Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 3 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Elderberry Syrup + Honey Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by New Chapter

Liquid Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Elderberry Syrup + Honey is a dietary supplement by New Chapter with 3 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for cough and sore throat, wound and burn care, soothing minor skin irritation.Based on those ingredients, 736 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Honey. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Elderberry Syrup + Honey by New Chapter

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 3 of its 3 active ingredients.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This liquid contains 3 active ingredients. Honey is included for its topical and oral uses — it's possibly effective for cough, cold sores, oral sores from cancer treatment, burns, and dry eye.

The product also contains European Elderberry Concentrate and ElderCraft European Black Elderberry extract, though we have no interaction or effectiveness data on file for those specific preparations. The only listed inactive ingredient is water.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

We hold no graded evidence for this product's ingredients for its stated purpose.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: boost immunity and immune defense.
  • We looked for evidence on: Immune function, Viral infection prevention, Respiratory health.
  • Our graded evidence for these ingredients doesn't cover that particular purpose.

Honey in this syrup is possibly effective for cough, cold sores, oral mucositis (sores in the mouth or throat), burns, and dry eye. The evidence supports its use for these purposes, though "possibly effective" means the studies exist but aren't conclusive.

We don't have effectiveness data on file for the two elderberry extracts in this product.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Honey

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Honey is generally well tolerated when taken by mouth or applied to skin for adults and children over 1 year of age. The most common side effects are mild — nausea, stomach pain, vomiting when taken orally, and burning or stinging when applied to skin.

Rarely, allergic reactions including anaphylaxis can occur. Important: some honey from Turkey's Black Sea coast contains toxins from rhododendrons that can cause serious heart problems; avoid honey from that region.

Because this product contains honey used medicinally (not just as food), check with your doctor first. If you're breastfeeding, eating honey yourself is fine, but talk to your provider before using it as a medicine.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Honey

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Honey.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs.
  • For scale: 737 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking this product, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take phenytoin (Dilantin) for seizures — honey may raise its levels. Also double-check if you take blood thinners like warfarin or antiplatelet drugs like aspirin, or if you take any drug your liver metabolizes, since honey's effect on those is unclear and may vary.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

This syrup may help with cough, cold sores, and sore throats, and it's usually well tolerated. But if you take seizure medications, blood thinners, or drugs your liver breaks down (ask your pharmacist if you're not sure), you need to check with your doctor or pharmacist first — honey can interfere.

Same goes if you have a history of allergies or if you're using this medicinally while breastfeeding.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 3 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Sep 22, 2022.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Elderberry Syrup + Honey, straight from the product label.

Brand New Chapter
Net contents 4 fl. Oz.; 118 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Sep 22, 2022
DSLD ID 274054
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Children 4 or More Years of Age, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Children more than 1 but less than 4
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Elderberry Syrup + Honey by New Chapter, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
2.5 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
5 mL
Servings per container
24
IngredientAmount% DV
Calories15 Calorie(s)--
Total Carbohydrate5 Gram(s)2%, 3%
Total Sugars4 Gram(s)--
added Sugars4 Gram(s)16%, 8%
Honey4450 mg--
European Elderberry Concentrate1625 mg--
ElderCraft European Black Elderberry extract50 mg--

Other ingredients: Water

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formula

Boost immunity Activate your immune defenses with the proven force of pure black elderberry. Superfood antioxidant Powerful antioxidant action from super-dark elderberry flavonoids for immune support. Potency unlocked Made with potent elderberry extract, concentrated 64x for optimal benefit. Naturally sweetened with throat-soothing honey. Pure and potent Power up your immune system with clinically studied black elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Our potent, superior-quality fruit is sustainably grown in Austria, then highly concentrated in a solvent-free process. With sustainably sourced bee-friendly honey.

