Drug & supplement interaction

Tolu Balsam + Mefenamic Acid

Mefenamic Acid brand name: Ponstel.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Tolu Balsam and Mefenamic Acid 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.

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Interaction report

Tolu Balsam and Mefenamic Acid

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 Mefenamic Acid and Tolu Balsam 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 Tolu Balsam at all — not against Mefenamic Acid, 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.

Tolu Balsam safety at a glance

Tolu Balsam overall Use caution Generally used in small amounts in foods and cough products, but it can cause allergic reactions and lacks strong safety data.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety during breastfeeding is unknown, so avoid medicinal use.

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

Still wondering about combining Mefenamic Acid and Tolu Balsam? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Mefenamic Acid’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Tolu Balsam. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Mefenamic Acid’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.

  • Pain or burning when passing urine Worth acting on
  • Bleeding in the gut Worth acting on
  • High potassium Worth acting on
  • A heart attack Worth acting on
  • Hallucinations Worth acting on
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • Heart failure Worth acting on
  • High blood sugar Worth acting on
  • Fainting Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 55 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 Mefenamic Acid. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 2,182 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Mefenamic Acid that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Tolu Balsam’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Tolu Balsam side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Tolu Balsam has no side effects.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Mefenamic Acid

This page covers Tolu Balsam only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Mefenamic Acid page lists 118 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and Wine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 86 moderate · 27 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Mefenamic Acid page

“Mefenamic acid (Ponstel), an NSAID mostly used for menstrual cramps and short-term pain, has a supplement list that earns genuine caution, and the five major-rated entries are where to start. Beer and wine are two of them, because alcohol plus any NSAID raises the risk of stomach and intestinal bleeding.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Mefenamic Acid interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 3 real supplement products containing Tolu Balsam, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Tolu Balsam. Even though Tolu Balsam itself has no known interaction with Mefenamic Acid, 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 Tolu Balsam and Mefenamic Acid 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 Tolu Balsam
Steady interest

#1,324 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Mefenamic Acid
Top half

#1,345 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.
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Tolu Balsam and Mefenamic Acid 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 Tolu Balsam

What is Tolu Balsam?

  • Cough and sore throat
  • Chest congestion
  • Wound and skin care (topical)
  • Flavoring and fragrance
  • Mild expectorant

Tolu balsam is a fragrant resin from a South American tree that has long been used as a flavoring and as an ingredient in cough syrups and throat lozenges. Good-quality human studies are lacking, so its real effectiveness is uncertain, and it can cause allergic skin reactions in some people. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have allergies.

Myroxylon balsamum · Fabaceae · Resinous balsam (oleoresin) collected from the tree trunk · Syrups, cough lozenges, throat preparations, tinctures, and as a flavoring or fragrance ingredient

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

Tolu Balsam: dosing

There is no well-established standardized dose for tolu balsam. It is most often found as a minor ingredient in cough syrups, lozenges, and tinctures rather than taken on its own.If you use a product that contains tolu balsam, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full Tolu Balsam monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Mefenamic Acid

What Is Mefenamic Acid Used For?

Brand name: Ponstel

Mefenamic acid capsules are approved to manage mild to moderate pain in adults and adolescents 14 years of age and older, but only for short-term use — no longer than 7 days.

They are also approved to treat primary dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual periods), started at the onset of bleeding and associated symptoms.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Mefenamic Acid

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (2,182 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Nausea 314 reports
Fatigue 264 reports
Headache 238 reports
Dizziness 189 reports
Malaise 177 reports
See full Mefenamic Acid drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Tolu Balsam

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Tolu Balsam — 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
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

We checked Tolu Balsam against Mefenamic Acid in the Natural Medicines interaction database and found no documented interaction on file. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus, and supplement label details from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Tolu Balsam and Mefenamic Acid Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Tolu Balsam with Mefenamic Acid?
We do not list a known interaction between Tolu Balsam and Mefenamic Acid. 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 Mefenamic Acid interact with any supplements?
Yes. Mefenamic Acid has documented interactions with 118 supplements in our database — Tolu Balsam is not one of them. The Mefenamic Acid 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 Mefenamic Acid and Tolu Balsam?

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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.