Drug & supplement interaction

Shellac + Raltegravir

Raltegravir brand name: Isentress.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Shellac and Raltegravir 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.

Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Shellac and Raltegravir

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 Raltegravir 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 Raltegravir, 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 Raltegravir and Shellac? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Shellac Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Raltegravir. It is the side-effect record for Shellac on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Shellac, this list is the first place to look.

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    “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

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Shellac — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Raltegravir’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Raltegravir column appears here.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Raltegravir

This page covers Shellac only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Raltegravir page lists 33 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Breadfruit (moderate), Brussels Sprout (moderate), Cabbage (moderate) and Calcium (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 22 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Raltegravir page

“For someone taking raltegravir (Isentress) to keep HIV suppressed, a steady drug level is what blocks rebound and resistance, and this list deserves genuine vigilance. The lone major-rated entry is activated charcoal, which can soak up the medicine in the gut and cut what reaches your blood.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Raltegravir interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Shellac and Raltegravir 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
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Raltegravir
Steady interest

#1,675 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 Raltegravir 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 Raltegravir

What Is Raltegravir Used For?

Brand name: Isentress

Raltegravir — available as Isentress and as the generic raltegravir tablet — is used to treat HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. It is always used together with other antiretroviral (anti-HIV) medicines, never on its own.

Isentress is approved for adults and for children weighing at least 2 kg. Raltegravir tablets are approved for adults and for children weighing at least 25 kg who can swallow a tablet whole.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Raltegravir

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (16,418 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Foetal exposure during pregnancy 1,078 reports
Depression 1,017 reports
Anxiety 966 reports
Emotional distress 789 reports
Anhedonia 708 reports
See full Raltegravir 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
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 Raltegravir Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Shellac with Raltegravir?
We do not list a known interaction between Shellac and Raltegravir. 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.
Does Raltegravir interact with any supplements?
Yes. Raltegravir has documented interactions with 33 supplements in our database — Shellac is not one of them. The Raltegravir 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 Raltegravir and Shellac?

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.