64x concentrated extract The magic inside: Great-tasting elderberry with sustainably sourced, throat-soothing, bee-friendly honey

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested use: Ages 2-12: Take 1/2 teaspoon daily. Age 12+: Take 1 teaspoon daily. Swirl bottle gently under warm water to mix, if needed.

Storage

Refrigerate after opening.

Formulation

Advanced immune defense Nutrition crafted for: Immune support

Gluten free; 100% vegetarian; no artificial flavors or colors.

Gluten free; 100% vegetarian; no artificial flavors or colors.

Seals/Symbols

Non GMO Project Verified nongmoproject.org Certified B corporation

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Precautions

Caution: This product contains honey and as such it should not be used by children under 12 months of age.

As with any dietary supplement, you should advise your healthcare professional of the use of this product if you have a medical condition or are taking medication. If you are nursing, pregnant, or considering pregnancy, consult your healthcare professional prior to using this product.

Discontinue use and contact your healthcare professional if you experience a side effect or an allergic reaction.

Do not exceed suggested use.

Keep out of reach of children.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

General Statements

For questions or comments call 888-874-4461

Brand IP Statement(s)

Copyright 2020 New Chapter, Inc.

See for yourself

Elderberry Syrup + Honey by New Chapter label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Elderberry Syrup + Honey by New Chapter

These are the 3 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size2.5 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container24 Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Honey

Interacts with
736 drugs
4450 mg per serving

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 monograph & interactions

European Elderberry Concentrate

1625 mg per serving

ElderCraft European Black Elderberry extract

50 mg per serving

Other (inactive) ingredients: Water. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Elderberry Syrup + Honey by New Chapter Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Elderberry Syrup + Honey?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
736Drugs
5 Moderate 731 Minor

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Honey 736

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Elderberry Syrup + Honey with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Honey3 drug types · 736 drugs

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.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, honey may increase the risk of bleeding when used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro, honey inhibits platelet aggregation and increases the time to clotting. Furthermore, animal research suggests that feeding mice large doses of honey for 12 days increases bleeding time when compared with no intervention. However, these effects have not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D
Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates

Theoretically, honey might decrease levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, but research is conflicting.
Some clinical research shows that honey induces CYP3A4. However, other clinical studies found no effect on CYP3A4 activity. Different honey preparations may have different effects on CYP3A4.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Elderberry Syrup + Honey, from the product label.

New Chapter

See all New Chapter products
Name
New Chapter, Inc.
Street Address
90 Technology Dr.
City
Brattleboro
State
VT
ZipCode
05301
Phone Number
888-874-4461
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Elderberry Syrup + Honey by New Chapter: Common Questions

Does Elderberry Syrup + Honey by New Chapter interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Elderberry Syrup + Honey has a known interaction with 736 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Elderberry Syrup + Honey contains 3 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Does honey actually help with cough?
Honey is possibly effective for cough — the evidence supports its use, though it's not a slam-dunk cure. It's one of the better-studied uses for honey.
Is it safe for my toddler?
Honey is generally safe for children over 1 year old. Never give it to babies under 1 year — raw honey can carry botulism spores that infants can't fight off. For kids over 1, this syrup should be fine.
What if I'm taking Dilantin for seizures?
Talk to your doctor before adding this product. Honey may increase Dilantin levels in your blood, which could cause side effects. Your doctor might need to adjust your dose or monitor you more closely.
Can I use this if I'm on a blood thinner?
Check with your doctor or pharmacist first. Honey theoretically raises bleeding risk when combined with blood thinners like warfarin or aspirin, though human studies are limited. Your provider can tell you whether it's safe for you.
What are the side effects?
Most people tolerate it well. If taken by mouth, you might feel nausea, stomach pain, or vomiting. If applied to skin, you might feel burning or stinging. Allergic reactions are rare but can happen, especially in people with a history of allergies.
Can I use this while breastfeeding?
Honey you eat is fine for a breastfeeding mom. But since this is a medicinal product, not just food, talk to your provider before using it regularly.

