Cephalexin Does Not Contain Pork
Cephalexin is a synthetic antibiotic medication that does not contain any pork-derived ingredients or animal products. 1
Chemical Composition
Cephalexin is a semisynthetic cephalosporin antibiotic with the chemical formula C16H17N3O4S•H2O. 1 The drug is manufactured through chemical synthesis and consists of:
- Active ingredient: Cephalexin monohydrate (a crystalline compound synthesized in laboratories) 1
- Inactive ingredients in capsules: magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, sodium starch glycolate, and capsule shell components including gelatin, iron oxides, aluminum lakes, titanium dioxide, and pharmaceutical glaze 1
- Inactive ingredients in oral suspension: artificial flavors, benzyl alcohol, maltodextrin, modified corn starch, silicon dioxide, sodium benzoate, sugar, and xanthan gum 1
- Inactive ingredients in tablets: hypromellose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, sodium starch glycolate, and titanium dioxide 1
Important Considerations
The only potential animal-derived ingredient is gelatin in the capsule formulation, which is typically derived from bovine (cow) or porcine (pig) sources. 1 However:
- Gelatin source varies by manufacturer and is not specified in the FDA labeling 1
- Tablet and oral suspension formulations do not contain gelatin and are suitable alternatives if avoiding all potential pork products is necessary 1
- Patients with specific religious or dietary restrictions should contact the specific manufacturer to verify the gelatin source in capsule formulations
The core antibiotic molecule itself (cephalexin) is entirely synthetic and contains no animal products whatsoever. 1