Does mefloquine contain wheat or gluten as an excipient?

We cross-check each mefloquine 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. Mostly yes — but worth a quick call to the manufacturer for some generics. Of 7 product labels we checked, 6 are clean, 0 are confirmed gluten-free by the maker, and 1 contain an inactive ingredient (typically a source-ambiguous starch) whose botanical origin isn't fully disclosed. None contained confirmed gluten.

Can different manufacturers' generic versions of mefloquine 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 mefloquine 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 · 7 product labels screened

Is mefloquine gluten-free?

Looks mostly clean — worth verifying with the maker. Mostly yes — but worth a quick call to the manufacturer for some generics. Of 7 product labels we checked, 6 are clean, 0 are confirmed gluten-free by the maker, and 1 contain an inactive ingredient (typically a source-ambiguous starch) whose botanical origin isn't fully disclosed. None contained confirmed gluten.

Drug context

About mefloquine

Mefloquine is an antimalarial used for prevention and treatment of malaria, sold under brand names including Lariam.

Why this matters

Different manufacturers, different ingredients

Generics of mefloquine 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 7 we checked

01

(manufacturer not listed) worth a call to confirm

Mangione 2024 · mefloquine hydrochloride 250 mg tablet (no confirmed-GF version found) · label dated 2025-06-09

Worth a call to the maker: No confirmed gluten-free formulation available
View source label →
02

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.] · label dated Feb 04, 2026

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CROSPOVIDONE (15 MPA.S AT 5%) · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POLOXAMER 188 · SILICON DIOXIDE · STARCH, CORN · TALC
View source label →
03

Chartwell RX, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [CHARTWELL RX, LLC] · label dated Nov 20, 2024

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CROSPOVIDONE (120 .MU.M) · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE, LOW SUBSTITUTED · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · STARCH, CORN · TALC
View source label →
04

H.J. Harkins Company, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [H.J. HARKINS COMPANY, INC.] · label dated Feb 17, 2012

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · COLLOIDAL SILICON DIOXIDE · CROSPOVIDONE · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POLYSORBATE 80 · POVIDONE K30 · STARCH, CORN · TALC
View source label →
05

A-S Medication Solutions nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [A-S MEDICATION SOLUTIONS] · label dated Apr 07, 2025

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE (120 .MU.M) · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLOXAMER 188 · SILICA · TALC · ZEA MAYS (CORN) STARCH
View source label →
06

Rebel Distributors Corp nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [REBEL DISTRIBUTORS CORP] · label dated Apr 20, 2012

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CROSPOVIDONE · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POLYSORBATE 80 · POVIDONE K30 · SILICON DIOXIDE · STARCH, CORN · TALC
View source label →
07

Physicians Total Care, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET [PHYSICIANS TOTAL CARE, INC.] · label dated Jan 13, 2010

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CROSPOVIDONE · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE, LOW SUBSTITUTED · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · STARCH, CORN · TALC
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

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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.