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

Not sure if Elderberry Syrup + Honey is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Elderberry Syrup + Honey label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Elderberry Syrup + Honey’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Elderberry Syrup + Honey's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 40 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Honey 40 references
  1. The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
  2. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  3. Bose B. Honey or sugar in treatment of infected wounds? Lancet 1982;1:963. PubMed
  4. Ozhan H, Akdemir R, Yazici M, et al. Cardiac emergencies caused by honey ingestion: a single centre experience. Emerg Med J 2004;21:742-4. PubMed
  5. Centers for Disease Control. Botulism in the Unites Sates, 1899-1996. Handbook for epidemiologists, clinicians, and laboratory workers, 1998. Available online: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/botulism.PDF.
  6. Simon A, Traynor K, Santos K, et al. Medical honey for wound care - still the 'latest resort'? Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2009;6:165-73. PubMed
  7. Gethin G, Cowman S. Case series of use of Manuka honey in leg ulceration. Int Wound J 2005;2:10-15. PubMed
  8. Ingle R, Levin J, Polinder K. Wound healing with honey - a randomised controlled trial. S Afr Med J 2006;96:831-5.
  9. Johnson DW, van Eps C, Mudge DW, et al. Randomized, controlled trial of topical exit-site application of honey (Medihoney) versus mupirocin for the prevention of catheter-associated infections in hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol 2005;16:1456-62. PubMed
  10. Sukriti and Garg, S. K. Influence of honey on the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin in rabbits. Ind J Pharmacol 2002;34(147).
  11. Jung, A. and Ottosson, J. [Infantile botulism caused by honey]. Ugeskr Laeger 2001;163(2):169.
  12. Gunduz, A., Turedi, S., Uzun, H., and Topbas, M. Mad honey poisoning. Am J Emerg.Med 2006;24(5):595-598.
  13. van der Vorst, M. M., Jamal, W., Rotimi, V. O., and Moosa, A. Infant botulism due to consumption of contaminated commercially prepared honey. First report from the Arabian Gulf States. Med Princ.Pract. 2006;15(6):456-458. PubMed
  14. Tushar, T., Vinod, T., Rajan, S., Shashindran, C., and Adithan, C. Effect of honey on CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 enzyme activity in healthy human volunteers. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2007;100(4):269-272. PubMed
  15. Nilforoushzadeh, M. A., Jaffary, F., Moradi, S., Derakhshan, R., and Haftbaradaran, E. Effect of topical honey application along with intralesional injection of glucantime in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. BMC Complement Altern Med 2007;7:13. PubMed
  16. Koca, I. and Koca, A. F. Poisoning by mad honey: a brief review. Food Chem Toxicol 2007;45(8):1315-1318. PubMed
  17. Akinci, S., Arslan, U., Karakurt, K., and Cengel, A. An unusual presentation of mad honey poisoning: acute myocardial infarction. Int J Cardiol 2008;129(2):e56-e58. PubMed
  18. Yildirim, N., Aydin, M., Cam, F., and Celik, O. Clinical presentation of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the course of intoxication with mad honey. Am J Emerg Med 2008;26(1):108.e-2. PubMed
  19. Shrestha, P., Vaidya, R., and Sherpa, K. Mad honey poisoning: a rare case report of seven cases. Nepal Med Coll J 2009;11(3):212-213.
  20. Fetzner, L., Burhenne, J., Weiss, J., Völker, M., Unger, M., Mikus, G., and Haefeli, W. E. Daily honey consumption does not change CYP3A activity in humans. J Clin Pharmacol 2011;51(8):1223-1232. PubMed
