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.

Last verified May 17, 2026 · 12 product labels screened

Is bupropion gluten-free?

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

Coupler LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE XL (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [COUPLER … · label dated May 11, 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 →
04

Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · AUVELITY (DEXTROMETHORPHAN HYDROBROMIDE, BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, MULTILAYER, E… · label dated May 11, 2026

Inactive ingredients CARBOMER HOMOPOLYMER, UNSPECIFIED TYPE · CROSPOVIDONE · CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE · FERRIC OXIDE RED · FERRIC OXIDE YELLOW · GLYCERYL MONOCAPRYLATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE · STEARIC ACID · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
05

DriectRx nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HCL ER(SR) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [DRIECTRX] · label dated May 04, 2026

Inactive ingredients FD&C RED NO. 40 · HYDROCHLORIC ACID · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (5 MPA.S) · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (50 MPA.S) · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (6 MPA.S) · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 8000 · POLYSORBATE 80 · SILICON DIOXIDE · SODIUM STEARYL FUMARATE · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
06

Lifestar Pharma LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HCL ER (XL) (BUPROPION HCL ER) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [LIFESTAR PHARMA LLC] · label dated May 01, 2026

Inactive ingredients CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE SODIUM · HYDROCHLORIC ACID · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE (1600000 WAMW) · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHACRYLIC ACID AND ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 2000000 · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 8000 · POLYVINYL ACETATE · POVIDONE K30 · SILICON DIOXIDE · STEARIC ACID · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIACETIN
View source label →
07

GlaxoSmithKline LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · WELLBUTRIN SR (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, FILM COATED [GLAXOSMITHKLINE LLC] · label dated Apr 30, 2026

Inactive ingredients CARNAUBA WAX · CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE · FD&C BLUE NO. 1 · FD&C BLUE NO. 2 · FD&C RED NO. 40 · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
08

Coupler LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [COUPLER LLC] · label dated Apr 28, 2026

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · FD&C RED NO. 40 ALUMINUM LAKE · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE (1600000 WAMW) · HYPROMELLOSES · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · POTASSIUM CHLORIDE · STARCH, CORN · STEARIC ACID · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIACETIN
View source label →
09

Coupler LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, FILM COATED [COUPLER LLC] · label dated Apr 27, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE (15 MPA.S AT 5%) · FD&C YELLOW NO. 6 · FUMARIC ACID · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE (1600000 WAMW) · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHYLCELLULOSE (100 MPA.S) · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
10

Quallent Pharmaceuticals Health LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE XL (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [QUALLENT… · label dated Apr 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 →
11

Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE XL (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [LUPIN PH… · label dated Apr 23, 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

Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE (BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [CAMBER PHAR… · label dated Apr 23, 2026

Inactive ingredients AMMONIA · ETHYLCELLULOSE (100 MPA.S) · FD&C BLUE NO. 2 · FERRIC OXIDE RED · FERRIC OXIDE YELLOW · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (6 MPA.S) · METHACRYLIC ACID AND ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE 102 · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 1450 · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 6000 · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 8000 · POVIDONE K90 · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · SILICON DIOXIDE · SODIUM STEARYL FUMARATE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →

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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

Other drugs people look up

Important. This page is informational. Drug labels can change without notice; a manufacturer attestation is point-in-time, not a warranty. If you have celiac disease and your pharmacy switches manufacturers, re-screen the new label before taking the dispensed product. For a definitive answer, call the manufacturer's medical-information line with the NDC code from your prescription bottle.