Does bupropion contain wheat or gluten as an excipient?

We cross-check each bupropion product label against four data sources: DailyMed (FDA Structured Product Labels), the European Medicines Agency centrally-authorised medicines database, the Plogsted curated gluten-free drug list, and the 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric pharmacy NDC analysis. Inactive ingredients are scanned against a 146-entry red-flag dictionary covering wheat, barley, rye, malt, source-ambiguous starches, and FDA gluten-free attestation phrases. At least one manufacturer has formally attested their formulation contains no gluten. Of 12 labels we checked, 2 are confirmed by the maker and 10 show nothing flagged. Confirm the brand or generic on your bottle matches one of the attesting manufacturers below.

Can different manufacturers' generic versions of bupropion have different gluten status?

Yes. Generics in the United States must use the same active ingredient as the brand, but they are not required to use the same inactive ingredients. Two generics of bupropion from different manufacturers can use entirely different starch sources, binders, and fillers. A pharmacy may also switch which manufacturer it dispenses between fills without notifying you. Each manufacturer-specific entry below corresponds to a separately-filed product label.

DailyMed checked live · reference data updated August 19, 2026 · 12 product labels screened

Is bupropion gluten-free?

By Ned Walsch

Founder and maintainer of Gluten Screen

Updated October 13, 2026

Not clinically reviewed — verify with your pharmacist

Confirmed gluten-free by at least one manufacturer. At least one manufacturer has formally attested their formulation contains no gluten. Of 12 labels we checked, 2 are confirmed by the maker and 10 show nothing flagged. Confirm the brand or generic on your bottle matches one of the attesting manufacturers below.

Drug context

About bupropion

Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant also used for smoking cessation, sold under brand names including Wellbutrin, Zyban.

Why this matters

Different manufacturers, different ingredients

Generics of bupropion use the same active ingredient, but they aren't required to use the same inactive ingredients. Your pharmacy may switch which manufacturer they dispense between fills, sometimes without telling you. The list below shows each manufacturer's product label as a separate entry, because that's the granularity that actually matters when you're celiac.

The labels

The 12 we checked

01

Purepac manufacturer-attested gluten-free

Plogsted list · Bupropion Sustain Release (Purepac) · label dated 2017-04-28

Listed gluten-free in Plogsted Alpha List (2017-04-28)
View source label →
02

Watson manufacturer-attested gluten-free

Plogsted list · Bupropion Extended Release (Watson) · label dated 2017-04-28

Listed gluten-free in Plogsted Alpha List (2017-04-28)
View source label →
03

BluePoint Laboratories nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [BLUEPOINT LABORATORIES] · label dated Oct 09, 2026

Inactive ingredients CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE · ETHYLCELLULOSES · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE · HYDRATED SILICA · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHACRYLIC ACID - ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER (1:1) TYPE A · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 1450 · POVIDONE K90 · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · SILICON DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
04

Actavis Pharma, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [ACTAVIS PHARMA, INC.] · label dated Oct 09, 2026

Inactive ingredients COPOVIDONE K25-31 · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE (1600000 WAMW) · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHACRYLIC ACID · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · SODIUM BICARBONATE · SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
05

Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [ZYDUS PHARMACEUTICALS USA INC.] · label dated Oct 08, 2026

Inactive ingredients AMMONIA · BUTYL ALCOHOL · ETHYLCELLULOSES · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · HYPROMELLOSES · ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHACRYLIC ACID · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · SILICON DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
06

Modavar Pharmaceuticals LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, FILM COATED [MODAVAR PHARMACEUTICALS LLC] · label dated Oct 02, 2026

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CROSPOVIDONE · D&C YELLOW NO. 10 · FD&C RED NO. 40 · FD&C YELLOW NO. 6 · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
07

Aphena Pharma Solutions - Tennessee, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE SR (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, FILM COATED, EXTENDED RELE… · label dated Sep 30, 2026

Inactive ingredients ACACIA · ALCOHOL · COPOVIDONE K25-31 · CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE · DEXTROSE, UNSPECIFIED FORM · FD&C BLUE NO. 2 · FD&C RED NO. 40 · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SILICON DIOXIDE · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
08

Direct_Rx nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HCL ER (XL) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [DIRECT_RX] · label dated Sep 24, 2026

Inactive ingredients AMMONIA · CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE · DIBUTYL SEBACATE · ETHYLCELLULOSES · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · GLYCERYL BEHENATE/EICOSADIOATE · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE, LOW SUBSTITUTED · METHACRYLIC ACID-ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER (1:1) TYPE A · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE · SILICON DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
09

Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE (SR) (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [MACLEO… · label dated Sep 24, 2026

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE · ETHYLCELLULOSE, UNSPECIFIED · FD&C BLUE NO. 1 · FD&C BLUE NO. 2 · FD&C RED NO. 40 · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (4000 MPA.S) · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (5 MPA.S) · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
10

Dr Reddys Laboratories Inc nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE (XL) (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, FILM COATED, EXTENDED RE… · label dated Sep 21, 2026

Inactive ingredients COPOVIDONE K25-31 · HYDROCHLORIC ACID · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHACRYLIC ACID - ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER (1:1) TYPE A · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
11

Quallent Pharmaceuticals Health LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE XL (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [QUALLENT… · label dated Sep 10, 2026

Inactive ingredients AMMONIA · CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE · DIBUTYL SEBACATE · ETHYLCELLULOSES · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · GLYCERYL BEHENATE/EICOSADIOATE · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE, LOW SUBSTITUTED · METHACRYLIC ACID-ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER (1:1) TYPE A · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE · SILICON DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
12

Apotex Corp nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, FILM COATED [APOTEX CORP] · label dated Sep 10, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE (120 .MU.M) · D&C RED NO. 7 · FD&C YELLOW NO. 6 · FUMARIC ACID · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE (1600000 WAMW) · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHYLCELLULOSE (100 MPA.S) · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 8000 · SILICON DIOXIDE · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →

Try it live

Or screen bupropion right now

DailyMed updates daily and we have ~76 drugs in our static landing pages — for everything else, the live search is faster.

Screen bupropion live →

Background

What “gluten in a medication” actually means

Gluten enters drugs through their excipients — the inactive ingredients used to bind, coat, fill, or stabilize the dose. The main concern is wheat starch as a filler. Source-ambiguous starches (plain “starch”, pregelatinized starch, sodium starch glycolate, modified starch) get flagged for verification because their botanical origin isn't always disclosed on the label.

The 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric NDC analysis (689 NDCs across the top 100 pediatric medications) found 1.5% contained gluten outright; another 25.7% couldn't be confirmed either way. Liquid and oral-suspension formulations carry disproportionate risk because wheat starch is a common thickener. Full methodology →

Keep checking