, adding to a strain cefoxitin can itself plac…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cefoxitin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Shellac and Cefoxitin 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 Shellac
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cefoxitin
Steady interest

#1,638 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. See every Shellac reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Shellac and Cefoxitin records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Shellac

What is Shellac?

Shellac
  • Coating for tablets and capsules
  • Glaze on candy and chocolates
  • Protective film over pills and supplements
  • Enteric-style coating to delay dissolving
  • Shiny coating on fruits and confections

Shellac is a natural resin made from the secretions of the lac insect, and it is used mainly as a glaze or coating on pills, candy, and some supplements rather than as an active ingredient you take for a health benefit. In the small amounts used for coatings it is generally considered safe for most people, but those avoiding insect-derived products or with known sensitivities may want to steer clear.

Resinous secretion of the lac insect (Kerria lacca) · Tablet and capsule coatings, candy and pill glazes, food glaze (confectioner's glaze)

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

Shellac: dosing

There is no established therapeutic dose for shellac, because it is not taken as an active ingredient. It is used in whatever small amount is needed to coat or glaze a product.If you are choosing a supplement, you do not need to dose shellac itself.

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

Read the full Shellac monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cefoxitin Injection

What Is Cefoxitin Injection Used For?

Brand name: Mefoxin

Cefoxitin for Injection and Dextrose Injection is used to treat bacterial infections in many parts of the body, including the lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, abdomen, female reproductive system, bloodstream (septicemia), bones and joints, and skin. It works only against bacteria — not viruses.

Cefoxitin for Injection and Dextrose Injection is also used to prevent infection in people having certain surgeries, including gastrointestinal surgery, vaginal hysterectomy, abdominal hysterectomy, or cesarean section. It does not have activity against Chlamydia trachomatis, so additional medication may be needed when that germ is suspected.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cefoxitin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (1,373 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Drug resistance 90 reports
Nausea 80 reports
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms 79 reports
Rash 77 reports
Thrombocytopenia 62 reports
See full Cefoxitin Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Shellac

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

See the full Shellac interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cefoxitin, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Shellac References

The 8 references that drive our Shellac 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.

  1. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  2. González-Villanueva I, Hispn Ocete P, Silvestre Salvador JF. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by a black tattoo ink in a patient allergic to shellac. Contact Dermatitis. 2016;75(4):247-8. PubMed
  3. Shaw T, Oostman H, Rainey D, Storrs F. A rare eyelid dermatitis allergen: shellac in a popular mascara. Dermatitis. 2009;20(6):341-5. DOI
  4. Gallo R, Marro I, Pavesi A. Allergic contact dermatitis from shellac in mascara. Contact Dermatitis. 2005;53(4):238. PubMed
  5. Strauss RM, Orton DI. Allergic contact cheilitis in the United Kingdom: a retrospective study. Am J Contact Dermat. 2003;14(2):75-7. DOI
  6. Orton DI, Salim A, Shaw S. Allergic contact cheilitis due to shellac. Contact Dermatitis. 2001;44(4):250. PubMed
  7. Navarro-Triviño FJ. Allergic contact dermatitis from shellac in an ecological hair spray occurring in a patient with frontal fibrosing alopecia. Contact Dermatitis 2022;86(6):544-545. PubMed
  8. Mercader-García P, Ruiz-Gonzalez I, Gonzalez-Perez R, Sanz-Sanchez T, Sanchez-Pérez J, Borrego L; en representación de REIDAC. Contact Allergy to Shellac. Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study With Data From the Spanish Registry of Research in Contact Derma

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 Shellac and Cefoxitin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Shellac with Cefoxitin?
We do not list a known interaction between Shellac and Cefoxitin. 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.
Do Shellac and Cefoxitin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Cefoxitin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cefoxitin has documented interactions with 43 supplements in our database — Shellac is not one of them. The Cefoxitin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Shellac monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Cefoxitin Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Cefoxitin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Cefoxitin, 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 References The 8 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Cefoxitin and Shellac?

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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.