Drug & supplement interaction

White Horehound + Cephalexin

Cephalexin brand names: Keflex, Keftab, Cephalex, Lexin.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between White Horehound and Cephalexin 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

White Horehound and Cephalexin

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 Cephalexin and White Horehound 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.

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.

White Horehound safety at a glance

White Horehound overall Use caution Likely fine in small amounts found in foods and lozenges, but high doses are not well studied.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally; white horehound might have abortifacient effect, or stimulate menstrual flow and the uterus. There is insufficient reliable information availa... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Cephalexin and White Horehound? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Cephalexin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Cephalexin is filed under 7 classifications — including organic anion transporter 3 (oat3) substrates, organic anion transporter 1 (oat1) substrates, antibiotic drugs. White Horehound has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and antihypertensive drugs (moderate) — and none of Cephalexin’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

White Horehound Does Interact With Other Medications

White Horehound has 258 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Cephalexin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 258 No known interaction 2,572 (incl. Cephalexin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against White Horehound

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests White Horehound and Cephalexin May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

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.

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    White Horehound

    “Orally, white horehound may cause nausea, dry mouth, excessive salivation, loss of appetite, and dizziness in some patients. Large amounts of white horehound (exact dose is unclear) may cause purgative effects (4,12).

    Topically, skin contact with the plant juice may cause contact dermatitis (4).”

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

    3 sources cited
    1. 86369. Herrera-Arellano, A., Aguilar-Santamaria, L., Garcia-Hernandez, B., Nicasio-Torres, P., and Tortoriello, J. Clinical trial of Cecropia obtusifolia and Marrubium vulgare leaf extracts on blood glucose and serum lipids in type 2 diabetics. Phytomedicine 200 PubMed
    2. 4. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
    3. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

    “Orally, clinical research shows that drinking one cup of tea prepared with white horehound 1 gram three times daily for 3 weeks may cause dizziness in some patients.”

    White Horehound · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in vertigo.

    1 source cited
    1. 86369. Herrera-Arellano, A., Aguilar-Santamaria, L., Garcia-Hernandez, B., Nicasio-Torres, P., and Tortoriello, J. Clinical trial of Cecropia obtusifolia and Marrubium vulgare leaf extracts on blood glucose and serum lipids in type 2 diabetics. Phytomedicine 200 PubMed

    Cephalexin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cephalexin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Nausea Additional detail

    White Horehound

    “Orally, clinical research shows that drinking one cup of tea prepared with white horehound 1 gram three times daily for 3 weeks may cause nausea, dry mouth, excessive salivation, and loss of appetite in some patients. Intake of large amounts of white horehound (exact dose is unclear) may cause purgative effects (4,12).”

    White Horehound · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dry mouth.

    3 sources cited
    1. 86369. Herrera-Arellano, A., Aguilar-Santamaria, L., Garcia-Hernandez, B., Nicasio-Torres, P., and Tortoriello, J. Clinical trial of Cecropia obtusifolia and Marrubium vulgare leaf extracts on blood glucose and serum lipids in type 2 diabetics. Phytomedicine 200 PubMed
    2. 4. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
    3. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

    Cephalexin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cephalexin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for White Horehound but not commonly for Cephalexin: reduced appetite, a skin rash and dry mouth.

Effects for Cephalexin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for White Horehound come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

White Horehound in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Unsafe

When used orally; white horehound might have abortifacient effect, or stimulate menstrual flow and the uterus. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of topical use during pregnancy; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About White Horehound or Cephalexin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers White Horehound or Cephalexin, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cephalexin

This page covers White Horehound only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cephalexin page lists 61 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 3 major · 47 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cephalexin page

“Cephalexin (Keflex) is one of the most commonly prescribed oral antibiotics, usually for skin and urinary infections, and its supplement list warrants genuine care rather than a quick skim. Three of the 61 ingredients on file rate major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cephalexin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where White Horehound and Cephalexin 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 White Horehound
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cephalexin
Top 5%

#67 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 White Horehound reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The White Horehound and Cephalexin records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 White Horehound

What is White Horehound?