  21. Thamboo, A., Thamboo, A., Philpott, C., Javer, A., and Clark, A. Single-blind study of manuka honey in allergic fungal rhinosinusitis. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2011;40(3):238-243.
  22. Ahmed, A., Khan, R. A., Azim, M. K., Saeed, S. A., Mesaik, M. A., Ahmed, S., and Imran, I. Effect of natural honey on human platelets and blood coagulation proteins. Pak.J Pharm Sci 2011;24(3):389-397.
  23. Yarlioglues, M., Akpek, M., Ardic, I., Elcik, D., Sahin, O., and Kaya, M. G. Mad-honey sexual activity and acute inferior myocardial infarctions in a married couple. Tex.Heart Inst.J 2011;38(5):577-580.
  24. Biberoglu, S., Biberoglu, K., and Komsuoglu, B. Mad honey. JAMA 4-1-1988;259(13):1943.
  25. Biberoglu, K., Biberoglu, S., and Komsuoglu, B. Transient Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome during honey intoxication. Isr.J.Med.Sci. 1988;24(4-5):253-254.
  26. Gössinger, H., Hruby, K., Pohl, A., Davogg, S., Sutterlütti, G., and Mathis, G. [Poisoning with andromedotoxin-containing honey]. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 1983;108(41):1555-1558.
  27. Fenicia, L., Ferrini, A. M., Aureli, P., and Pocecco, M. A case of infant botulism associated with honey feeding in Italy. Eur J Epidemiol 1993;9(6):671-673. PubMed
  28. Sutlupinar, N., Mat, A., and Satganoglu, Y. Poisoning by toxic honey in Turkey. Arch.Toxicol. 1993;67(2):148-150. PubMed
  29. von Malottki, K. and Wiechmann, H. W. [Acute life-threatening bradycardia: food poisoning by Turkish wild honey]. Dtsch.Med.Wochenschr. 7-26-1996;121(30):936-938.
  30. Abdulla CO, Ayubi A, Zulfiquer F, Santhanam G, Ahmed MA, Deeb J. Infant botulism following honey ingestion. BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Sep 7;2012.
  31. Johnson DW, Badve SV, Pascoe EM, Beller E, Cass A, Clark C, de Zoysa J, Isbel NM, McTaggart S, Morrish AT, Playford EG, Scaria A, Snelling P, Vergara LA, Hawley CM; HONEYPOT Study Collaborative Group. Antibacterial honey for the prevention of peritoneal-d
  32. Matos D, Serrano P, Menezes Brandão F. A case of allergic contact dermatitis caused by propolis-enriched honey. Contact Dermatitis. 2015 Jan;72(1):59-60. PubMed
  33. Oduwole O, Meremikwu MM, Oyo-Ita A, Udoh EE. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Dec 23;12:CD007094. PubMed
  34. Vezir E, Kaya A, Toyran M, Azkur D, Dibek Misirlioglu E, Kocabas CN. Anaphylaxis/angioedema caused by honey ingestion. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2014 Jan-Feb;35(1):71-4. PubMed
  35. Wang YT, Qi Y, Tang FY, et al. The effect of cupping therapy for low back pain: A meta-analysis based on existing randomized controlled trials. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2017;30(6):1187-1195. PubMed
  36. Oduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;4:CD007094. PubMed
  37. Wong D, Albietz JM, Tran H, et al. Treatment of contact lens related dry eye with antibacterial honey. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2017;40(6):389-393. PubMed
  38. Martina SJ, Ramar LAP, Silaban MRI, Luthfi M, Govindan PAP. Antiplatelet Effectivity between Aspirin with Honey on Cardiovascular Disease Based on Bleeding Time Taken on Mice. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019 Oct 14;7(20):3416-3420. PubMed
  39. Jhawar N, Gonzalez-Estrada A. Honey-induced anaphylaxis in an adult. QJM 2022;115(5):325-326. PubMed
  40. Di Costanzo M, De Paulis N, Peveri S, Montagni M, Berni Canani R, Biasucci G. Anaphylaxis caused by artisanal honey in a child: a case report. J Med Case Rep 2021;15(1):235. PubMed

See these in context on the Honey monograph →

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