White Horehound
  • Cough and chest congestion
  • Sore throat
  • Bronchitis
  • Digestive upset and poor appetite
  • Bloating and gas

White horehound is a traditional bitter herb used mainly for coughs, sore throats, and mild digestive complaints, and it is a common flavoring in old-fashioned cough drops. Solid human evidence supporting these uses is limited, so view it as a folk remedy rather than a proven treatment. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy.

Marrubium vulgare · Lamiaceae · Leaves and flowering tops (aerial parts) · Tea, lozenges, cough syrups, tinctures, capsules, hard candies

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

White Horehound: dosing

There is no well-established standardized dose for white horehound. The right amount depends on the form, such as tea, tincture, lozenge, or capsule, and the strength of the specific product.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not exceed the recommended amount.

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

Read the full White Horehound monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cephalexin

What Is Cephalexin Used For?

Brand names: Keflex, Keftab, Cephalex, Lexin

Cephalexin treats bacterial infections caused by susceptible strains of bacteria. It is used for respiratory tract infections, ear infections (otitis media), skin and skin structure infections, bone infections, and genitourinary tract infections — including acute prostatitis.

It works only against bacterial infections — not viruses like colds or flu. Your prescriber should use it only when a bacterial infection is confirmed or strongly suspected, to help prevent antibiotic resistance.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cephalexin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Chronic kidney disease 2,157 reports
Renal failure 1,558 reports
Acute kidney injury 1,550 reports
Diarrhea 1,405 reports
Fatigue 1,303 reports
See full Cephalexin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & White Horehound

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

0Major
258Moderate
0Minor
2,571No known interaction
258 Moderate 2,571 No interaction
Moderate

258 interactions

Showing 60 of 258 moderate interactions — see all 258 on the White Horehound page.

No interaction 2,571 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,571 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full White Horehound list.

See the full White Horehound interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cephalexin, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

White Horehound References

The 8 references that drive our White Horehound 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. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
  2. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  3. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  4. Roman, Ramos R., Alarcon-Aguilar, F., Lara-Lemus, A., and Flores-Saenz, J. L. Hypoglycemic effect of plants used in Mexico as antidiabetics. Arch.Med.Res 1992;23:59-64.
  5. Novaes AP, Rossi C, Poffo C, et al. Preliminary evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect of some Brazilian medicinal plants. Therapie. 2001;56(4):427-30.
  6. El Bardai, S., Lyoussi, B., Wibo, M., and Morel, N. Pharmacological evidence of hypotensive activity of Marrubium vulgare and Foeniculum vulgare in spontaneously hypertensive rat. Clin Exp Hypertens. 2001;23(4):329-343.
  7. El Bardai, S., Lyoussi, B., Wibo, M., and Morel, N. Comparative study of the antihypertensive activity of Marrubium vulgare and of the dihydropyridine calcium antagonist amlodipine in spontaneously hypertensive rat. Clin Exp Hypertens. 2004;26(6):465-474 PubMed
  8. Herrera-Arellano, A., Aguilar-Santamaria, L., Garcia-Hernandez, B., Nicasio-Torres, P., and Tortoriello, J. Clinical trial of Cecropia obtusifolia and Marrubium vulgare leaf extracts on blood glucose and serum lipids in type 2 diabetics. Phytomedicine 200 PubMed

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 White Horehound and Cephalexin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take White Horehound with Cephalexin?
We do not list a known interaction between White Horehound and Cephalexin. 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 White Horehound and Cephalexin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 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.
How was the White Horehound and Cephalexin combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Cephalexin is filed under 7 classifications, and White Horehound has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Cephalexin's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does White Horehound interact with any other medications?
Yes. White Horehound has 258 documented drug interactions in our database — Cephalexin is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Cephalexin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cephalexin has documented interactions with 61 supplements in our database — White Horehound is not one of them. The Cephalexin 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

White Horehound monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Cephalexin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Cephalexin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Cephalexin, 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 Cephalexin and White Horehound?

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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.